Expo empowers Basotho youth for the future Expo empowers Basotho youth for the future
Staff Writer
MASERU, Lesotho – Standard Lesotho Bank has just held the 14th edition of the annual Standard Lesotho Bank Career Expo, a 5-day nationwide event dedicated to connecting ambitious Basotho youth with exciting career opportunities.
Standard Lesotho Bank this week said the Career Expo was a cornerstone of the bank’s commitment to empowering Basotho youth and shaping the future of Lesotho’s workforce. The 2024 edition was the 14th, and was particularly important because the bank is now the headline sponsor of the expo which reaches over 10 000 students countrywide.
2024 edition of the expo, a much bigger affair
This year’s expo was much bigger than previous editions as 35 institutions of higher learning from South Africa and Lesotho were accompanied by professional bodies in explain different career options to Basotho students. The 2024 career expo kickstarted in Mokhotlong, where the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) welcomed students at the Polihali Dam site.
“Students will not only learn about different engineering disciplines but will also get to appreciate engineering in action at Polihali,” said Manyathela Kheleli, Brand and Marketing Manager, Communications and Sponsorships in the run up to the expo.
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Expo a lifetime opportunity of students
He added that the expo was a lifetime experience for students from Mokhotlong who attended the expo, thanks to the collaboration with the LHDA, who were fully responsible for the Polihali leg of the event.
There were also motivational speakers from different professions in the Bank and other selected institutions. Key influencers in the football fraternity, former Likuena captain and now Corporate Responsibility Manager at Letseng Diamonds, Tsepo Hlojeng and former Orlando Pirates dribbling wizard, Steve Lekoelea were among the influencers who addressed the students.
The event is a sponsorship initiative under Personal and Private Banking that is open to all youth, communities, and individuals, where the Bank intends to use this event to drive the new Youth or student Customer Value Proposition and attract high school students to open accounts ahead of their enrolment into tertiary institutions.
“The objective of the sponsorship is to first create an environment where future leaders of Lesotho will be nurtured and informed of top career choices that demonstrate various skills requirements for the growth of Lesotho’s economy. Secondly, the career expo is a clear demonstration of the Bank’s intention to put youth at the centre of its initiatives. This position is shown by the bank’s initiative to not only develop special products for youth, such as the Youth Account but also through several initiatives that promote youth empowerment. Such include the bursary scheme and, Bacha Entrepreneurship Project to mention but a few,” a statement from the bank said.
Expo a demonstration that Standard Lesotho Bank is a resposnsible corporate citizen
Added Kheleli: “We are more than a bank for our youth, but a good corporate citizen and a partner for education for Basotho”.
“We believe that as we grow our youth, they will become assets to this country and by extension, develop into a feeder market for our banking products when they enter the job market.”
The Bank invested M150 000 towards sponsorship of the annual Career Expo, a career guidance activity organised by Mind Liberation Psychology.
The career expo took place at the following venues:
- Mokhotlong – Polihali Dam Construction site- 18 March 2024
- Butha Buthe Community High School – 19 March 2024
- Berea Assumption High School – 20 March 2024
- Quthing Holy Trinity High School – 21 March 2024
- Maseru, ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre 22 March 2024
