RBC prepares to welcome 1,400+ summer students

2021 student program will surpass commitment to 40% BIPOC representation

TORONTO, March 30, 2021 /CNW/ - As the pandemic makes the school-to-work transition harder than ever, RBC is excited to again welcome a diverse group of 1,400+ summer students to virtual placements across its global businesses and functions starting in May.

"Students have been profoundly impacted by the loss of job opportunities and co-op placements throughout this pandemic," said Dave McKay, President and CEO of RBC, and Chair of Business + Higher Education Roundtable. "There's never been a greater need to provide young people with practical work experience and skills to help them prepare for the jobs of tomorrow and succeed in a fast-changing economy."

A recent report by RBC Future Launch reveals that more than half of young working Canadians have faced severe job interruptions (reduced hours or termination) due to COVID-19. The impact has hit certain groups disproportionately. For instance, Gen-Z women make up 2.5 per cent of the Canadian labour force, but account for 17 per cent of the total decline in employment during the pandemic according to RBC Economics.

That's why RBC remains committed to helping young people establish the skills, work experience and networks they need to start and accelerate their careers.

"Our first-ever virtual student cohort taught us what being agile and resilient is all about," says Helena Gottschling, CHRO of RBC. "Within RBC, teams quickly came together to replicate the in-person experiences we know help students build confidence and skills. And students embraced our new, virtual workplace and shared their ideas that truly drive innovation across RBC."

Building on feedback from 2020, RBC is adapting programming to further enhance the experience for our summer students. Key elements of the program will include:

• A RBC Virtually Together Hub so students can easily connect with leaders, colleagues and each other
• Interactive learning programs (e.g. hackathons, Leader Speaker Series, custom micro-learning experiences) to provide development opportunities beyond their day-to-day work
• Informal mentoring and collaboration opportunities with our virtual networking platform, RBC Café

With RBC Future Launch – our ten-year, $500 million commitment – as our anchor, RBC will continue to explore opportunities to help young people reach their full potential during these challenging times.

ABOUT RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 86,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank, and one of the largest in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 34 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.‎

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.

SOURCE RBC