When I grow up – I want to be a Banker
It is not every day that a 5-year-old has the opportunity to get on the other side of the counter to learn what it takes to become a Bank Teller with BSP.
Valuable real-life experiences and books where children can recognize themselves are what motivate children to think about their education and future career. 5-year-old Piro Billy Namean got chosen to feature in a reader entitled “When I grow up – I want to be a Bank Teller” and has today seen which skills are required from role model Jude Tamoko, BSP Teller.
The visit included lots of exciting tasks such as learning to provide customer service, counting coins, stamping receipts, counting K1,000 in the counting machine and meeting with BSP Group CEO Robin Fleming to talk about all thinks banking. Piro had lots of questions to ask the CEO and role model and was also very excited to be able to open his very own BSP Kids Savings Account.
BbP seeks to show the children enrolled in its Early Childhood Education program, where their education might take them. In order to encourage and motivate the children to aspire to jobs needed in the country, BbP has published a series of books entitled “When I Grow up – I want to be a Teacher, – Pilot, – Store Manager, -Paramedic, – ICT Officer and – Farmer. These new books will be launched during Book Week in August.
The next set of readers are now in production with filming by Robert Weber and photography by Roan Paul of children in professional roles.
In addition to a BSP Bank Teller, they include a Heavy Equipment Operator (Hastings Deering), Pastry Chef (Airways Hotel), Architect (Steamships/Pacific Palms Property), an Engineer (ExxonMobil) as well as a Pharmacist and Nurse (City Pharmacy Limited).
BSP is a Platinum sponsor of BbP and has built Library Learning Centres in Lae, Goroka and on Manus Island and has enabled hundreds of children to become literate every year since 2012.
In addition to the library sponsorships, BSP also supports all BbP’s Library Learning Centres with Financial Literacy sessions and the reader produced will further assist the children with both numeracy and literacy skills.
Robin Fleming, BSP Group CEO said: “BSP has been a major sponsor of the Buk Bilong Pikinini Library Learning Centers (LLC’s) since 2012 for the operation of three (3) LLC’s located in Lae (Unitech ) , Goroka and Manus.
Mr. Fleming said teaching the children at a young age the basis of early learning skills with an emphasis on literacy an numeracy skills is important and we are more than happy to have young Piro here at our Port Moresby Branch to experience firsthand the role of a bank teller.
Through our sponsorship, we also conduct Financial Literacy sessions with the children teaching them the importance of savings and the value of money.
Added Fleming
Putting into practice the Financial Literacy sessions, young Piro had his very first Kids Savings account opened, a practical step towards managing and saving money.”
Photography: Roan Paul