Employability and Enterprise Programme

The Bank of America Merrill Lynch Employability and Enterprise Programme

Bank of America is one of the world’s largest financial institutions serving individuals, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk-management products and services in over 150 countries. The acquisition of Merrill Lynch on 1 January 2009 puts Bank of America amongst the world’s leading wealth management companies and a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across asset classes serving corporations, governments individuals.

All students in Bow start the Employability and Enterprise programme in Year 8. The first event is the induction session in which volunteers from the Bank of America Merrill Lynch come into Bow to work with students to introduce them to the world of finance. A follow up session to this on the basic beliefs of the corporation then takes place in which volunteers come in to teach the students.

The programme offers students a variety of opportunities to meet a range of professional from the Bank and introduces them to the principles of  investment banking and finance. It helps them to develop skills that will make them more employable in the 21^st century. Year 9 students are trained in presentation skills and those that excel in the training qualify to compete in the public speaking final against Swanlea School and Mulberry Girls school in the Bank of America Merrill Lynch London head office. Last year a Bow student, Samad Ahmed won the competition. The work that the students complete throughout the programme contributes to the NCFE qualification which is the equivalent to a B at GCSE. NCFE is a national organisation awarding design and award qualifications, recognising the skills, knowledge and understanding achieved by learners at a particular level and in a particular subject.