TORONTO, April 29, 2022 /CNW/ - Scotiabank and Elevate Talent today announced that its fully-funded Customer Care training program is now underway. The program aims to help eliminate employment and opportunity barriers for underrepresented communities across Canada.

With a successful fall pilot program that saw several graduates find meaningful employment with Scotiabank, Elevate Talent has added the Customer Care course to its 2022 cohort to help increase economic resilience for talent from underrepresented communities, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour.

Scotiabank and Elevate developed The Customer Care training program on the heels of federal, provincial and municipal funding in June 2021, which allowed Elevate to grow the Elevate Talent initiative. It has been designed as a rapid workforce development program to train and match individuals from underrepresented communities with companies in Canada's business and tech sectors that recognize the importance of hiring diverse talent.

"What set the bar higher for me in this program was the chance at an interview to show what I can bring to the table. I learned how to help myself stand out, while making a mark in my own way. It's been a fantastic experience and I feel the career options are endless when you work for a Bank," says Aya Saeed, CCA at Scotiabank – one of the first Customer Care training program graduates and a new team member at the Bank's Toronto contact centre.

Upon completion of a five-week course, participants become eligible for an interview for a full-time opportunity with Scotiabank's team in the role of Customer Care Advisor (CCA) within the Bank's contact centres. In addition to receiving career coaching and practical interview skills, participants also gain a range of fundamental contact centre skills including customer service, problem solving, product knowledge, and solutions-oriented critical thinking that will help them to thrive as a CCA and in future roles at the Bank. Scotiabank expects to hire about 70 people from underrepresented communities across the Greater Toronto Area this year, with plans to expand to various contact centre locations in Canada over three years. More than 900 participants expected to go through the program during this time.

"At Scotiabank, we're building for every future, and together with Elevate Talent we're widening the door to career opportunities for various diverse groups across the nation," says Anna Zec, Senior Vice President, Global HR Services at Scotiabank. "Through the unique Customer Care program, we lead more people from diverse communities and backgrounds to fulfilling work and a chance at a promising career in banking, equipping them with skills and experiences that will prepare them for success today and for future work opportunities."

"Elevate Talent has developed strong partnerships with organizations like Scotiabank that shoulder the responsibility of breaking down barriers to employment for underrepresented communities in Canada. With this support, we are moving closer to our goal of training 3000 participants and finding meaningful employment for 1,375 Canadians over three years and building a sustainable hiring pipeline for those talented Canadians who deserve a seat at the table," says Kevin Barton, Senior Vice President at Elevate Talent.

By joining forces, Elevate Talent and Scotiabank can prepare Canadians to thrive in the digital age in an inclusive and sustainable way.

To learn more about the Elevate Talent Initiative, visit https://elevatetalent.ca
To learn more about Scotiabank's commitment to Diversity and Inclusion, visit https://www.scotiabank.com/careers/en/careers/diversity-and-inclusion.html

Elevate is a Canadian non-profit that builds and unites world-class innovators through tech training courses, entrepreneurship programs, and industry-leading events at the intersection of technology, arts, and social innovation. Elevate has hosted global icons such as Michelle Obama, Martha Stewart, Eric Schmidt, and Al Gore on the Elevate Main Stage, each of whom has inspired millions of people to think differently and take action for the future. Through strategic partnerships, an affiliation with the UN, and a roster of powerhouse speakers, Elevate inspires and invites its community to co-create a more equitable and sustainable future. Learn more at www.Elevate.ca.

Scotiabank is a leading bank in the Americas. Guided by our purpose: "for every future", we help our customers, their families and their communities achieve success through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of approximately 90,000 employees and assets of approximately $1.2 trillion (as at January 31, 2022), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BNS) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit http://www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankViews.

SOURCE Scotiabank