Find out how the outstanding talent sourced through Be. Lab’s internship programme has given Westpac a genuine appreciation of a diverse workforce and a greater understanding of their customers.
As one of the largest and most successful banking firms in Aotearoa, Westpac know the importance of understanding the diverse backgrounds of their customers and staff.
Integral to embracing diversity is their longstanding relationship with Be. Lab. Since the partnership began in 2018, Westpac have committed to increasing the diversity of their workforce by placing six Be. Lab interns.
Our internship programme connects talent access citizens with meaningful work experience in the career of their choice. Access citizens are an untapped pool of talent and bring a unique set of skills that forward-thinking, 21st century workplaces need, such as problem-solving, agility, persistence and innovation.
Melinda Brown, Change Manager at Westpac, has been blown away by the high calibre of our interns. “They are all so well-rounded and high achievers with excellent skills”, she says.
“I don’t think we’d be able to find CVs like that on our own. Be. Lab is a great way for us to tap into this amazing group of people!”.
Three talented Be. Lab interns have secured permanent positions at Westpac. All three are excelling in their roles and have exciting futures ahead. You can read more about Tiare and Amy’s experiences over on our blog.
As well as sourcing outstanding diverse talent, Melinda has found the process of placing our interns easy and straight-forward.
“The Be. Lab team is very supportive. They help you figure out what’s needed for the interns to settle into their roles – while the accommodations needed have been minimal, Be. Lab have helped build our confidence and made the process seamless”.
Furthermore, the paid 12-week internships are fully funded thanks to the support of the Ministry of Social Development. Our internships also offer professional development and the opportunity for candidates to be paired with a mentor. This bespoke wraparound support ensures the interns are workplace ready and set up for success.
Although the Be. Lab interns at Westpac have access needs, Melinda says many of their needs, such as visual impairments or dyslexia, are not immediately obvious. “This has given us a greater awareness of the different access needs there are. Some people associate access with wheelchair ramps and other infrastructure but requirements can vary”, she explains.
This new perspective will hopefully provide Westpac with greater insights into the diverse needs of their customers and to a more open-minded and innovative culture.
“Organisations that embrace diversity tend to design products and services that better meet the needs of their customers, including the one in four people in New Zealand living with an access need”.
It is this fact that one in four people live with an access need that inspires Westpac’s partnership with Be. Lab. “It could be your neighbour, your friend, or your family member”, says Melinda. “That’s why the service Be. Lab provides is so important”.
Melinda has some final words to share with employers:
“Be. Lab have an incredible untapped pool of talent, ready and waiting for employment. Don’t hesitate. Talk to Be. Lab today. They’ll provide all the support you need. You don’t want to miss out on the amazing people they have - they’re just so impressive”.
Whether you're looking to fill permanent roles or bring in dedicated interns for a work placement, we have a rich pool of candidates to connect with you. Our Talent team will work with you to find the right match for your organisation and ensure that the individual is set up for success.