As part of its committed human capital development and digital transformation strategies

Kuwait, 17 September 2024

On its mission to become an employer of choice and lead with innovation, Burgan Bank launched its forward-looking development program, Burgan Lab Academy, which aims to prepare future tech leaders of the Kuwaiti banking industry. Starting September 29, the Burgan Lab Academy, developed in collaboration with CODED, the first coding academy in the Middle East, is set to host its first batch of fresh graduate trainees and provide job opportunities at Burgan Bank. This learning and development initiative comes as part of Burgan Bank’s dedicated efforts to invest in Kuwait’s human capital and raise the benchmark of professional competitiveness in the domestic labor market. Offering such a development opportunity for the Kuwaiti youth also aligns with the Bank’s unwavering adherence to the global Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards in banking.

”We are very proud to announce the launch of a learning and development initiative that will have a great impact not only on Burgan’s digital transformation journey but the entire domestic banking industry,” said Bashar Al-Qattan, Acting Executive Manager – Learning and Talent Development at Burgan Bank. “Building on our commitment to nurturing the next generation of tech leaders, we were uncompromising in our choice of partner to develop a training experience that uplifts the digital banking landscape in Kuwait. In collaboration with CODED, the Burgan Lab Academy program is meticulously designed to provide our fresh graduates with the essential skills and knowledge in full-stack development, ensuring they are well-equipped to excel in the rapidly evolving tech industry.'

'Burgan Bank’s robust success rests on several pillars including our outstanding talents and innovation-driven culture,” said Mr. Abdulwahab Abdulraheem, Executive Manager – Talent Acquisition at Burgan Bank. “With the launch of the Burgan Lab Academy, we mark a new milestone in merging human capital development; fostering a culture of innovation. As the global markets continue to shift toward digitization, learning and excelling in the latest digital tools is fundamental for the success of the most aspiring talents. In partnership with CODED, we have developed a state-of-the-art program that puts fresh graduates on a track of professional growth and success in IT and digital transformation.'

The 14-week Burgan Lab Academy program aims to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical experience by entwining theoretical knowledge with hands-on application. The program is designed to cover a wide range of IT essentials, such as Flutter cross-platform mobile development, backend development with Node.js and Express.js, Scrum and Agile management, cybersecurity fundamentals, as well as DevOps and UI/UX design. The Academy employs a dynamic approach that combines individual, pair, and group projects with practical exercises, mirroring Burgan’s collaborative work environments. This aims to guarantee the effective engagement and integration of the participants into the Burgan Bank culture and operations.

Before the start of the program, all applicants will participate in a 2-week pre-academy phase, which focuses on programming fundamentals and identifying candidates with the best aptitude for further training. The selected candidates will then be enrolled in the 14-week-long intensive full-stack boot camp that follows the Scrum methodology. Throughout the program, participants will be rigorously evaluated on their readiness to learn and apply new knowledge, ability to work efficiently in groups and individually, and inclination to think and solve problems innovatively. The top nine candidates will be offered a job at Burgan Bank in the IT department, Digital Transformation department, or HR digital unit.

Burgan Lab Academy marks the latest effort in a long human capital development journey that Burgan Bank has trailblazed for years. Throughout this journey, the Bank has designed numerous learning and development programs tailored to its employees’ diverse personal and professional needs, ensuring everyone has a suitable opportunity to hone their skills and expand their knowledge. These programs include but are not limited to Entelaqah, designed for new hires and fresh graduates, Ro’ya, which fast-tracks the growth of Burgan’s future leaders, and Burgan Cares, which paves the path for the Bank’s employees to resume their academic endeavors in pursuit of earning their bachelor's or MBA degrees.