Meet Brandon Brown, 33, Learning Partner

Standard Bank’s Learnership Programme provides opportunities for young individuals to gain practical working experience and theoretical knowledge across various aspects of the financial services sector, from information technology to internal auditing, insurance, corporate investment banking and wealth. The learnership programme is a great initiative that Standard Bank employs to tackle unemployment amongst the South African Youth. Through this programme learners are given the opportunity to grow and build strong characteristics for the working environment. 

Brandon Brown (33), joined the Standard Bank Learnership Programme 12 years ago and finished as the top learner in South Africa at the time. He was offered a placement within the bank thereafter. “Within a month, the bank made me permanent as a learnership consultant and I’ve never looked back.” Brown credit his relationship with Standard Bank for all the success he has encountered over the years, stating that without the opportunity to participate in the learnership he does not know where he would be today. 

Through the learnership programme, Brown attained an NQF level 4 qualification as part of the yea- long learnership programme. He later attained an NQF level 5 qualification in Management Development in 2014, also thanks to Standard Bank. 

The learnings that came from the programme and the learnings that came from my time in Standard Bank and the leaders I gained exposure too, not only shaped me professionally, but it shaped me as a man. I often speak to youngsters who join the organisation now and I stress the importance of coming in with a level of humility and an attitude that says: ‘I’m willing to learn’. Those two elements (based on my experience) are almost more important that any qualification or piece of paper.”

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