You might assume that only number crunching students would head for summer work at a bank, but you'd be wrong.

The Island's largest bank, the Bank of Bermuda, says it has a wide vision when it comes to hiring summer students.

Programme co-ordinator Charlette Means-Foggo told The Royal Gazette the bank did not restrict hiring to business types but took on students with a broad range of skills. A case in point is 21 year-old John Payne who really doesn't having work in the financial services sector as a long-term goal, hankering instead after a career as a sports coach or PE teacher. He is currently studying at Howard University in Washington D.C.

But Ms Means-Foggo said there was definitely a place for Mr. Payne within the organisation - indeed, he has worked for the Island's largest bank over the past six summers.

Mr. Payne may not come from a business background but Ms Means-Foggo cited his ability to adapt to various departments because of his people skills and leadership qualities.

Nor is the bank just hiring university students. Mr. Payne is a testament to that as well in that he started out with the bank while still in high school.

The bank's summer hiring policy also embraces older students. Take Angella Campbell, 37, and an administrative assistant student at the Bermuda College, who is working this summer in the bank's risk management department.

In total the bank has 90 summer hires this year. And demand for the jobs was high with Ms Means-Foggo reporting that 189 applications were received for the programme.

Ms Means-Foggo stressed that students were given genuine jobs in order to provide real and valuable work experience. A careful assessment programme at the time of hiring aims to match students with jobs and departments where they will fit best.

Ultimately she said the programme aimed to be a two-way street with the students providing a service to the bank and vice versa.

Summer students Stephanie Lewis, 18, and Allana Tucker, 19, underscored that the job had allowed them to learn about the accountability that was required in the working world, how to build contacts and work as part of a team.

In the end, Ms Means-Foggo said the hope is that students will come back and work for the bank full time. But regardless of what careers the students choose in the end, she said the programme aims to provide a stepping stone to a successful working life. Indeed the programme involves more than a 9 to 5 stint behind a desk with workshops on such subjects as cash flow management, budgeting and work behaviour patterns.