Cayman Finance has announced the launch of a new Graduate Training Programme aimed at supporting Caymanian university graduates seeking to enter the financial services industry.
The initiative is designed to bridge the gap between academic achievement and professional career opportunities by pairing graduates with small and medium-sized Cayman Finance member firms.
The new programme is the culmination of many months of research by the Cayman Finance team, which aimed to understand the challenges around creating entry level jobs for Caymanian graduates. The research showed that larger firms were already creating a significant number of opportunities for Caymanian graduates.
However, it also showed that, as a result of two decades of weak growth combined with industry consolidation, there are now only around 15 large financial services firms left in Cayman, while 90% of Cayman Finance member firms have fewer than 10 employees on average.
“While some graduates struggle to find their ideal jobs after university, smaller firms face many challenges creating the entry level jobs graduates need to enter the industry,” said Cayman Finance CEO Steve McIntosh.
Small firms reported challenges including a low number of applications, unrealistic salary expectations, difficulty retaining graduate trainees, and the high cost of on-boardining and training for firms without dedicated HR staff. At the same time, smaller firms reported struggling to provide a high quality experience to graduate trainees without the economies of scale and supportive peer group traditionally enjoyed by trainees at larger firms.
The Graduate Training Programme was devised to help small firms overcome these challenges and make the hiring and training of recent graduates more attractive, more effective and, at the same time, less costly. “We’re aiming to provide the kind of cohort-based experience that trainees at larger firms have always benefited from,” said Danielle Hennings, Associate Director for Community Engagement at Cayman Finance.
14 Cayman Finance member firms have already committed to participating in the programme, including BDO, Catalyst, Dentons, DM Financial, Global Captive Management, Greenlight Re, Grant Thornton Specialist Services, IQ EQ, JTC, Moore Professional Services, Rawlinson & Hunter, RF Bank & Trust, Strategic Risk Solutions and Willis Towers Watson.
Each participating employer will offer successful applicants a one-year fixed-term employment contract, including a probationary period of up to six months and a starting salary of CI$40,000, which research showed was a level attractive to most small and medium firms and graduates, whilst in line with the average graduate salary in the UK (£35,000).
The Graduate Training Programme will begin in October 2025 with a two-day orientation retreat, followed by a 11-week series of weekly workshops focused on developing both personal and professional skills. The curriculum includes:
- Soft skills such as communication, time management, teamwork and problem-solving
- Goal setting, presentation skills and taking on feedback
- Basic project management tools and workplace effectiveness
- An introduction to Cayman’s financial services industry, regulatory landscape and anti-money laundering frameworks.
Each graduate will be matched with an independent industry mentor to guide them through their transition into the workforce, and Cayman Finance will provide additional support to both trainees and employers throughout the programme.
“This is about opening doors for Caymanians and helping them not only get jobs, but successful careers in which they can thrive,” McIntosh said. “Participants will gain a structured support system of peers, mentors and continuous development that sets them up for long-term success.”
The programme is open to Caymanian students who graduate from university in 2025, with priority given to those with relevant degrees, though applicants from all academic disciplines are encouraged to apply.
Applications open on 25 July 2025, with assessments and interviews scheduled for the last two weeks of August. Interested graduates are encouraged to apply early.
For more information and to register your interest, email Danielle Hennings at danielle.hennings@caymanfinance.ky.
