SAYA Youth Visit Royal Bank of Canada Offices
On November 6, 2018, SAYA youth visited the offices of RBC - touring the trading floor and attending a panel where staff members shared their paths to success. Below are the reflections from one attendee:
“SAYA gave us the opportunity to interact with staff members of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), who discussed the struggles, benefits, and successes they’ve had on the road to achieving their careers.
We walked in to their offices, which were located inside a mall - I found this location interesting & different. I also noticed that staff had to use their ID’s to enter, and there was a guard watching who entered and exited. I could tell security is high at banks.
When we arrived, a staff member took us to the 8th floor and showed us how things work on the trading floor. He also explained the duties of each person on the trading floor. Some workers had one, two, three, or even four computer screens in front of them to keep track of different companies! Some RBC staff communicate with businesses owners in other countries.
On each computer, there were green, red, and gray highlights that kept moving. Each color had numbers and names, and the staff explained how each one represents a company or website that is increasing in value. The green represents a lot of activity and the red, not so much. On the trading floor there were a lot of clocks that represented the time in many countries. This was very helpful for the staff on the trading floor, because they knew the time and hours of business in each state or country.
After the tour we played a quick game. The game helped me understand how banks are run, and how interest can either help us gain or lose money. We also attended a panel discussion, where staff members talked about their ideas of how to be successful. Their ideas included: Having connections and knowing how to communicate, hustling: working hard and smart at the same time, and always having dedication. I found these ideas inspirational and useful advice. Showing interest and dedication, and giving all of your attention to work can make you distinguished in your field. I believe dedication leads to success because nothing can be done correctly if you don’t dedicate time to it. The last idea we heard was communication, which helps people discover who you are and opens up opportunities. As soon as I heard that, I knew I had work to do. In the Young Women’s Leadership Program, we are working to improve our communication, which will help me in the future and my career.”
-Ashly
