DBS Bank, Singapore’s largest lender, has launched an initiative allowing university undergraduates a “behind-the-scenes” tour of its operations, in a bid to attract the brightest talent to its future leadership ranks. 

Students are invited to take time out of their social lives to traipse around DBS’ 50-floor headquarters at Shenton Way, which, according to the bank, “broke the glass ceiling for office construction when it was built in 1974”. They will also get to look at projects financed by DBS - including a multi-storey shopping mall and a commercial property complex.

Other highlights include seeing a training hub, a smart banking branch, and the bank’s new headquarters down the road in Marina Way, where it moves later this year.

No fewer than 90 students from National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University have signed up to the program.

Private banks around the world, such as the UK's Coutts & Co, have sought to enthuse young people about the world of finance by holding education events for the offspring of wealthy clients. 

“As we are constantly looking for innovative ways to reach out, we thought it would be a good idea to showcase the career opportunities on offer by giving potential employees a behind-the-scenes look at the bank. This way, participants can get to know the bank better, interact with staff, and feel the verve of being in an organisation that’s plugged into a dynamic Asia,” said Samantha Mark, chief operating officer for DBS Singapore.

The initiative seems to be working. The DBS Management Associate Programme, which typically hires about 70 high-potential graduates each year regionally, attracted over 9,000 applications for the August 2011 intake, said DBS in a statement.

But perhaps Singapore’s students are lacking a good alternative. One MBA student in Singapore told WealthBriefingAsia: “The night life here tends to be either swanky bars or run down karaoke clubs – with few happy mediums. A glass of wine will set you back $15-$20, not really student prices.”