Bank employees across the Caribbean will be able to pursue a university degree with financial backing under a new scholarship programme established by the Caribbean Association of Banks (CAB) and The University of the West Indies (UWI). The initiative is aimed at professionals already working in the region's banking sector who wish to advance their qualifications without carrying the full cost themselves.
The CAB–UWI scholarship programme is open to employees of Caribbean banking institutions, according to the two organisations. It creates a direct pathway between the workplace and the university, allowing staff to study while remaining in the industry. The arrangement is intended to strengthen the pool of trained professionals available to banks in Dominica and across the wider region.
Details of the award, including eligibility rules and the fields of study covered, are to be set out by CAB and UWI. The programme reflects a growing emphasis on workforce development in Caribbean financial services, where institutions have long relied on a mix of local training and external certification to meet regulatory and operational demands.
For Dominica, the scholarship offers a route for bank employees to gain a degree-level qualification that could support career progression within the sector. The island's financial services are delivered through a small number of institutions, and staff often take on broad responsibilities that require familiarity with credit, compliance, customer service and digital banking. A supported university pathway may help retain experienced workers and build specialised skills locally.
The University of the West Indies operates across several Caribbean countries and has a long record of distance and part-time provision for working adults. Its collaboration with CAB places the scholarship within an established regional framework for professional education. The Caribbean Association of Banks represents banking institutions from across the region and has previously engaged in training and capacity-building efforts for the sector.
The two bodies have not yet indicated how many scholarships will be available or the value of the support. Further information on application procedures and timelines is expected from CAB and UWI. Banking employees interested in the programme will need to watch for those announcements through their employers or the organisations directly.
The launch comes as Caribbean banks continue to adapt to changing technology, tighter international standards and shifting customer expectations. Investment in staff qualifications is widely seen as one way to meet those pressures. The CAB–UWI scholarship is the latest example of regional institutions pooling resources to address skills gaps in a key service industry.
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