Not Your Average Internship: the RBC Amplify Student Experience
Learn how postsecondary students in STEM and businesstackle real-world challenges at our global financial institution
RBC is passionate about investing in and nurturing the future of our workforce. That’s why we offer a dynamic four-month program that provides students with hands-on experience and also drives innovation at RBC.
Amplify - What is it?
Amplify is an immersive summer innovation program, providing students in the later years of their postsecondary experience the opportunity to put their skills to the test while building a product that could disrupt RBC and beyond.
In groups of four, students are assigned a bold business challenge identified by RBC’s top leaders. Their mission is to develop a solution, through close collaboration and summer-long pitching. Each team comprises developers, data engineers and a business analyst, working together to construct groundbreaking solutions. At the end of the summer, they present and pitch their solutions at a live event with RBC executive judges for the chance to win a prize.
“This annual program is a great example of RBC’s commitment to unlocking the potential of students and the next generation of tech workers,” says Kelly Pereira, RBC Chief Human Resources Officer, who served as a judge for AmpExpo. "Each year, I come away inspired and excited by the innovative solutions these students bring forward and how they use teamwork and collaboration to come up with a final product in only a few weeks.”
Abdellah Ghassel's Journey
Last fall, computer engineering student from Queen's University, Abdellah Ghassel, applied to Amplify after discovering the program’s similarities to the hackathons he was involved in across Toronto. He was drawn to the prospect of working alongside a diverse team of students to define and solve compelling programs, as well as take risks, while being supported and mentored by RBC employees and executives.
“The nature of Amplify resonated with me deeply. Developing a product from scratch and owning it from ideation phase all the way through completion was extremely unique,” said Abdellah. “And having the opportunity to pitch our product to RBC executives was unparalleled.”
Development Beyond
Amplify’s impact extends far beyond its duration. Students work with RBC patent teams for their solutions, invaluable relationships across the bank and a more well-rounded skillset.
Abdellah joined the program in May 2023, excited to leverage what he had learned in school so far, not realizing that he was on track to foster a more holistic approach to innovation. The program’s commitment to training and mentorship exposed him to training in a variety of diverse topics ranging from agile product management and problem solving, to design thinking and UX and presentations.
“I’ve completed several more conventional internships, yet Amplify’s collaborative and mentorship-driven approach made the experience truly unique and fostered extraordinary growth for me as an engineer. Amplify empowered me to confidently communicate my ideas, a skill crucial for any engineer,” Abdellah shared.
In August 2023, Abdellah pitched his product alongside his team, before RBC executives, program mentors and sponsors where he received live feedback from RBC’s most senior leaders and gained recognition among a variety of technical teams across RBC.
Opening the Door to the Future
AmirReza Oghbaee, a program alumnus from 2017, now works with RBC as a director in data engineering and analytics. Amplify fostered his passion, honed his business acumen and presentation skills and facilitated connections with teams aligned with his interests.
“Amplify showcased RBC’s work environment to me, and I was driven to stay. The program pushed me beyond my comfort zone and equipped me with a diverse range of skills. Since joining RBC full time, I’ve been privileged to mentor numerous students, paying it forward”said AmirReza.
RBC Summer student alumna Carrie Ann Ross now serves as a director in conversation design and bot implementation as well as a mentor for the Amplify participants.
“As a former summer student myself, I’ve been a long-time supporter of RBC’s student programs. This year was my first time participating as a mentor and it was an amazing opportunity to work with smart and enthusiastic postsecondary students. While my role was to act as a coach, I felt like I learned a lot from their fresh perspectives,”said Carrie Ann.
Amplify is a second-to-none summer program. Students are given an environment to thrive, grow, and experiment, as well as build networks of friends, industry peers and mentors. Most importantly, students get to see first-hand what RBC has to offer.
Ready to kickstart your career?
Amplify is not your typical internship. It’s a program for driven students looking to channel their rigour, leadership and technical skills into meaningful impact.
Applications for our 2024 session open this September 2023. If you’re looking to join a vast community, grow your network and kickstart your career with Amplify, learn more here.
