Banks facing shortage of skilled hands

KOCHI: Banks operating in the state are facing acute shortage of experienced professionals, says top officials and union leaders.
"It would take 10 to 15 years for a banker to fully develop the skills needed at the workplace. This is something you can't teach in the class room. The banker should study the behaviour of the people and has to customize according to the Indian context," observed P G Jayakumar, MD and CEO of Dhanlaxmi Bank.
According to C Rajkumar, secretary of Associated Banks' Officers' Association's unit at the State Bank of Travancore (SBT), the retirement of the staff who joined in 1980 will create a big vacuum. By the end of 2015, 1,000 officers will retire from SBT. "There was a mass recruitment happening at the public sector banks during 1979 - 1985 period and those joined in 1980 are retiring now. This is creating a big vacuum," observed C Rajkumar, secretary of Associated Baks' Officers' Association's unit at the State Bank of Travancore (SBT).
"During April 2013 - March 2014, 600 officers and clerical staff are going to retire. These are experienced staff and even a fast-track recruitment won't be helpful to deal with the situation," he said.
Public sector banks are mainly facing this crisis, noted A Radhakrishnan, executive director of Catholic Syrian Bank. "Those at deputy general manager and chief general manager positions are retiring within three to five years' time," he said.
As per KS Bhat, all India secretary of Syndicate Bank Staff Association (SBSA), the bank has a gap of 1,000 - 1,500 officers and 5,000 - 6,000 clerical staff to fill in Kerala.
K U Balakrishnan, general secretary of Kerala State Forum of Bankers' Clubs, is hopeful of the succession plans the banks are implementing to overcome the shortage of skilled bankers.