Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 56
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CANADA’S TOP EMPLOYERS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE (2026)
At RBC, ideas grow into varied paths to career success
E
ven before Simona
Poroshenko started
working full-time
as an analyst in the
funding and liquidity
group with RBC Capital Markets,
she was well prepared for the
job. And for that she can thank
one of the many Royal Bank of
Canada (RBC) programs designed
to help young people make the
challenging transition from
education to employment.
Young people bring
bold ideas and fresh
perspectives and are
encouraged to voice
their thoughts and
opinions.
— Jonathan Hunter
Head, Global Markets
Over the course of two summer
internships and a full-time
rotational program with Capital
Markets, Poroshenko gained
practical work experience,
enhanced her knowledge and
skills, and received regular
coaching, mentoring and career
advice.
“Even as an intern, you go to
client events,” she says. “I thought
that was cool since not many
entry-level employees get to do
that. I found them invaluable and
fascinating.”
Poroshenko’s career journey
started when she was studying
commerce at the University of
Toronto and was accepted into an
RBC Capital Markets mentorship
program. Open to students
interested in pursuing a career
in finance, the program provides
one-on-one mentoring and
Jonathan Hunter, head of global markets, at RBC.
delivers an in-depth introduction
to capital markets.
It also provides an early
opportunity for participants
to connect with other students
and begin building a network of
peers. “A lot of colleagues from
my cohort work right here beside
me,” says Poroshenko, who now
mentors more recent participants.
After her second internship,
she embarked on an eight-month
stint in the graduate rotational
program, where participants
determine which one of RBC
Capital Markets’ diversified
business lines interest them most.
“It’s an incredible place to
launch your career,” Poroshenko
says. “There are so many
opportunities to learn, and the
collaborative culture allows me to
bring new ideas forward that have
real world impact.
“And fortunately, my managers
are always there to support and
guide me. When I wasn’t sure
which business to try next, human
resources helped me choose a
path to round out my experience
and build my skills. They still
check-in regularly with me to see
how I’m doing.”
Like Poroshenko, Jonathan
Hunter launched his career with
RBC Capital Markets, joining
what was known in 1991 as its
dealer trainee program. Since
then, he’s held a succession of
increasingly senior roles, and in
2020 was appointed head of global
markets, a key unit within RBC
Capital Markets.
The name of the training
program may have changed
but its intrinsic value remains
exceptional, Hunter says.
“RBC Capital Markets has a flat
organizational structure where
early-career professionals are
immediately part of a team,” he
says. “Young people bring bold
ideas and fresh perspectives and
are encouraged to voice their
thoughts and opinions.”
Each year, RBC supports
thousands of students from
different educational backgrounds
in exploring various career paths
within the bank. In 2025, RBC
hired nearly 3,000 students from
universities, colleges and high
schools around the world for
internships, co-ops and work term
placements across the bank.
RBC Amplify, for one, is an
