Every September, thousands of new graduates join banks and financial institutions around the world. While induction programs give them an introduction to company culture, policies, and broad overviews of business units, they often stop short of providing the technical depth needed to perform with confidence.
As a result, new hires may understand the “what” but struggle with the “how.” Without reinforcement, knowledge gaps persist in areas like financial markets, banking products, and practical applications such as Excel modeling or trade lifecycle management.
Where onboarding falls short
Breadth vs. depth
Most onboarding introduces graduates to the organization’s structure, teams, and compliance basics. While necessary, this often skips the deeper technical grounding in markets and products. As a result, graduates have awareness but lack the depth to connect what they learned at university to the realities of financial services.
Theory vs. practice
Graduates may recall definitions of net present value or the role of a central bank, but many cannot apply these concepts when building a model in Excel or analyzing a live transaction. The jump from academic theory to workplace application is rarely addressed during induction.
Information overload
Onboarding typically compresses weeks of content into an intensive schedule. Without reinforcement, most of this information fades before new hires have the chance to use it. What remains is surface-level knowledge rather than capability.
Lack of continuity
Once the induction program ends, the learning journey often stops. Graduates are left to “figure things out” on the job, which can create uneven knowledge, higher error rates, and slower confidence-building.
Onboarding beyond the first week can reduce turnover by 40% within the first year
Why it matters:
Slower ramp-up times:
It takes longer for graduates to contribute meaningfully if they’re still grappling with basics. This delay can impact team performance and productivity in critical early months.
Slower ramp-up times:
It takes longer for graduates to contribute meaningfully if they’re still grappling with basics. This delay can impact team performance and productivity in critical early months.
Increased risk of errors:
Without solid technical knowledge, mistakes are more likely in client reporting, risk calculations, or day-to-day analysis. Small errors at this stage can have outsized consequences.
Increased risk of errors:
Without solid technical knowledge, mistakes are more likely in client reporting, risk calculations, or day-to-day analysis. Small errors at this stage can have outsized consequences.
Strong onboarding improves retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%
Lower confidence and engagement
Graduates who feel underprepared are more likely to disengage, impacting morale and retention. Early experiences shape long-term loyalty to the organization.
Lower confidence and engagement
Graduates who feel underprepared are more likely to disengage, impacting morale and retention. Early experiences shape long-term loyalty to the organization.
Missed opportunities:
When entry-level talent is stuck on fundamentals, they can’t contribute to higher-value tasks. Firms lose the chance to accelerate development and harness fresh talent effectively.
Missed opportunities:
When entry-level talent is stuck on fundamentals, they can’t contribute to higher-value tasks. Firms lose the chance to accelerate development and harness fresh talent effectively.
Building early-career capability: a roadmap
Onboarding is just the starting point. What graduates really need is structured reinforcement that builds fluency over time.
Intuition Know-How’s Fundamentals of Banking & Finance channel provides that structure — offering role-relevant, interactive tutorials that bridge theory and practice. By embedding continuous learning into the graduate journey, firms can transform induction programs into long-term capability building.
Why Intuition Know-How works
The Know-How platform is designed to bridge the gap between onboarding and job-ready capability. With the Fundamentals of Banking & Finance channel, organizations can give graduates the technical fluency they need to thrive early in their careers. With Know-How, onboarding becomes a continuous learning journey that builds confidence and accelerates contribution.
79 tutorials, 57 hours of learning, 216 videos, 360+ quizzes
Coverage across core banking, markets, Excel, economics, and trade lifecycle
Mobile-ready, SCORM-compliant, CPD/CPE accredited
Content updated regularly to reflect industry practice
Accessible on KHX or through your LMS
79 tutorials, 57 hours of learning, 216 videos, 360+ quizzes
Coverage across core banking, markets, Excel, economics, and trade lifecycle
Mobile-ready, SCORM-compliant, CPD/CPE accredited
Content updated regularly to reflect industry practice
Accessible on KHX or through your LMS
Who is this for?
The Fundamentals of Banking & Finance channel is designed to support multiple audiences in closing capability gaps:
Preview of what you’ll learn
Introduction to Financial Markets
Explore the structure and function of equities, bonds, FX, and money markets.
Interest Rate Mathematics
Apply concepts like time value of money, NPV, IRR, annuities, and perpetuities.
Excel Techniques
Learn practical spreadsheet skills for financial modeling and analysis.
Economic Analysis
Interpret GDP, inflation, employment, and other key economic indicators.
Business of Banking & Finance
Understand the roles of corporate, retail, investment, and wealth management.
Building Blocks
Gain essential knowledge of core financial instruments and market participants.
Life of a Trade
Follow the trade journey from pre-trade through execution, clearing, and settlement.
Global Financial Crisis
Examine the causes, consequences, and lessons learned from the 2008 crisis.
Sustainability Data & Reporting
Learn how to interpret, apply, and communicate ESG metrics, disclosures, and reports.
Turn onboarding into capability-building
Graduate programs are only the first step. To ensure lasting confidence and fluency, organizations need structured reinforcement that bridges theory and practice.
The Fundamentals of Banking & Finance channel from Intuition Know-How helps graduates move beyond awareness to job-ready capability.
