In the end, it's the care that mattered most.
Amira Dixon had so many great options for her summer internship as a junior at Delaware State University in 2023 because of her amazing talent and the hard work she put in over the years. With so many factors to consider, it's the outreach and care shown by TD Bank recruiters that really made the difference when she decided to join the bank's Early Talent program.
"TD Bank really cared," said Amira, who is now a Business Analyst in U.S. Bankcard Governance and Controls at TD Bank. "They wanted me to know that there's lots of resources available and multiple people for support if I came here. They understood there are talented people everywhere”
A critical pipeline for the bank to hire great talent
We have exceptional talent. TD colleagues work hard every day to deliver for the bank, our clients and our communities – TD Bank Group President and CEO Raymond Chun said during his address to the bank's annual shareholders meeting on April 10, 2025.
A vital part of the bank's mission to get the best talent is the Early Talent program where Amira first joined TD. This program provides a pipeline of skilled and engaged talent for the future. It helps build the bank's workforce by offering co-op positions, internships, and graduate programs, which contribute to both short-term workforce needs and long-term succession planning.
There were about 120 fellow interns in Amira's program from schools primarily across the TD store footprint from Maine to Florida and near other TD locations, such as TD Auto Finance (TDAF) in Southfield, Michigan.
What makes the program stand out among other corporations is that the interns collaborate with senior leaders at the bank, and they are a critical voice at the table, according to Shayla Alamino, Talent Acquisition Manager for Early Talent program, TD Bank.
"Our Early Talent Summer internships are a launchpad," she said. "Our interns are an integral part of the team where their insights influence decisions, and their voices are heard when sharing ideas."
Shayla emphasized that interns receive formalized training across a wide spectrum of professional areas needed to succeed in the workplace. That training includes everything from soft skills to technical skills to corporate skills, as well as how to transfer those skills from their educational settings to a more corporate environment, particularly within banking where those proficiencies are needed.
"Soft skills are so important because you are working cross-functionally and supporting different teams," she explained. "The interns need to learn how to communicate their ideas in a digestible way to folks outside of their world. It's so important to be able to collaborate with others to meet deliverables."
At the end of the 10-week session of the Early Talent program, the interns showcase their work to senior leaders throughout the bank.
TD in Amira’s community
Beyond her personal interactions, Amira said the efforts TD showed meant a lot to her. TD supports a financial education program at her alma mater, Delaware State, with the Society for Financial Education & Professional Development (SFEPD). Additionally, TD sponsors the Aggie Data Competition in 2022 at North Carolina AT&T State University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), like Delaware State.
"I definitely found it attractive to me as a prospective employee that TD sponsors these events because I knew the bank's values would align with mine with this type of outreach," Amira said.
Another way TD reflects its support is through its sponsorship for the second year of the HBCU Festival presented by TD Bank at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia. This year's event will be held on May 17, 2025, and will feature college, career and community fairs, along with entertainment and other activities.
The future with TD
One of the most important factors that also helped determine Amira's decision to first join TD was that there was a strong possibility of being able to get full time employment after graduating from college, if she joined the TD Analyst program.
"It's very motivating to be told at the beginning of the internship program that there was an opportunity to come back for full-time employment as part of the analyst program," she said. "I saw it as a big motivator and also an incentive to really get as much out of the internship program as possible. "
Amira was offered a full-time role at TD on the operations team after she completed the analyst program in 2024. Today, she is also pursuing an MBA at Delaware State while working full time at the bank.
"I am at the stage in life where I want to take in as much knowledge as I can get right now," said Amira. "And I am happy to be working at TD, a place that supports and encourages this as much as possible. I am excited about my future."
For more on personal finance topics
If you have more questions about personal finance topics, visit the Learning Center on TD Bank's website. You can find more TD Bank services at TD.com. We hope you found this helpful. This article is for informational purposes only and is based on information available as of May 2025 and is subject to change. This content is not intended to be used or acted upon with respect to any client's specific circumstances. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, consider talking with your qualified professionals.
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