Brazil's Banco do Brasil and Bradesco revamp staff training and hiring practices

Banco do Brasil has intensified employee qualification, with 97.74% of staff participating in training programs that totalled more than 3 million hours in the past year—averaging 149.73 hours per employee. The curriculum emphasizes technology, artificial intelligence, agile methods, business security, compliance, fraud prevention, agribusiness, ESG governance and leadership development, including initiatives to promote female leaders. The bank aims for over 45,000 employees to obtain regulatory certifications by 2025, a shift that could influence the profile of candidates for future bank exams.

Meanwhile, Bradesco has ended an 80‑year tradition of a closed‑career system, now hiring externally for positions that were previously filled only by internal promotion. Senior manager Wellington Cantelli, with 32 years at the bank, notes the cultural impact of the change and cites his recent Executive MBA, which included an international module in Berlin, as preparation for the new competitive environment. The reform aligns Bradesco with broader trends in Brazilian corporations toward open talent markets.