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NRC and Northern Bank launch new partnership

Northern Regional College’s Ballymena, Ballymoney and Antrim campuses are taking part in an innovative new on campus banking service for students.

‘College eBank’ is a new initiative which combines on campus banking services with personal finance education. Northern Bank is the first bank to offer such a service to local colleges.

Northern Bank staff will attend the campus for general product or service enquiries, onsite account opening and to provide information and guidance to help students manage their everyday finances. 

A dedicated computer terminal has been made available in the campus libraries for students to control their finances safely and conveniently via Northern eBanking and to open an account online.

Students will also receive a handy pocket sized guide to finance for students and offered presentations from Northern Bank on life and finance topics such as budgeting and interview skills.

Director/Chief Executive of the Northern Regional College, Trevor Neilands said: “This is an important service which we are delighted to be in a position to offer our students. 

‘Financial Capability’ is even more important in the current climate and we hope that our students benefit from the advice and services now on offer. We look forward to developing strong working relations with Northern Bank for the benefit of our students”.

Stephen Bloomfield, Northern Bank’s Regional General Manager explained:
“Last year we re-launched our School Bank programme and the feedback from schools has been very positive.  It soon became obvious to us that the concept could be adapted for local college students who would benefit from the freedom and flexibility of on campus and online banking hand in hand with good money management support from our staff.

“We designed College eBank in partnership with the NRC team to help students take responsibility for their finances and make it a part of everyday campus life -  with the additional support of money  management education to help them  keep on top of their finances and make the right financial choices in life.  

NRC’s campuses at Farm Lodge in Ballymena, Antrim and Ballymoney are the first to try the new service.  We will listen to any feedback from their students on the service and then would hope to roll College eBank out to the rest of NRC’s campuses and to other colleges across Northern Ireland.”

Head of Student Support at NRC Stephen Mc Cartney added: “At NRC we realise the financial issues that our students face on a regular basis and we hope that through offering the services of e-banking this will better equip our students to manage their finances”.