A long standing trainee program is providing career opportunities for local people and a skilled workforce for a Hunter based financial institution.

Eight new trainees started work at the Greater Building Society this week. They were selected from more than 200 applicants.

Each year, for the past 10 years, the Greater has employed between four and eight trainees.

Many trainees have established a career at the Greater or within the financial services sector. All five 2005 trainees have been offered full-time positions with the company.

The trainees will complete a Certificate III in Financial Services through The Institute of Financial Services while working at one of the Greater's branches.

Greater chief executive officer John Arnold says that if companies are to grow and stay competitive they must have long term programs that develop and retain their people.

"At the Greater we invest significant time and resources in the recruitment and development of our people to maintain our very high standard of customer service," Mr Arnold says.

The Greater Building Society was one of six finalists in the 2005 Australian HR Awards for Employer of Choice for companies with more than 500 employees.

The Greater employs more than 650 people across its 62 branches in NSW and South East Queensland, and its Head Office at Hamilton in Newcastle.