Agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank, has welcomed eight recent university graduates to its 2026 Rabo Graduate Program.
Since commencing its formal graduate program in 2023, the bank has launched the careers of a range of university graduates across the country, in locations spanning from Sydney to Roma in regional Queensland.
Rabobank Group Executive, Chief HR Officer Belinda Webber said the newest group of graduates will enter a program which offers opportunities to build rewarding careers with a global leader in agricultural finance.
“Participants in the graduate program will gain practical skills, knowledge and experience as they work at one of Australia's top agricultural banks,” she said.
The Rabo Graduate Program was recently ranked sixth in the Australian Association of Graduate Employers list of Top 75 Graduate Employers – Small Program category. This accolade recognises organisations that provide the most positive experience for new graduates based on the opinions of the graduates themselves.
Ms Webber said the bank is delighted the “relatively recently-established program” has been recognised as one of the leading workplaces for graduates beginning their careers.
“And the Rabo Graduate Program was also recently named in the Top 10 Most Popular Banking, Finance & Insurance Employer list and ranked 52 on the Top 100 Most Popular Graduate Employers list, published by the Australian Financial Review and SEEK Grad,” she said.
These awards – published annually – celebrate the most popular graduate employers in Australia, with employer’s rank based on actual measured student applications from SEEK Grad.
Ms Webber said as part of the program, the incoming cohort of 2026 graduates would undertake placements in a range of Rabobank’s business areas in regional and metropolitan locations, including rural banking, technology, operations and financial economic crime.
“Every graduate will have the opportunity to rotate through various departments within their selected function throughout the program,” she said. “Additionally, participants will gain experience at a rural or regional branch, where they will provide customer-facing services and develop both a comprehensive appreciation and enhanced understanding of Rabobank's distinctive approach to client support.”
One of the 2026 program cohort, University of Technology Sydney graduate Aneira Afreen has recently started her first rotation with the bank and is working with the technology team in Sydney for the next six months.
Ms Afreen said she was looking forward to participating in the program’s rotation system, and especially spending time in one of the Rabobank branches. “Experiencing the effects of technology on end-users, be they clients or Rabobank staff, through branch rotations was a significant factor in the decision to apply for the program – as it provided a tangible connection between technical work and its outcomes,” she said.
Ms Afreen, who graduated with a Bachelor of Information Technology, said while she is currently focused on technical development projects, in future rotations she is hoping to pursue opportunities in cybersecurity – developing skills and knowledge.
Since beginning the program, Ms Afreen said she has been inspired by the sense of ambition within her cohort – feeling like she is surrounded by future leaders.
“One of the unique aspects of the Rabobank graduate program is the small cohort size – it creates a close-knit group dynamic and allows for incredible access to senior leaders in the bank,” she said.
Fellow 2026 graduate, Archie Reichstein, has commenced his first rotation in Rabobank’s Melbourne office.
Mr Reichstein is currently working with the bank’s rural banking team in a credit analyst role – starting out with entering financial data and basic credit reviews, with the intention to progress towards handling full submissions.
Originally from Esperance in Western Australia, Mr Reichstein said it was the local Rabobank area manager who encouraged him to apply for the graduate program.
“That local support, combined with an alignment of sustainability values – a genuine commitment and passion for sustainability in agriculture – were key factors in the decision to apply for the program,” he said.
While growing up on a cropping farm, Mr Reichstein said his parents instilled in him a passion for travel and learning. “After graduating from the University of Western Australia, I spend some time travelling overseas and, when I decided to return to Australia, I was still looking for ways to continue to travel and learn and Rabobank’s graduate program offered that opportunity,” he said.
For his next rotation, Mr Reichstein is considering spending time with the bank’s team in Launceston, Tasmania – with the intention to learn about intense and mixed farming businesses. “The program provides a huge amount of autonomy for the graduates in terms of selecting their next rotation,” he said.
Early entry applications for the 2027 intake of the Rabo Graduate Program will open from March 17, 2026. For more information on the program, visit the Rabobank website or click here.
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Media contacts:
Denise Shaw Will Banks
Media Relations Media Relations
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Rabobank Australia
Phone: 02 8115 2744 or 0439 603 525 Phone: 0418 216 103
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About us:
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is a part of the international Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has more than 125 years’ experience providing customised banking and finance solutions to businesses involved in all aspects of food and agribusiness. Rabobank is structured as a cooperative and operates in 35 countries, servicing the needs of more than nine million clients worldwide through a network of more than 1000 offices and branches. Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is one of Australasia’s leading agricultural lenders and a significant provider of business and corporate banking and financial services to the region’s food and agribusiness sector. The bank has 87 branches throughout Australia and New Zealand.
