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22/03/2026
Tech graduate Sunny Shi, Rabobank Graduate Program Manager, Tammy Sun, and law graduate, Anika Deshpande, are thrilled Rabobank’s Graduate Program has recently been recognised with a swag of awards.
“Being a Rabobank grad is like having a superpower – as soon as I say I’m a grad, everyone just wants to stop and help me.”
It’s a heartening sentiment from Sydney’s Anika Deshpande, who has recently commenced Rabobank’s highly-coveted Graduate Program.
“The highlight so far has certainly been the people,” the 22-year-old law graduate says. “I feel so fully supported, previous grads check in on me, there’s a mentor and a buddy system, and there’s just such a strong relationship focus that is so reassuring for a graduate.”
Reflective of Anika’s admiration, Rabobank’s Graduate Program was recently awarded a swag of accolades, listed in the AFR and SEEK Grad Top100 Graduate Employers Award, in the top ten finalists in the Most Popular Banking, Finance and Insurance Employer Award, and ranked sixth in the Australian Association of Graduate Employers Top Graduate Employers Award.
Anika, who studied a Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Law at UTS, says the recognition was well-deserved, and now one month into the program, she’s confident “I’m being set up for success”.
“The Rabobank Graduate Program was my first choice, and while I was born and raised in Sydney with no ties to the country, I worked for a law firm specialising in agribusiness, so we had a lot of Rabobank clients and it gave me an insight into rural Australia.”
“I really enjoy the fact that there is a genuine human element to Rabobank, which you don’t feel in other large organisations, its relationship-based approach was unique, and genuine – and I can see why so many staff have been here for 25 years!”
From her first interaction with Graduate Program Manager Tammy Sun, her intention was sealed.
“Every time I’d see Tammy she was so kind, and the environment was really warm and friendly - everyone always remembered my name and my face and I knew the culture within the bank was special.”
With the eight successful Rabobank graduates having the choice of experiencing three rotations across the agri specialist bank, Anika is currently working in the Financial Economic Crime team.
“The structure of the rotations was very appealing to me – I can explore different options and find my fit. And while I have no reason to live in a rural area, I have this terrific opportunity to make a difference – not just in Sydney but in the heart of Australia where our farmers live.”
Meg Hewson and Sophia Scanlan, Country Banking Graduates both currently based in the Toowoomba branch.
Sophia Scanlan is another successful Rabobank Graduate Program participant, with the 23-year-old currently completing a credit analyst rotation in the Toowoomba branch.
“I grew up on a small mango farm in the Lockyer Valley so I’ve always had a keen interest in agriculture, and having studied agribusiness and ag science at the University of Queensland, I felt that agri banking would be a great opportunity to leverage both these degrees.”
Considering how prominent Rabobank is in the ag industry, Sophia says that applying for the grad program – which is only in its fourth year - was a “no brainer”.
“When I think of ag banking I think of Rabobank, and I liked how this program provided exposure to different regions, and commodities.”
For both Sophia and Anika, the Rabobank Graduate Program was their first preference, and while both were offered positions in other graduate programs, each waited for the call from Tammy.
“I’m so thrilled to be part of the program, it’s so well-organised and highly considered, nothing is an after-thought – from the opportunity to visit the Netherlands, to the rotations, to the mentor program – and I have so much support from my mentor, my buddy, and the wider Toowoomba team,” she smiles.
A key highlight is the opportunity to hit the ground running, and to genuinely feel like part of the team.
“Being a graduate can be overwhelming, yet I haven’t felt that once – I feel valued, and that my opinions count. And I’m not just shadowing someone around all day, I’m actually doing.”
“The rotations are so well-structured, I really appreciate the opportunity to try different things – I seem to have landed my dream job at such a young age, yet the beauty of Rabobank is that I can grow my career within the organisation – it’s not just a stepping stone – and I feel so grateful for the opportunity."
At the opposite end of her 18-month graduate program journey is Meg Hewson, a second-year grad currently working as a rural officer in the Toowoomba branch.
And her experience has been everything she envisioned, and more.
“During my final years of university working for Rabobank, and getting a position in the grad program in particular, was my career goal,” she explains. “I took some time off after uni to work on a cattle ranch in Canada, before coming home to apply for the program – a I did a double degree in Agriculture and Business with an agribusiness major through the University of New England and always wanted a career where I could give back to farmers.”
As she now approaches the tail-end of the program, Meg, 26, who is off a farm in the Kywong district near Wagga Wagga, smiles that she’s become particularly reflective.
“This really is the best program of its kind for so many reasons – largely thanks to Tammy, who is so encouraging, personable, and organised. I don’t think there’s any other program that offers such a comprehensive rotation system.”
“The fact the program has three six month rotations means I had the unique opportunity to experience three different roles in three different locations, which was so valuable.”
Rabobank’s 2026 Graduate Program cohort.
Sunny Shi, 24, is another Rabo grad now in her second year, with the University of Sydney Bachelor of Computing graduate, majoring in software development, inspired to join the program off the back of a university project on food waste and sustainability.
“Rabobank really piqued my interests and as a co-operative, its values and purpose of helping Australian farmers really appealed,” she explains. “I didn’t want to go down a big corporate path, that culture doesn’t align with mine, and I definitely felt a vibe I liked at Rabobank.”
Having spent a rotation in rural Queensland working in the Emerald branch, Sunny said the opportunity for all city-based grads to spend a month in branch was an experience she would never have considered otherwise.
“It was so different to city life, and I’m so pleased I got to experience ag and learn about our clients and farming – it helps me connect the dots back in my tech role in the Sydney office and not a lot of grad programs would offer such a unique experience.”
All graduates are offered ongoing employment with Rabobank once they finish the program, and Sunny is buoyed by the development opportunities she’s already gained through the program.
“I check in with my mentor regularly and I can tell them where my skills are lacking, and they will always push me to challenge myself – I’ve already had so many opportunities to put my hand up for projects and to lead initiatives, it’s a valuable learning experience, and sets a really exciting tone for a Rabobank career,” Sunny smiles.
Applications for the 2027 Rabo Graduate Program Early Pathways are currently open at Graduate Program