Venturing into the banking and finance industry can be tricky for a fresh graduate. Hence, NTUC's e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) organised an industry sharing session on 24 January 2013 to provide young PMEs (Professionals, Managers and Executives) and final year undergraduates with an overview of the industry’s entry requirements.
Some 85 participants arrived at Movida at St James Power Station for the "The Big Bank Theory" session, which is part of e2i's Step-in Series to help young PMEs understand possible career tracks and progressions within the banking industry.
The event was also a platform for participants to interact with four practitioners from the industry - DBS Bank Senior Vice President, Group HR, James Loo; Standard Chartered Bank Talent Acquisition Manager – Graduate Southeast Asia Karen Goodacre; Standard Chartered Bank Project Manager, Group Channel Operations & Customer Experience, Aaron Fu; and Citibank Vice President, Resourcing, Kenneth Gan.
Kicking off the session, practitioners gave an overview of Singapore's banking industry, market trends and global economic landscape. Responding to questions from several undergraduates on the different types of jobs available in the financial sector, they highlighted that understanding the criteria of the job application is critical, besides having the necessary academic qualifications. They also urged graduates to have a clear sense of direction and maintain a passion for their jobs, regardless of the industry.
During the panel discussion, participants also raised concerns on how to chart career progression in the banking industry. On this note, practitioners emphasised the need to have a set of transferable skills to maintain an edge in today’s changing work force. Through the session, young PMEs and undergraduates were able to gain a greater understanding of the banking and finance industry.
The next e2i Step-In Series event will be in March 2013.
