Testimonials

My hiring supervisor once asked me what is the value that I hold onto the most – instinctively I answered “growth”. At that point in time, the growth I was referring to is mainly my career progression. However, after joining FSTEP, I realised that growth is not exclusive to just expanding my technical knowledge about the industry. I learned that pausing and reflecting on my actions are also components of growth. I now understand that being a leader is not just about being able to delegate tasks, it’s also about listening and paying attention to my teammates. I have learnt so much, and this programme gave me the nudge to grow holistically as a banker, a leader and an individual.

The programme structure was designed to accommodate the fast-moving and vast progression of Malaysian financial institutions. These modules are relevant to develop understanding and hindsight for people who are looking forward to progressing their career. Despite having a few years of working experience, FSTEP is still a relevant programme for me to sharpen my soft skills specifically in the Leadership domain.

When I said yes to joining FSTEP, it was mainly for two reasons: Its comprehensive programme structure and the opportunity build great relationships with new peers! FSTEP did not only equip me with more knowledge, but it also renews and elevates my perspectives on how the future minds should be like. I am walking out of FSTEP with friends I value. Building relationships has gone one level up for me as I am now more aware of people by understanding their ways and interests. Surrounding myself with great minds does not only motivate me to do better in career, but it makes me happier as well.

Through FSTEP, I have acquired technical knowledge, soft skills, interpersonal skills, language proficiency, computer skills, etiquette and many more. We were also given the opportunity to handle CSR projects, allowing us to learn and improve our teamwork, time and management skills.

In FSTEP, I met peers from other financial institutions who were from all types of educational background. I also learnt to find the right direction for me in the future from the long and meaningful conversations.

As a graduate with a non-financial related background, FSTEP for me is an effective platform to learn about the overview of the financial industry, while getting hands-on experience on projects that helped to sharpen my leadership, communication and management skills. Throughout my FSTEP journey, I have managed to learn not only on the broad spectrum of the financial industry, but also the way to conduct myself better in the workplace and be an effective communicator. I would definitely recommend this program to future young and aspiring graduates!

FSTEP has helped me with my transition into the banking industry. One interesting subject that we learnt was on FinTech. It is the future of banking industry and it made me realise that no one is immune to the impact of technology. FinTech has demonstrated to the world that if there are better ways to do things efficiently, you can do it. Continuous learning is the key to any kind of success as Alvin Toffle once said, “The illiterate of the future would not be one who cannot read and write, but one who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn”.

The 3-month FSTEP programme was full of exciting and challenging activities and it has been an extraordinary journey for me. The programme has equipped me with relevant knowledge and experience, and even taught me values including compassion, empathy and understanding, which are crucial to have to survive in the corporate environment. The bond and trust that we built among the trainees and trainers are precious and irreplaceable, and potentially create a chain of networking among different companies in the future. I am glad to be one of the chosen gems for the FSTEP programme.

Learning is a lifelong process. As the 3 months passed, I find that I learned best not from classroom environment, but from the people around me. I thank FSTEP for connecting me with my peers and leaders of the industry.

FSTEP provides a great opportunity for me to connect with people from various financial institutions in Malaysia as well as trainers and speakers who have in-depth knowledge and experience in the industry. You might even find yourself a few great Mentors after the programme! Moreover, the CSR projects that was assigned to us has helped to develop our project management and teamwork skills.

FSTEP has taught me technical knowledge and soft skills that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. This programme has provided me with a platform for lifelong learning and I am a better person because of it. I now realize that my light, not my darkness is what scares me the most.