UPSKILLING GRADUATES TOWARDS A SUCCESSFUL CAREER

As one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations, HSBC prioritises a culture of lifelong learning and is constantly innovating their products and services to offer clients the very best.

Fresh graduates who join HSBC through their Group Graduate Programme (GGP) will be immersed in the world of banking within three global businesses: Retail Banking and Wealth Management, Commercial Banking, and Global Banking & Markets. Graduates will undergo a rotation in the eighteen-month programme to develop a range of technical and transferable skills. The programme will help them build a network, give them exposure to senior leaders, fellow graduates and a diverse range of clients, and help them find where they fit best, so they can succeed in their career.

We have interviewed four GGP talents; Alagusundaran Caruppaiya, Zoe Tan, Athirah Alffian, and Ann Yap who enrolled in the programme and here’s what they have to say:-

“Beyond merely delivering my day-to-day tasks, I had the opportunity to learn about the business functions, concepts, and its future outlook too.” Shares Alagusundaran. Admitting that he never thought of being a banker, Alagusundaran’s career path took a turn when he met a banker during a business competition he participated in. “I spent a lot of time chatting with him. Hearing about Corporate Banking was music to my ears. The art of financing any business across markets, varying from a small restaurant to a full-fledged industrial leader made me curious. Fuelled by curiosity, I took the leap of faith and I have not regretted it ever since,” he shares.

Alagusundaran isn’t the only GGP talent who chanced upon a career in banking. His fellow graduate trainee, Zoe Tan, shares that she had originally wanted to work in public policy or fashion retail. “The first 15 minutes into my Geographies of Financialisation class changed my perception of banking. My professor reminded us that money dictates everything in the world, so if we’d like to shape the world no matter how little, the banking industry is a good place to consider,” she says.

Armed with this newfound interest, Zoe set out to apply for positions within the bank before coming across their GGP. With help from a good friend, she managed to ace her application. She is grateful that she continues to receive the same kind of support from her peers in the programme as well as her seniors. “People are always happy to help if you ask for it,” she says. Which is why she aims to always be kind and believes that this trait is necessary for success. She states that, it’s important to have a good heart. When people like you, they’ll naturally want to help you succeed, and success will follow.

ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO LEARN

One of the main advantages of being in GGP is the opportunity to learn in various ways. With the way the programme is structured, talents are never stuck in one position but are challenged to go above and beyond to harness their full potential. “The graduate programme at HSBC has opened up a world of opportunities for me in a myriad of ways,” shares graduate Athirah Alffian. “This is largely due to the trust that my line managers have in me to take on large and often intimidating projects, which has nurtured a culture of growth and development.”

Before becoming a GGP talent, Athirah said that she was uncertain of the banking world, but HSBC’s strong culture of prioritising learning has helped her grow in terms of skills, knowledge as well as her confidence. “The programme has allowed me to explore my interests, which has been helpful in allowing me to make informed decisions and made me realise that I enjoy working on business development and strategy. I’ve learned to be more confident in working autonomously and at the same time recognizing the value of new relationships and teamwork,” she shares.

Ann Yap’s experience during the programme truly defines the trust the bank has in its talents. Thus, allowing them to make their own informed decisions and be innovative in creating new solutions and ideas. During her rotation in the CCO office, Ann oversaw the entire Sales Quality checks for Retail Products. “I took the time to upkeep the files, created new Excel templates to record all Retail sales leads, and helped to streamline our processes,” she shares.

Her approach to the programme was mainly due to the advice she received from her manager during her first rotation. Ann shared that her manager mentioned, “Ann, I know that you’re a hardworking person and you’re very good in what you do, but instead of just blindly doing what you’re asked to, I want you to take things slow and think about what you can learn from the task. I want you to enjoy your work.” From her words, she learned to take a step back, understand and analyse the task as well as try to improvise when needed.

HSBC strives to nurture their GGP talents to propel their learning and growth as they take pride in helping their talents soar and achieve their ambitions. If this is in line with your career aspirations, join HSBC at our upcoming GRADUAN Aspire happening this 30 July to 2 August to learn more about the programme and how it can be your first step to a rewarding and fulfilling career.