Working Hard and Achieving Big Things

Management Associate programmes are a great way to fast-track your way up the corporate ladder. Aiming to cultivate aspiring graduates to become the next generation of leaders with top skills, The Great Eastern Management Associate Programme exposes talent to first-hand knowledge of the finance and insurance industry through multiple job rotations in various departments.

Talent will rotate through at least four departments, each rotation tailored to their individual career goals and abilities, giving the management associates (MA) a wider view and appreciation of the organisation. As good as it sounds, the competition is stiff.

This 24-month prestigious programme is on the lookout for individuals with high-quality traits and a burning motivation to discover their potential. According to Khor Yang - a Great Eastern Management Associate Alumni who is currently a Senior Data Analyst in the Analytics team – MAs are required to work together but still excel as an individual when organising assigned events and activities such as LIFE Programme, a corporate wellness programme that promotes a healthier lifestyle at work through various initiatives for Great Eastern staff, and Toastmasters, an official chartered club to train communication and public speaking skills.

MAs should be able to multitask and be open minded as many of these events are done concurrently. They are also expected to commit to their daily department task on top of all MA responsibilities, such as company-wide projects and events, CEO initiative, and on-the-job rotations. “At first, I was not aware that we would be responsible to handle events, so I decided to keep an open mind to accept all the new responsibilities given,” shares Khor Yang.

No shortcut to success

Since MAs must complete on-the-job rotations during work hours while still fulfilling other duties, there is a strong likelihood that they will work longer hours and, on occasion, work on weekends. Nevertheless, all this hard work will only contribute to their success.

“This programme is designed to push you to your limits. MAs are held in great regard by the people. You are assumed to be agile and capable of rapid growth,” Khor Yang explains. MAs can expect a lot of growth as they will get the opportunity to work with the senior management team, as well as the CEO, in order to gain a better grasp of senior leadership's strategy and management skills.

It is important for an MA to reaffirm the company's values and strive towards the company's objectives. MAs, for example, are given a lot of ownership and responsibilities when it comes to programmes like the LIFE Programme, where they have to plan out activities for the year, source for speakers, and ensure all objectives are met within agreed budget and timeline. As a result, it is critical to take the initiative to ensure that the event runs well and it is through these programmes that MAs gain the opportunities to take on various leadership roles for their personal development.

Tomorrow’s wisdom

As an MA alumnus, Khor Yang would always seek advice from seniors in order to find the solution when faced with a problem. Future MAs will then be able to benefit from this by applying the solution to address new difficulties. “My batch’s mistake was that whenever there were difficult tasks, we would work on it first without segregating the workload and finding solution to the challenges when it should have been the other way around,” reveals Khor Yang. Thus, MAs are advised to always be more vocal and communicate issues with their supervisors so that they can advise you on how to tackle them.

The Great Eastern Management Associate Programme is an excellent opportunity for young professionals to gain exposure to a dynamic working environment while also accelerating their learning curve to get ahead in their career. During the programme, MAs will have numerous opportunities for self-development and take on professional qualifications such as actuarial qualifications and Life Office Management Association (LOMA) training and examinations which are sponsored by Great Eastern.

It is also a terrific place for young talents, who have just set out into the working world, to explore their passions and find a job that matches their goals and potential.

Meet and link with representatives from Great Eastern at The Malaysian Virtual Career Fair this 26 to 27 March, and learn more about this programme as well as discover other excellent opportunities in the insurance industry. For more information on the programme, click here.