Your Road to Success to FWD Takaful

The one thing FWD Takaful wants people to know is that while it is offering a family takaful services that has been around for a while, it is also doing this in a new approach by providing clear and simple products at fair and affordable prices. So no more out-of-date clauses, no more jargons; just simple straightforward products so customers know exactly what they are participating.

To do this, the takaful provider needs to be anchored by individuals who can think out of the box and are willing to innovate and execute ideas that are different. For young talents who are interested in joining the takaful provider, they’d be glad to know that there are three programmes they can check out to get ahead in the financial game. They are the Digital Graduate Programme (DGP), Protégé, and Graduate Management Trainee (FSTEP).

Here’s a summary of what these programmes entail:

DIGITAL GRADUATE PROGRAMME (DGP)
Launched in 2021, DGP was created to contribute to the delivery of FWD Takaful’s digital strategic pillars by investing in young talent from the different ASEAN countries under FWD Group with a passion for digital and developing them through appropriate training, mentoring, and providing exposure to the organisation through meaningful work projects. Those in the programme may be selected for international rotations with three rotations over an 18-month period based on their profile, interests and business needs in any function with a digital focus. There will be on-going training both on-the-job and leadership immersion, and a unique reverse mentoring programme where trainees act as shadow boards for the leadership team.

PROTÉGÉ
Launched in 2020, Protégé is specifically targeted at graduates especially from B40 families who will receive opportunities to work with FWD Takaful and gain useful experience. The objective of the programme is to cultivate potential by providing talent with industry knowledge and the best possible skills so they can remain relevant in this evolving working environment. Protégés will embark on a comprehensive and structured onboarding programme that systemically exposes them to hands-on roles as well as familiarises themselves with FWD Takaful’s values.

GRADUATE MANAGEMENT TRAINEE (FSTEP)
Also launched in 2020 and targeted especially at those from B40 families, the GMT programme aims to cultivate the talent’s potential by providing him or her with industry knowledge and skills, especially in Shariah, Actuarial and IT so they can remain competitive in the work environment. Trainees will be part of a comprehensive and structured onboarding programme driven by the Asian Banking School while FWD Takaful will expose them to hands-on roles, ensuring that every department has a structured plan for their GMT during the 12 months programme.

In summary, PROTÉGÉ and FSTEP were designed and developed with the aim of equipping Malaysian graduates with the necessary skills and experience to thrive in the takaful industry, as part of its commitment to support and embrace the Value-Based Intermediation for Takaful (VBIT) initiatives. On the other hand, DGP was exclusively developed by FWD, offering exposure to exciting new projects and access to some of the best minds in the business.

Of course, to get into any of these programmes, you have to prove yourself! For DGP, not only do you need to be a first-class bachelor’s graduate in any discipline, but you also need show a strong interest in digital technology (cloud-first mentality and data-driven) which you have demonstrated through internships or work experience of less than two years. As for Protégé, all fresh graduates with a bachelor’s degree in any discipline are invited to apply while for the GMT programme, the company is seeking first-class honours fresh graduates with a bachelor’s degree in Actuarial, Shariah or IT. All three of the programmes require you to be fluent in both written and spoken English.

Our FWD Takaful insider tells us that the company is on a lookout for graduates who want to make an impact in the industry, in line with its vision of changing the way people feel about takaful.

Here’s also what talents who have gone through the journey (or are currently part of it!) have to share with us about their experience:

“The DGP programme is different from others because of the international exposure it brings. I interact with leaders and peers across the market frequently, exchanging ideas and information on how they do business in other markets. I am exposed to real-world problems with hands-on problem-solving skills and techniques to solve them efficiently. You also need to show enthusiasm for all things digital and showcase leadership traits as they are pivotal in your reverse mentoring with the leadership team. The monthly one-to-one session will elevate your way of thinking and bring a new perspective on how to solve a problem from the outlook of a leader.” Wan Muhammad Nadzri Bin Wan Mahadzer Isllah

“Protégé is a great platform for a fresh graduate. The training has guided me to enter the industry with practical and soft skills. My favourite part is definitely the opportunity to learn and to be trusted by others to complete my tasks.” Noor Illyana Abdul Hayi

“Protégé is a great learning experience and a great opportunity to make new connections in the industry. This programme is very helpful, especially to fresh graduates, in developing new skills and knowledge, and overcoming any issues that might arise when handling projects. I appreciate how it provides us with the opportunity to find the right career path and to adapt to workplace challenges with the guidance and advice from mentors.” Anita Fatini

“I like that in Protégé, you have a mentor who guides you throughout your programme. My mentor has provided me with a lot of guidance and assistance on work-related issues, regardless of the technical skills or soft skills I have. Also, from the support of other individuals like my manager and colleagues, I have gained a lot of knowledge.” Tang Lit Han

FYI, all three Protégé trainees are now permanent staff with FWD Takaful!

“For FSTEP, I Iike meeting new people from different backgrounds, which allows me to know more about them while learning new things during the programme. I’ve learnt a lot about their experiences, where they come from and many more.” Mohammad Afiq Sollehuddin Bin Rahim (also a permanent staff now!)