Webinar series raise funds and share insights on financial economics

Themed ‘Bridging the Gap between Academic, Alumni, and Industry’, four webinars targeting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education, were jointly organised by the Faculty of Business and Finance (FBF)’s Department of Economics and Financial Economics Society on 22, 23, 29, and 30 November 2022 via Microsoft Teams. Besides enlightening participants about the field of Financial Economics, the webinars also successfully raised a total of RM870 for UTAR Hospital.

The fruitful webinars created a platform to promote the significance of the Financial Economics programme, as well as provided opportunities for participants to learn more about the UTAR alumni society and industry partners, while also learning about their experience in the working field. Networks were enhanced, and potential collaborations were established between academic, alumni, and industry partners.

The first webinar shed light on job opportunities and career paths. It featured a total of four speakers. iFAST Global Markets Malaysia Senior Wealth Manager Lee Li Chen, listed some of the career opportunities available in a few sectors, including the banking sector, and spoke about the competitive environment with the advancement of digitalisation. She advised participants to constantly keep themselves updated with the latest trends, while continuously gaining more knowledge, and honing one’s skillset. FBF academic Assoc Prof Dr Abdelhak Senadjki shared ways of applying for a suitable job, and tips and tricks on conquering an interview. He also mentioned that soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and self-management, increase employment opportunities. UTAR alumni Goh Wei Bin spoke on the relevance of the Financial Economics programme, while UTAR alumna Dhishanthini Siva shared her experience as a Financial Economics student previously.

The second webinar featured three speakers and it provided participants with knowledge on economics. MBSB Bank Kuantan Regional Deposit Manager Nurasyikin Mohd Akhir spoke on “Investment and Economics” whereby she shared about her career journey in the banking sector, as well as the importance of online banking, sustainability, FinTech, Smart operation, War for talent and even Super-app. FBF academic Prof Dr Wong Chin Yoong enlightened participants on “Every day’s Economics”, where he emphasised the importance of understanding economics in real life. The third speaker, UTAR alumnus Thevan Ganesan shared about the “Journey to become an Analyst from Financial Economics Background”. He spoke about his career goal, educational background and career development. He also advised participants to choose their internship companies wisely.

The third webinar directed participants to make wise choices for their futures. The first speaker, Director of Recruit Express Sdn Bhd Malaysia Khim Goh, spoke on internship and employment. She explained that internships are opportunities to gain more experience and an extension of indoor lessons. She also listed newspaper advertisements, online advertisements, company websites or social media as sources for internship opportunities. FBF Dean Assoc Prof Dr Au Yong Hui Nee shed light on “What Careers Can You Pursue with an Economics Degree?”. She highlighted the advantages of the Financial Economics programmes, and advised participants to hone their written skills, analytical and problem-solving skills, research skills, and teamwork. Participants also learnt that Financial Economics graduates have the potential to become economic advisors, programme managers, system analysts or social workers. The webinar ended with UTAR alumnus How Chao Xun talking about his studies and university life at UTAR.

The fourth webinar taught participants ways to stand out and increase their employment opportunities. Dr Tee Wu Shun from Samaiden Group Berhad shared about his career, which included the need to understand the objective of the job and the skills needed at the workplace. He also advised participants to be willing to try new things because according to him ‘the person who never makes a mistake is someone who never tried anything new’. Dr Abdelhak gave a “Walk-through Your CV” talk, and shared the fundamentals of resume preparation. He mentioned that participants should emphasise their experiences and education on the resume. The final speaker was UTAR alumnus Yew Yao Xi, who spoke about “Job Hunting as a Millennial/Gen Z”.