MSC FINANCIAL ENGINEERING

Internship with investment firm honed my skills in the midst of the pandemic

I realised that looking for an internship opportunity amid Covid-19 was a tall order as internship opportunities had practically dried up. As such, I was only cautiously optimistic when I started looking for a suitable internship to hone my skills. I shortlisted a few opportunities, one of which was with Harveston Asset Management as a quantitative research intern.

Harveston Asset Management uses a variety of strategies to invest in multiple asset classes globally. These include equities, fixed income, currencies, derivative products and distressed assets. Given the scale of its offerings, global exposure, and quant expertise backed by its proprietary trading algorithms, this internship opportunity was exciting to me. I believed I would get to learn a lot at Harveston.

I have always been interested in applying analytical and quantitative methods to solving challenging problems. That was the primary reason for my decision to enrol in the MSc Financial Engineering programme at the Nanyang Business School (NBS). I felt that the course curriculum was specially designed to help me reach and advance my career goals. The entire course is designed to be practical and covers a swathe of skills that can be easily applied to any real-life work challenges in various industries.

How Graduate Studies Career Development Office (GSCDO) supported my ambitions

At the height of the pandemic, it was tough, to say the least, to secure an opportunity by sending out resumes alone. As I needed some guidance on improving my application and making it stand out in the crowd, I sought the help of the NBS’s Graduate Studies Career Development Office (GSCDO). The office works hand-in-hand with students to improve their chances of securing their dream jobs.

The office regularly holds mock interviews and workshops. Students can get leadership coaching that provides them with professional industry insights. There are also many career workshops to help them develop soft skills such as personal branding. I signed up for and attended several of these workshops. Particularly helpful were industry seminars where industry experts gave me first-hand insights on the requirements of the roles I was applying for.

Particularly helpful have been the industry seminars where leading experts shared first-hand insights into the requirements of the roles I was applying for.

With over 50,000 graduates from more than 90 countries, the Nanyang Business School, (NBS) also believes in the power of networking. GSCDO connects students with their peers and alumni through various events to expand their networks. At these sessions, students and alumni interact with professionals from myriad industries. These help them cultivate the beginning of strong and long-lasting professional relationships.

The support systems offered by the GSCDO further validated my decision to join the NTU. I became more targeted and confident in my internship applications. The reward was a precious internship with Harveston where I was able to apply what I learnt in my elective courses.

Financial-industry opportunities in Singapore

As one of Asia’s most important financial hubs, Singapore does offer many opportunities for young graduates with backgrounds like mine. If someone wants to pursue a Master’s degree and start a career in quantitative finance, the MSc Financial Engineering programme will always spring to my mind as an unparalleled choice.

The programme’s elective courses coupled with my internship have opened me to a whole new world of quantitative methods that can be used to innovate financial solutions. The courses cover statistics, finance and programming, all of which have provided me with a solid foundation to advance in the financial industry in Singapore.

Here at NTU, a world-class faculty and strong alumni network have provided me with a head start in the financial industry.

The programme also emphasises teamwork, communication and real-life corporate settings. Combined with its financial and computational theories and methodologies, I am sure students like me will walk away with a head start in the finance industry.

Talk to us today to find out more about the MSc Financial Engineering programme. Click here to book an appointment with us.

Download MSc Financial Engineering Brochure