Charting New Career Directions With The MSc Financial Engineering Programme

Charting New Career Directions With The MSc Financial Engineering Programme

by | Feb 22, 2024 | MSc Financial Engineering

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Charting New Career Directions With The MSc Financial Engineering Programme

MSC FINANCIAL ENGINEERING

Charting New Career Directions With The MSc Financial Engineering Programme

Internships can be a gateway to unexpected career paths, and Javier Ng certainly made full use of the opportunity to explore his options. By the end of his Double Degree in Accountancy & Business at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), he already had five internship stints under his belt – and a new career direction in mind.

“I tried multiple internships in different areas to find out what I enjoyed and didn’t enjoy,” explained Javier. This included an audit internship at a chartered accounting firm, a data analytics internship, and a Research & Strategy internship at Dymon Asia Capital, an investment management firm. It was this last stint that piqued his interest in a pivot towards investment.

“It was my first foray into markets, and I learnt a lot with access to materials from different sell-side banks,” he recalled. “I love the uncertainty and challenge that the markets bring.”

But to take on today’s highly complex markets, Javier needed the quantitative finance skills to analyse investment opportunities and measure risk. In this article, he shared how NTU’s MSc Financial Engineering (MFE) programme was the launchpad to jumpstart his career pivot, opening doors to his current role at the global investment bank Nomura.

 

​Adapting to a highly quantitative curriculum

Financial engineering brings together the best of mathematics, financial theory, and computing to solve financial problems. From advanced statistical modelling to methods for asset pricing, NTU’s MFE programme equips participants with the skills to conduct quantitative analysis on financial markets.

Javier entered the programme intending to build his quantitative skills, but its rigour still came as a shock for him. “Coming from a business background, the heavily quantitative nature of the curriculum took me by surprise,” he admitted.

Despite struggling to pick up technical skills quickly, he considered this experience to be his most valuable takeaway from the programme. “I learnt to stay determined, and to clarify doubts when I’m uncertain,” he said. To shorten his learning curve, he would share notes with coursemates and do independent research before emailing his professors with queries.

Javier’s challenge was compounded by the fact that he was juggling work and school. For three semesters, this go-getter pursued a full-time internship with a leading local bank while completing his MFE degree full-time. The secret to staying sane during this busy period, he said, was strategic time management.

“Focusing on everything would get me nothing. Hence, I decided to focus more on modules that I had a keen interest in as a career path,” he shared. “I barely had time to unwind, so I also tried to find pleasure in the study process.”

 

Paving the way to career opportunities

Like most of his peers, Javier’s main concern was preparing to secure a job after graduation. Internships were a key way for him to get his foot in the door of the investment world, and his MFE degree gave him an edge over other applicants.

“Not many people complete a quantitative master’s degree. If you’ve done so, that places you a level above others in terms of viability,” he explained. “The MFE programme gave me the opportunity to re-invent myself for a career in Global Markets.”

Beyond the classroom, Javier highlights the career support he received from the Graduate Studies Career Development Office (GSCDO) at Nanyang Business School. The GSCDO’s team of career counsellors helped him to polish his resume, and offered advice at a crucial crossroads in his career path.

“I had a summer internship lined up with Nomura, a leading financial services group and investment bank,” he recounted. “But to do that internship, I would have to defer my graduation by six months. I wasn’t sure if delaying my graduation was the best course of action, given the chance that I might not get converted to a full-time role.”

After consulting the GSCDO, Javier eventually decided to take a chance on deferring his graduation. His leap of faith paid off – post-graduation, he secured a position as a Global Markets Analyst at Nomura. 

 

Learning to “be like water”

As part of his training as a Global Markets Analyst, Javier completed a rotation programme across various teams at Nomura. He has now settled into a permanent role at the Structured Rates Trading desk.

It’s a dynamic role that calls for agile problem-solving and constant innovation. One of his most memorable projects so far has been creating an internal tool that “filters out recommended trades for traders analysing carry against volatility in the linear Emerging Markets (EM) rates market,” he revealed. “It also allows users to compare the historical data of multiple trade ideas.”

Tackling a steep learning curve with each new rotation is no mean feat, but Javier’s time at NTU has prepared him well for the challenge.

“With its fast-paced curriculum, the MFE programme taught me how to think and learn quickly on my own,” he affirmed. For him, this agility is the most essential skill for success that he has acquired from the MFE programme.

“I believe only 10% of what you learn will be applicable in the industry. It’s hard to find a role that perfectly fits the skillsets we learn in the MFE programme,” he explained. “The most important skill is – as Bruce Lee puts it – to ‘be like water’. Be formless and adaptable. That way, even if something is new to you, you’ll be able to pick it up quickly.” 

 

In a fast-evolving finance landscape, the MSc in Financial Engineering programme equips you with the agility and industry-ready skill sets to stay ahead. Learn more about the programme here.

 

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From Auditing to Analytics: MSc Business Analytics Success Story

From Auditing to Analytics: MSc Business Analytics Success Story

by | Feb 21, 2024 | MSc Business Analytics

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From Auditing to Analytics: MSc Business Analytics Success Story

After seven years as an auditor in a Big Four firm, Bella Lau was eager for a change. “Everyone who has worked in a Big Four or audit firm would understand the demanding nature of the job,” she reflected. “I felt it was time to explore a new professional avenue.”

As an auditor, one of the most satisfying aspects of her job had been delving into extensive sets of numbers to derive patterns and trends. This skill translated well into a career switch into business analytics, where she could transform data into insights for better business decision-making.

Another factor that tipped the scales was her interest in coding. Bella had picked up programming languages like SQL during her undergraduate studies but had not found the opportunity to explore this passion in her auditing career. Having coding savvy would give her an advantage as a data analyst, equipping her to perform day-to-day tasks like data mining and modelling.

To pull off this mid-career change, Bella enrolled in a Specialised Master’s in Business Analytics at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU). We chatted with her about her journey from auditing to analytics, and how her experience in the programme led to her current role at AI software firm Transparently.AI.

 

Getting hands-on with data analytics

Coming from Hong Kong, Bella had her eye on pursuing her master’s degree in Singapore due to its similar culture and the job opportunities available there. NTU stood out to her due to its “highly prestigious ranking in Asia” – the university clinched fourth place in the QS 2024 ranking of Asia’s top universities.

NTU’s MSc Business Analytics (MSBA) curriculum also offered one unique feature: a data analytics practicum. Scheduled for the third trimester of the programme, this three-month internship enables participants to gain hands-on experience with industry partners and take their learnings from classroom to workplace.

For someone making a career switch like Bella, the practicum was an invaluable opportunity to kickstart her new career path in data. “Given my age and previous work experience, I faced hurdles in securing an internship,” she explained.

To overcome this challenge, Bella turned to the career coaching services at NTU’s Graduate Studies Career Development Office (GSCDO).

The GSCDO’s career counsellors worked with her to clarify her career goals and interests, and subsequently matched her with an intriguing new role – one that would let her wield both her auditing experience and her newfound data analytics skills.

Diving into the dynamic world of AI

This data science role was offered by Transparently.AI, a Singapore-based AI software company breaking new ground in the detection of accounting manipulation and fraud. Powered by proprietary machine learning algorithms, Transparently.AI’s solution can analyse millions of data points and deliver forensic accounting reports on over 80,000 companies across the globe.

“The practicum experience introduced me to the world of AI,” said Bella. “Prior to this, I had never considered engaging in anything related to AI. Working at Transparently.AI provided the perfect opportunity to leverage my domain knowledge in auditing while utilising machine learning tools.”

NTU’s MSBA programme also provided a foundation for her journey into AI. With future-ready modules like ‘AI and Big Data in Business’ and ‘AI with Advanced Predictive Techniques in Finance’, the MSBA curriculum is designed to help participants stay on the cutting edge of the latest technologies reshaping businesses.

In the face of the internship’s many challenges, Bella seized the chance to put many new learnings from her MSBA journey into practice. “The MSBA programme equipped me with knowledge of the ‘hottest’ and most commonly used programming languages, such as Python, R, and Tableau,” she shared. This stood her in good stead during her internship, where coding was a significant aspect of her everyday tasks.

Another challenge involved adapting to working in an engineering team with a completely different routine than what she was accustomed to. “Despite always considering myself a business student, I lacked the mindset for data analytics projects,” Bella explained. Fortunately, her experience with group work in the MSBA programme helped to ease the learning curve. “MSBA created an environment for collaboration with course mates of diverse backgrounds, allowing me to gradually adapt to how an IT person thinks and works.”

Her hard work ultimately paid off. By the end of her internship, Bella had secured a full-time position at Transparently.AI as a Research Manager in Data Science.

 

Reaching new heights with the right foundations

As a Research Manager, Bella performs accounting research and pinpoints best practices to develop and enhance Transparently.AI’s machine learning system. The role calls for a thorough understanding of accounting data and audit analysis, alongside strong data modelling knowledge and coding skills.

For Bella, it’s also an opportunity to bring her love of coding to life. “I’m really enjoying the satisfaction of successfully building code and transforming something I know into a function,” she said.

In one recent project, she was tasked to develop new features for Transparently.AI’s system utilising insights from her auditing experience. “I leveraged my coding skills to build functions for each feature, which were then deployed into our system and thoroughly tested to ensure their functionality,” she explained.

She attributes her ongoing career success to the strong foundations she acquired at NTU. “The MSBA programme has played a crucial role in building a solid foundation in data science for me,” she recalled. “Not only has it enhanced my understanding of the fundamentals, but it has also helped me familiarise myself with the essential routines of software engineering.”

“Armed with this foundational knowledge, I’m able to continually advance my skills by engaging in more advanced programming techniques.”

 

Achieve career change with an industry-relevant programme

Getting your foot in the door of a new field is never easy, but Bella’s MSBA journey has helped her close the gap. With a practicum that offers extensive industry exposure, participants can sharpen their classroom skills and gain an edge for a fulfilling career in data analytics.

“Whether you’re a recent graduate or someone with working experience like myself, my advice is to leverage this opportunity to gain experience in a data-related job,” Bella shared. “Make the most of this chance to delve into the world of data and maximise your learnings. This can help you understand more about your interests in data analysis and data science.”

 

Looking for an MSc Business Analytics programme that combines future-focused content with industry relevance? Find out more about our MSBA programme here.

 

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Embracing Technology In Accounting With The MSc Accountancy Programme

Embracing Technology In Accounting With The MSc Accountancy Programme

by | Jan 4, 2024 | MSc Accountancy

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MSC ACCOUNTANCY

Embracing Technology In Accounting With The MSc Accountancy Programme

Today, the accounting industry is on the verge of an AI revolution. From tax to audits, AI-powered tools are rapidly automating many rote tasks that accountants used to do. Up to 48% of accountants say they plan to invest in AI and automation tools over the next year to become faster, sharper, and more efficient in supporting clients. Those who don’t risk being left behind.

“When I think about myself 10 years from now, I don’t want to be just an accountant,” said Darshini Krishna, a current MSc Accountancy (MACC) participant at Nanyang Business School (NBS). “To make sure that I’m not redundant, I’d like to be able to deploy technology and evolve together with the industry. I want to be a part of the AI revolution in my field.”

Darshini sought a way to close her knowledge gap between accounting and technology, and she found the right bridge in NBS’s MACC programme. She recounted her prior experience at a Big Four accounting firm, which inspired her to embark on further studies, and how she has grown through her journey at NBS.

 

Technology as an ally to accountants

After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2020, Darshini landed a role as a tax consultant at Deloitte’s US-India Offices. There, she advised clients on tax strategies and liaised with foreign tax authorities to expedite certificate issuance.

In the course of her work, she began to realise that technology could be a game-changer for her productivity. “During my undergraduate studies, we weren’t taught about how AI and analytics could be applied to accounting,” she reflected. “Even at a Big Four firm like Deloitte, there wasn’t a lot of scope to use technology to enhance our procedures.”

Darshini believed that knowing the right set of analytical tools would accelerate her efficiency by “10 times or even 100 times” – giving her more time to focus on meaningful tasks like decision-making. “The accounting industry isn’t growing as fast in terms of technology compared to other fields,” she observed. “Instead of viewing technology as a threat, we need to start thinking of it as a tool or ally.”

Speaking to other professionals at networking events sparked Darshini’s desire to upskill herself. “Many of them highlighted a gap between accountants and technicians. There’s up-and-coming demand for people who have a background in both coding and accounting,” she shared. “I want to be someone who can fill this gap and translate between the two areas.”

 

Levelling up with a Data Analytics specialisation

Darshini set her sights on the MACC programme at NBS to hone her technological skill sets. The curriculum stood out to her with its diverse courses, ranging from risk management to business analysis, and equity valuation.

Most importantly, the programme featured a unique Data Analytics specialisation. During this optional trimester, participants can gain insights into cutting-edge technologies like AI in Accounting and Finance, Blockchain for Business, and Audit Analytics. “This was a big reason why I chose NBS, as I wanted to learn how to apply data analytics in accounting,” she said.

Looking back on her first trimester at NBS, Darshini thoroughly enjoyed her classes. “I generally get sleepy during classes, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt sleepy here!” she joked. “You can see how much experience the professors have, and I like how they use case studies to give our lessons a lot of practical relevance.”

In particular, she had fond memories of her Management of Legal Obligations in Business module, led by the “bubbly and joyful” Professor Valerie Du Toit-Low. “I didn’t expect to enjoy law, but she made it interesting with a lot of practical and relatable cases. For example, suppose you’re eating at a hawker centre, and you get food poisoning, how can you deal with it?”

Darshini also shared that all her professors have been highly approachable even after class. “I could always approach them to ask questions, or just chat with them about my career interests. Every professor has been kind enough to help me out.”

 

A stronger understanding of cultural diversity

Having lived and studied in India for most of her life, it’s Darshini’s first time in Singapore. While Singapore’s “hustle culture” came as a surprise to her, it has motivated her to become a lot more active.

“Everyone is always doing something here, whether it’s sports, adventures, or academics,” she laughed. “In India, I was more of a ‘lazy person’, but I’ve ended up doing some adventure sports and going to more events here.”

Another big change for Darshini was having coursemates of diverse nationalities in the MACC programme. While initially nervous about connecting with her coursemates, the orientation activities arranged by NBS before the start of the term helped ease her mind. “We had fun activities like singing songs and doing funny poses for a photo shoot, which helped me to break the ice with my coursemates.”

During assignments and group work, the diverse perspectives of her coursemates have exposed Darshini to different ways of solving problems. She believes this understanding of cultural diversity will be invaluable in her future career.

“I plan to work in Singapore, which is a global financial hub,” she said. “I’m developing a global mindset that will prepare me to work with people of different cultures and nationalities.”

 

Taking on the tech-enabled future of accounting

When asked about her career plans after graduation, Darshini revealed her hopes for a change from her tax consulting role.

“Tax is a field where you largely follow set processes. I want a role where I can apply my analytical knowledge and help in decision-making, and the MACC programme will help me grow towards this.”

While she did not have a specific career path in mind, she anticipated that her MACC journey would help her gain clarity. “I’m gaining a stronger knowledge base in various fields, from law and audit to financing and consulting,” she explained. “I’m also looking forward to the module on Forensic Accounting as a potential career path.”

The MACC programme’s technological focus and diversity of subjects, she believes, will have enduring relevance for her career – whether in accounting or beyond. Her advice to aspiring candidates is to go in with an open mind.

“Learning about technology will give you an edge over traditional accountants, as you’ll be able to enhance your work and provide insights that companies are looking for,” she said. “Even if you don’t want to go into accounting, the MACC curriculum offers a wide range of subjects integrated with technology and analytics. This knowledge can help you open doors to so many different roles.”

 

Find out more about the MSc in Accountancy programme here.

 

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With the Nanyang EMBA, this senior leader is turbocharging regional ESG impact

With the Nanyang EMBA, this senior leader is turbocharging regional ESG impact

by | Dec 6, 2023 | Nanyang Executive MBA

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NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA

With the Nanyang EMBA, this senior leader is turbocharging regional ESG impact

Amid a new global emphasis on the environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), sustainability stands at the forefront of many corporate agendas today. However, how can global business leaders ensure that initiatives truly have a real impact?

For one sustainable aviation expert, the answer lies in high-level collaboration. “Technology per se is insufficient to drive disruption,” said Francois Balland, Chief Product Officer at AIR Lab, a joint research lab by French multinational Thales and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.

“International flights frequently cross regional boundaries, and the impact of aviation emissions transcends national airspace,” he added. “We are reaching a stage, where further optimisation can only be done through regional collaboration, which requires cultural intelligence, stakeholder identification and engagement.”

Directing global teams across Asia and Europe, Balland’s work is centered on driving innovation technology through the development of next-generation, digital aviation solutions that leverage new technologies, such as Cloud and open API and involve regional experiments such as collaborative data exchange.

To facilitate the long-term stakeholder collaboration needed to turbocharge these solutions, the C-suite executive, who has spent 15 years with Thales and holds a Master of Science, enrolled in the Nanyang Executive MBA (Nanyang EMBA) programme at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in 2022. The programme is offered by Nanyang Business School.

“As my leadership responsibilities grew, I started to feel that a consolidation of business acumen and strategic thinking skills would support me in being more impactful in the moments that matter,” he shared.

A Powerful Suite of Interconnected Skills

In the Nanyang EMBA, participants embark on study trips to partner institutes, Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and Tsinghua University, School of Economics and Management in Beijing, where they gain insights on cultural intelligence and innovation delivered by world-class faculty.

“I chose NTU, because the inclusion of immersions in Tsinghua and Berkeley unveiled diverse perspectives on conducting business in Singapore, the United States, and China. Acquiring a comprehensive understanding of these varied approaches and incorporating them into one’s portfolio is an exceptionally potent tool.”

Through these experiences, Balland – who achieved a position on the Dean’s List for his mastery of the programme’s modules – gained “a profound appreciation for cultural nuances in communication, and a valuable repertoire of business approaches that can be leveraged to enhance executive acumen and decision-making capabilities”.

The regional leader leveraged stakeholder analysis strategies to tailor Thales’ value proposition and communication strategies to better align with stakeholder priorities and leveraged his newfound negotiation expertise to garner stronger stakeholder support for initiatives.

Beyond cultural insights, he also parlayed learnings from modules on corporate sustainability into key projects aimed at optimising regional air traffic to reduce fuel consumption, and channelled takeaways on corporate innovation into guiding project teams, partners and experts to embrace disruptive technology.

“Technology in itself holds little value unless it is embraced through relevant corporate strategy, with the right teams, stakeholders, investments, and at the right time – the point being that the value of the Nanyang EMBA programme is reinforced through the realisation of ties between each module,” he said.

“The emphasis on cultural intelligence, as well as business sustainability, helped me design solutions that considered environmental impact while engaging efficiently with regional stakeholders. It taught me to embrace disruption, which is what is needed to integrate these technologies effectively, while keeping sustainability in focus.”

Cross-Pollinating Ideas Through New Connections

Beyond lectures, Balland’s cohort of C-suite executives, partners, managing directors and business owners – hailing from 15 nationalities and across 20 industries – also proved to be a rich source of innovation around sustainability practices.

In one conversation, a peer with a background in airport operations shed light on innovative practices in terminal management and security that were useful for enhancing aviation efficiency.

Another time, discussions with fellow participants from the automotive industry on emission mitigation proffered new approaches to reducing the carbon footprint of the aviation sector.

In a third instance, classmates involved in airline maintenance shared knowledge on best practices that could reduce fuel burn and, in turn, greenhouse gas emissions.

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“The interactions expanded my horizons significantly, and the network cultivated has been instrumental in creating a larger web of connections, opening doors to collaborative ventures, and providing access to valuable insights across various sectors,” said Balland, who was conferred the Outstanding Peer Award for his own contributions around cultural, technological, and industrial perspectives.

What lies ahead for this sustainability leader? Much like the technology he engages with, Balland aspires to evolve personally and promote a more sustainable direction within the current generation of corporate leadership.

“We are living in an environment where conservatism leads to missed opportunities,” he remarked. “I like to remind myself that in today’s disruptive world, it’s crucial for senior executives to remember that if we don’t fail, it means that we haven’t tried hard enough.”

“It is our turn to empower a future generation of leaders to drive change, and advocate for sustainability – leading by example to drive these important causes forward and make a meaningful impact on the issues the world is facing.”

 

 

About the Nanyang Executive MBA 

In this rapidly changing world driven by technology, digitalisation, and sustainability, lifelong learning is the key to stay ahead of the competition. The Nanyang EMBA equips business leaders with the tools and strategies to lead purposefully in the hyperconnected economy.

This part-time programme offers a career-compatible schedule, which allows you to focus on both work and study. The programme’s duration is 13-months with the flexibility to stretch to 2 years to accommodate work demands.

Visit our website at https://bit.ly/NanyangExecMBA or download the brochure to learn more about the programme and available funding options.

 

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Click here to learn more about the Nanyang Executive MBA programme or contact us at execmba@ntu.edu.sg.

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How an MSc Business Analytics Equips a Finance Major for Data Solutions

How an MSc Business Analytics Equips a Finance Major for Data Solutions

by | Dec 4, 2023 | MSc Business Analytics

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How an MSc Business Analytics Equips a Finance Major for Data Solutions

Business analysts have the art of problem-solving down to a science. Turning data into insights to improve products, pinpoint root causes, and reduce inefficiencies – it’s all in a day’s work for a business analyst.

Despite being a finance major, Erick Susantong found himself drawn to the problem-solving possibilities of data analytics. During his undergraduate studies, he was introduced to the basics of data analytics and machine learning and found them fascinating.

“However, these lessons were focused on theory and not implementation,” he explained. “I learnt that I could use certain analytics models to solve certain problems, but I didn’t have the programming skills to actually apply it.”

To explore a career shift toward data analytics, Erick knew he needed to bring his theoretical learning to life and he found a path to achieve this in Nanyang Business School’s (NBS) Specialised Masters (MSc) in Business Analytics programme.

 

From theory to real-world problem-solving

Like many undergraduates, Erick spent a few summers pursuing internships. In his first stint as an e-commerce intern at an Indonesian startup, he analysed past promotional campaigns to design a promotion plan that would maximise profits. “I saw how analytics could create value for a company,” he said.

As a summer associate at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Jakarta, one of his most memorable projects was analysing a client’s past employee safety data using Excel. His insights helped to determine key causes of workplace accidents and where they happened along the production chain.

“Most of these were achieved using Excel and the programming language R. I actually knew of other methods that could further improve my analysis but I just didn’t have the programming skills to perform them,” Erick shared. “This sparked my interest in pursuing a Masters in Business Analytics (MSBA).”

While researching programmes in the region, he noticed something unique about NBS’s curriculum: a data analytics practicum enabling participants to take on a three-month internship in their third trimester. For Erick, this opportunity to gain real-world experience was a game-changer. “I liked that I would be able to apply what I’ve learnt in the industry, and it would be a good stepping stone to a full-time role as well.”

 

Levelling up his programming skills

Three months into the MSBA programme, Erick felt that the hands-on approach of the curriculum has pushed his programming skills to the next level. “It’s very focused on how to implement analytics models, which is challenging but important since programming is a key skill for data analysts.”

For participants without a programming background, the MSBA programme runs a bootcamp dubbed Programming Essentials before the start of term. Despite having some prior programming basics, Erick admitted that the bootcamp was tough.

“In our final group project, we had to build a basic application to solve a business problem,” he recounted. “My past programming knowledge was more about data analysis and not building software, so that was a challenge. But it was definitely a good learning opportunity.”

 

Gaining an edge through group work

Transitioning directly from undergraduate to master’s studies, Erick shared that he needed some time to adapt. One significant change was the coursework approach. While his undergraduate experience was heavily exam-focused, he found himself engaging in hands-on group projects and presentations for every module at NBS.

“I’m really enjoying all the group projects now, as I didn’t get the chance to apply what I learnt to solve business problems back in my undergrad,” he shared. “Getting experience with group work will translate well to a real-life work scenario, since I’ll need to collaborate with colleagues on projects and present our results to a supervisor.”

With course mates from around the globe, group work also offered Erick an opportunity to learn from different cultures. “My groupmates often have different ideas and perspectives on things. It helps me to expand my viewpoint, especially when working in Singapore’s multicultural context.”

Another key skillset that Erick hopes to hone is communication, and the MSBA programme provides ample opportunities for this through group work, presentations, and class discussions. “As a business analyst, I’ll need to communicate and explain technical details in an easy way to non-technical colleagues,” he said.

 

Pulling off a career shift with an MSc Business Analytics

With his drive to improve, it is not surprising that Erick was a recipient of the ASEAN Development Scholarship offered by NBS. Open to citizens of ASEAN member countries outside Singapore, this partial scholarship offsets 40% of tuition fees.

Erick shared two top tips on applying for the scholarship. Firstly, apply early. “You need to apply before the Round 1 deadline to be considered for the scholarship. So if you’re already sure about the programme, get started early.”

Secondly, be strategic when answering the essay questions. “It’s good to elaborate on how this programme can benefit you in your future career,” he suggested. “Think about how your past experiences in your undergraduate studies and internships can improve the quality of your future cohort.”

Looking ahead, Erick has plans to become a business analyst or data analyst in the financial sector – bringing together the best of his finance training and analytics skillsets. For anyone considering a career switch into business analytics like himself, his advice is simple: do your research first.

“Many people think it’s all about creating and implementing models, which might be true for data engineers. But data analysts have to spend a lot of time on cleaning data, which is a tedious task to a lot of people” he said. “Another thing is that business analysts need to communicate with people a lot, as they are the liaison between the business side and IT teams. So it’s not the right fit for those who prefer being behind the computer all the time.”

Finally, Erick’s advice to those without programming knowledge is to start preparing early on. “Though you’ll have a bootcamp, it’s fast-paced and there’s a lot of learning to cram in a very short time. Take some introductory courses in programming to get a headstart!”

 

The MSc Business Analytics programme equips participants to solve business problems with cutting tools and technologies, enabling you to transform data into value for businesses. Find out more about the MSBA programme here.

 

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