A fortnightly column introducing key trainee programmes
The sustained boom in the financial sector and general optimism about its outlook has made the finance profession a popular career choice for young people.
Yet, despite fierce competition for talent and the continuing short supply of finance professionals, employers in the sector, with the exception of some major banks and multinational finance houses, generally lack the initiative to organise management training programmes. This is due largely to concern about staff volatility.
When Hantec Investment Holdings embarked on a programme to groom its own management trainees in 2004, it received quite a few inquisitive looks from its counterparts in the sector, said Gordon Tsui Luen-on, the company's deputy general manager. Three years on, more than 70 per cent of the first two batches of graduated trainees still serve in the company.
'It is a bonus if the trainees stay with us. In fact, apart from adding to our manpower, they have injected new chemistry into our workplace. But if they choose to leave, we take it as a signal that we may have inadequacies on our part. This gives us an opportunity to review ourselves,' said Dr Tsui. He said positive word of mouth about the programme had resulted in a rise in applications from 400 last year to more than 500 within just one week of the recent recruitment launch for this year's intake. Hantec will cap its annual intake at 10 to ensure the quality of trainees.
Academic qualifications in finance-related disciplines were not necessary.
'It will help to have a relevant education, but what we really look for are all-rounders with creativity, a positive attitude and a global perspective. Having the right cultural fit is also crucial because we want good team players,' he said.
