Banking on TEAM spirit

2009/10/23

Financial Sector Talent Enrichment Programme participants do their bit for the disabled.

CORPORATE social responsibility is usually at the heart of all great financial institutions and they are committed to making a difference to the communities, particularly the less privileged.

In sync with that, the Financial Sector Talent Enrichment Programme (FSTEP) ensures that its participants do their part during the one-year course before they enter the industry. Recently, 78 participants of the fourth intake visited the Selangor Cheshire Home in Batu Caves as part of their corporate social responsibility activities.

The home has about 50 permanently disabled residents of all ethnicities and religious backgrounds. The disabilities include poliomyelitis, rheumatoid arthritis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy and osteogenesis imperfecta.

The participants re-painted part of the home, cleaned the surrounding areas and also planted some greenery in the garden. Goh Lee Lian, 23, was glad that she could do her part in helping the disabled at the home. “We should not take them for granted. We must have the spirit to help those who are in need. There are a lot of them out there,” says Goh.

Amar Hakim Zabarni, also 23, noted that the visit to the home has strengthened teamwork among the participants.

“It enhances togetherness as we had to work as a group at the home,” says Amar. FSTEP is a one-year intensive programme with the objective of training and preparing high calibre graduates for the financial services industry.

The course modules provide exposure to technical knowledge in banking (conventional, investment and Islamic), insurance and takaful as well as personal development sessions through a combination of workshops, simulations, case studies and on-the-job training with financial institutions.

FSTEP participants clearing the garden.

To be eligible for enrolment in the FSTEP, applicants must be a Malaysian citizen with a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and above in any degree or higher qualification obtained from any recognised university.

Applicants should not be above 30 years of age.

The next intake will begin in February next year. Application forms can be downloaded from the website. Applicants can email their forms to enquiry@fstep.org.my or fax 03-2031-4766 together with their resumes.

A new coat of paint works wonders.

Participants work with a smile.