ID :
38917
Mon, 01/05/2009 - 14:05
Auther :

M'SIA: JOBS STILL AVAILABLE DESPITE GLOBAL SLOWDOWN

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- Jobs are still available in the financial
services industry despite the global economic slowdown, says the Institute of
Bankers Malaysia (IBBM) chief executive officer Dr Mohd Kamal Khir.

He said more banks were opening new branches and this would create job
opportunities in the sector.

As of last year, there were about 3,000 jobs available in the
financial services industry in the country, he told reporters after a
briefing for new participants of the Financial Sector Talent Enrichment
Programme (FSTEP) here Monday.

He said there was also demand in the financial sector, especially in Islamic
finance, in overseas markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore and the Middle East.

On the FSTEP programme, Mohd Kamal said it was driven by the
financial services industry with the objective of training and preparing highly
qualified graduates for employment in financial services institutions.

He said the programme is targeted at high calibre students who recently
graduated from local and foreign institutions of higher learning and those
currently working in the non-financial sector but were interested in pursuing
careers in the financial services industry.

Explaining further, Mohd Kamal said the first batch of 290 participants
completed the programme last month and about 50 percent of them had successfully
secured jobs in the financial services industry.

The second batch of 208 participants would complete the programme in June
this year while the third batch enrolled last Friday, would graduate in
December, he added.

Mohd Kamal said the one-year programme covered four banking and insurance
streams, namely conventional banking, investment banking, Islamic banking and
insurance and takaful.

"Participants undergo an intensive six-month classroom training to be
followed by a six-month internship in banking and insurance, including
Islamic finance and takaful," he said.

According to Mohd Kamal, each of participants received a RM2,200 (US$1=
RM3.45) monthly allowance.

Beginning this year, Mohd Kamal said the programme had introduced an
intensive one-month English course which would be facilitated by trainers from
the British Council and the six-month internship has been shortened to five
months.

--BERNAMA

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