A very good afternoon and welcome to the very first virtual FSTEP Graduation Ceremony. You are making history. Congratulations to each and everyone of you who started and completed a programme designed to be highly challenging.

When the ABS faculty went to work on designing and developing this latest version of the FSTEP programme, no one anticipated just how challenging this would be. Not only for you the participants, but also for our trainers and our support team who manage quite complicated logistics.

The theme of the course – Shaping an Agile Workforce – could not have been better chosen. And, as it happened you all had the opportunity due to the pandemic to practice the lessons you were learning about in the classroom.

So, having started the course on the 14th of September with face to face training at the Beyond4 venue, the true test of both your and our agility began on the 14th of October when the CMCO required the course to either stop or go fully online with immediate effect.

I am pleased that you did have at least a month of in person classes where you could meet and get to know your colleagues from other banks and financial institutions, and form a network of new friends and future colleagues. I’m sure at the earliest opportunity when the CMCO is over, you will all be arranging to meet up again and to celebrate in true style.

The first FSTEP programme took place way back in 2007 and since then, 2,016 trainees have graduated from the course. This year’s cohort saw the ladies outnumber the gentlemen by 39 to 27. 64% of you completed your degrees in Malaysia while 36% gained your qualifications overseas with degrees in banking and finance, economics, business management, and science and engineering.

A truly good mix of participants and from what I observed during my visit to the training venue, a very lively and happy bunch of people, despite all the social distancing and other SOP rules.

We, at the Asian Banking School together with your sponsors, are delighted with your successful completion of this course. To create agile talent, it is important to develop mindsets as well as exposure to the traditional technical skills required by financial institutions.

The course was carefully crafted to blend a mixture of both soft and technical skills. It was designed to be challenging and stretching.
We meant it to be both tough and enjoyable. From the feedback I have seen, the FSTEP Batch 19 participants took it on wholeheartedly and excelled.

When I had the pleasure of addressing you in person at the Beyond4 venue early in October, I spent a little bit of time referring to all the changes to the world of banking and finance I have experienced over my career in various banking positions. The one take away that I hoped you learnt from my words that day was that our industry is in a constant state of change.

That’s what makes it such a great career choice. You will never become bored. Restless maybe, to move on with your careers at a fast pace. Right now, changes are occurring at record speed. The world of banking and finance has probably never changed so rapidly. You need to ensure that you keep up to speed always to remain relevant and productive in your chosen career paths.

It is an exciting time to be beginning your careers. I believe the mindset lessons you will have learned from our FSTEP programme will give you a head’s start as you settle into your working lives, and some of these disciplines will be useful in your personal lives as well.
We are fortunate today to have our Chairman, Tan Sri Azman here (virtually of course) to share with you some wise words based on his long and outstanding time as one of Malaysia’s leading and most successful and highly respected bankers. I am sure you will find his address an inspiration to encourage you on the path of your future careers.

From all of us at the Asian Banking School and especially Dr. Vijay and his team who worked so hard to deliver this excellent programme, congratulations Batch 19 and every good luck in the future. And, as is becoming customary these days, we ask that you stay safe and stay well. Thank you.