The reception also marked the start of the year-long programme aimed at increasing the pool of graduates equipped with skills and knowledge of the capital market, and a more resilient, efficient and dynamic capital market in the longer term.

The scheme was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in his capacity then as Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Finance on 11 March this year.

“This is an excellent opportunity for graduates to learn new skills and equip themselves with knowledge and experience to embark on a career in the capital market and finance industry. Graduates who successfully complete the scheme will not only have a better understanding of the Malaysian capital market, but they will also be able to better analyse the value of the capital market products, assess their risks and rewards and appreciate the level of technical competencies required by the various sectors of the market,” said SC General Manager of Corporate Resources Division and Chairperson of the CMGTS Taskforce Puan Rahima Muhammad.

The graduates will undergo a month of full-time training consisting of lectures by the SC and the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) beginning with an overview of the financial system and the economy, and continue onto basic to intermediate level topics on the Malaysian capital market and related subjects such as economics, finance and securities laws.

At the end of the four-week intensive lectures, the graduates will be placed on an 11-month on-the-job industrial training with one of the project’s participating associations which include the Association of Merchant Banks, the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, the Federation of Malaysian Unit Trust Managers, the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, the Association of Stockbroking Companies, Amanah Raya Berhad, the Malaysian Accounting Standards Board, the Federation of Public Listed Companies Berhad, the Malaysian Institute of Corporate Governance and the Companies Commission of Malaysia.

These associations are also members of the CMGTS Taskforce which oversee the implementation of the scheme, recruitment and placement of the graduates.

“The SC also wishes to thank the participating associations, various industry bodies, speakers and individual firms for their continued support and commitment in this project which have contributed to the success of our inaugural intake in April. We look forward to and count on their continued support for our future programmes.”

“The feedback we have received from the first intake was very positive and encouraging as many of the trainees were offered permanent employment by the associations. We hope to see more trainees absorbed into the workforce at the end of their training tenure,” added Rahima.

A total of 117 fresh graduates enrolled during the first intake in April 2003. They are now currently undergoing their industrial training with merchant banks, unit trust companies, accounting and audit companies and public listed companies.

Applicants who were unsuccessful in securing a place in this intake are encouraged to apply for next year’s intake. Advertisements will be placed in major newspapers early next year. Further information on the CMGTS is available here.