Jordan Ong, a graduate on the Financial Services Graduate Programme (2020-2022) has been awarded two distinctions, one for his MSc dissertation and a second for his PG Diploma.
Having stumbled upon Graduate Programme Wales after the pandemic hampered his plans to go travelling after university, Jordan excelled during his time on the Programme and after it.
He experienced placements with Propel Finance, Development Bank of Wales, and sa.global and told us that he was surprised and interested by the fact that every placement was so unique. From the roles he was involved with to the cultures of each organisation.
“My first placement with Propel Finance was working with the Transformation and Change Team. I think having an economics background helped me to hit the ground running but I was also treated like part of the team straight away and was given pretty substantial tasks and responsibilities. I found myself presenting to the C-suite and leading meetings which was a big deal as this was my first experience of working in a corporate environment.
Having a sense of trust and respect from my colleagues from an early stage really helped to build my confidence which set me up for the next two rotations.”
Jordan’s second placement was with the Development Bank of Wales which provides loans for businesses to start up, strengthen and grow along with equity investments for already established businesses.
“I was part of the Venture Capital team and it felt like a family straight away. I was doing something totally different to my previous role but that’s exactly what makes the Programme stand out. My time with the Development Bank of Wales seemed to go really quickly, which was definitely a sign that I enjoyed it and I still keep in touch with lots of people today.”
His third and final placement at sa.global is also where Jordan secured a permanent position following the end of the Programme and where he still works 3 months later.
“Sa.global have their own accelerator scheme internally so there were lots of young people and a clear pathway for growth. I felt settled straight away which was really positive given how much I’d enjoyed my time in my last placement.
As well as having lots of great social aspects, there is a really strong culture of learning and development here at sa.global. I have worked in finance and financial consulting and have been given lots of autonomy from the start which tends to get the best out of me as a style of working.
I was offered a permanent position with sa.global before the end of my final placement which was really helpful as it provided me with extra security and confidence because I knew I had a job after the rotation and that the company wanted to continue with my personal development.
The transition to becoming a permanent member of the team was seamless. There was no change to my day-to-day working life, and I felt equally valued. I work both in the finance department and as an associate Finance and Operations consultant. It’s hugely varied, I get the opportunity to work away sometimes and get involved in big finance related projects, I’m still learning on the job but feel supported to do so. Currently as an FO consultant I am implementing automation in the Finance department.
Jordan has managed to deliver exceptional MSc and PG Dip results as well as consistently performing well in the workplace. He told us:
“Balancing work and study is tricky but you can manage it if you get into good habits from the start and focus on the end goal. Getting off on the best start should avoid a backlog of work creeping up on you and all the employers I dealt with were extremely supportive when it came to assignment time.
The programme is set up for you to succeed so if you put the work in, you should get the results you’re after. My top tip is advice I got from one of my managers early on which was to keep a record of your achievements at each place of work. Writing them down as and when they happen is so much easier when it comes to preparing your CV or for an interview as you’ll have all the highlights ready to go. It also provides evidence of your accomplishments to enhance the chances of your placement host taking you on.”
Some great advice from Jordan who we wish all the best for his future endeavours. With his attitude and commitment to personal development, we have no doubt he will succeed in whatever he turns his hand to.