School Visit at the MFSA

1. School Visit at the MFSA • Introduction Peter Grech Manager – Human Resources Unit Malta Financial Services Authority Attard – BKR 3000 tel: 2548 5539 email: pgrech@mfsa.com.mt

2. Objectives of the visit • enables students to learn more about financial services • provides assistance and guidance to students who will shortly be making decisions about their studies in relation with their future career • Know more about job opportunities within the financial services sector

3. Financial Services • Banking Players • Non-bank Financial Services Players • Investments & Trusts Services Players • InsurancePlayers • MoneyBall • RegulatorsReferee/Umpire • MarketPlaying field

4. The Curriculum Vitae • A CV is a document that provides an overview of a person’s qualifications (hard skills) and other skills (soft skills) in a clear and effective manner • Examples: • Hard skillscertificate, diploma, first degree, masters degree, doctorate, others • Soft skills communication skills, team-work, leadership, self-confidence, others

5. Hard Skills • What are ‘hard’ skills? • ‘Hard’ skills are more of what might appear on your CV (resume) - your education, experience and level of expertise

6. Hard Skills: Foundation • List of ‘O’ Levels – required • English • Maltese • Mathematics • Accounts and Economics / Business Studies • ECDL • Science Subject • Other language

7. Hard Skills: Foundation • List of ‘O’ Levels – good to have any of these: • History • English Literature • Computer Studies • Any other subject/s

8. Hard Skills: Qualifications Entries to the financial services industry: • University of Malta: • Degree in Banking & Finance • Degree in Accountancy • Degree in Economics • Degree in Insurance • Degree in Law • Degree in Maths & Computing • others • MCAST: • Diploma in Banking & Financial Services • Diploma in Business • Diploma in Insurance Studies • AAT Diploma in Accounting • BTEC Diploma in IT • others

9. Career Opportunities • Accounting • Accountancy Support • Law • Legal Support • Banking • Investments and securities • Economics • Insurance • Actuarial and statistics • Trusts and trustees • Company formation • ICT • Management and administration • Clerical and secretarial • Taxation • Risk Management • Risk Assessment • Prevention of financial crimes

10. Banking • Types of Careers • Clerical / secretarial duties • Advisory work • Management of processes • Customer service • Legal • Accountancy • IT • Marketing • Human Resource • Other areas: insurance, lending, foreign currency management, investment management, trade finance, internal auditing, regulatory compliance, prevention of money laundering

11. Insurance • Types of Careers • Legal advisors • Insurance managers • Insurance brokers • Underwriters • Loss adjusters • Claims handlers • Surveyors • Customer service representatives • Sales representatives • Compliance officers • Accountants • Risk managers • Money laundering report officers • Financial reporting officers • Client advisors

12. Investments & Financial Advice • Types of Careers • Client focused: • Financial advisers • Administrative: • People who provide support to the operations

13. Trusts & Fiduciaries • Types of Careers • Licenced trustees • Legal services • Accounting and audit professionals • Business and tax advisors • Back office support workers

14. Anti-money Laundering • Types of Careers in • Legal and compliance work • Transactions and fraud analysis • Software engineering / development • Risk specialisation • Training on anti-money laundering

15. Planning Ahead • Where do we go from now? • Immediate goal: achieve good results at ‘O’ level • Start thinking about what best fits your aptitude: what do I prefer to do? • Get involved in activities other than those organised at school

16. Soft Skills • What are ‘Soft’ Skills? • ‘Soft’ skills are essentially people skills – the non technical, intangible and personality–specific skills • Soft skills are acquired and experienced – they cannot be developed by merely reading text books

17. Examples of Soft Skills / Qualities • Self-confidence • Maturity • Commitment and responsibility • Positive attitude • Professional behaviourand appearance • Proactive and flexible attitude to work • Proficiency in written and spoken English • Time management skills • Creative ability • Ability to take initiative • Leadership skills • Organisatonal skills • Managerial skills • Decision making skills • Ability to work with emotional intelligence

18. Soft Skills: Developing Your Skills • Work with others: • meetings • voluntary work • development and training opportunities • sports • adventure • Drama • Working assignments and projects as a team player

19. Before / At An Interview • Prepare yourself well before the interview – visit the organisation’s website • Be punctual • Be a good communicator • Make sure you are appropriately dressed • See that you are well groomed • Watch your body language – posture and eye contact • Switch off mobile • Don’t hold back from showing what you can do • Be ready to say why you are the one who should be selected

20. Careers in Finance website