KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (Bernama) -- “The mock interview session with our mentors have helped me build my confidence, improve my communication skills, and prepare for real-life situations in a fun and supportive way,” said Nur Izzah Zulfah from SMK Sultan Ibrahim (1), Kelantan, at the annual Aspire Career and Education (ACE) Camp organised by the Financial Industry Collective Outreach (FINCO).
 
Nur Syazwina Syazni from SMK Dato' Mahmud Paduka Raja 1 in Kelantan agreed, adding, “As someone who lacks confidence, I find the mock interview session incredibly helpful in helping me improve my communication skills. My mentors helped me fix my mistakes and shared useful tips and feedback which I can use for my future applications.”
 
Meanwhile, Muhammad Aziz Akhtar Bin Alwi, who travelled all the way from SMK Kota Samarahan, Sarawak to KL for the camp, said that he walked away with some valuable skills and insights. “The camp gave us the chance to speak up and suggest ideas. It also taught us how to grab opportunities in the real world,” he said.
 
Following the success of last year’s ACE Camp, which saw alumni students applying skills they learned to successfully achieve their university and industry placements, FINCO expanded the camp in 2025, welcoming 77 post-Form 5 students from across Malaysia.
 
The three-day event, held from 15 - 17 April 2025 at International Youth Centre (IYC), Kuala Lumpur, aimed to help students grow their professional network, set short-and-long-term goals for their post-secondary life, and gain essential knowledge and skills required to achieve their desired education and career goals.
 
At the end of the camp, 96% of the students were able to state at least two next steps to take to achieve their post-SPM ambitions, while 95% of them could state at least one skill needed to achieve their post-SPM ambitions.
 
FINCO Chief Executive Officer, Clare Walker, emphasised the importance of practical skill-building opportunities for students transitioning from school to university or the workplace. “While identifying relevant skills is crucial, the chance to practice them builds confidence for real-world challenges. This camp is designed to provide that essential hands-on experience," she stated.
 
Walker added that students who understand how their short-term goals connect to their long-term career goals, and who have the knowledge to make informed decisions about their future, will be better equipped to navigate the rapidly changing job market.
 
Aside from participating in mock interviews and job shadowing sessions, the students were also able to glean more insight into their careers of choice as they networked with 75 volunteers comprising professionals from architectural, aviation, financial, medical, technology, and other industries.
 
There was also a panel discussion with guest speakers Dato’ Khairussaleh Ramli, Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) CEO, Lee Jo Wen, Generali Life Insurance Malaysia Berhad Chief of People & Organisation, and Marilyn Wang Manulife Insurance Berhad CMO, which gave the students a clearer idea of soft skills that employers want and what a hiring team would look out in an interview.
 
Dato’ Khairussaleh Ramli, Maybank President & Group CEO said, “It was an honour to be speaking at the event, where I had the opportunity to interact, share thoughts on career aspirations, experiences of my professional journey, which hopefully inspired them to pursue their paths with courage and clarity. I’m grateful to have been able to pass on these lessons to the students, who positively seek to carve out their own future.”
 
Financial industry volunteers who signed up as mentors will journey with the students for the rest of this year, providing ongoing advice and guidance as the students pursue their education or career pathways.
 
“It is encouraging to see the increase in financial industry volunteer numbers during this year’s ACE Camp. It shows recognition of its role in developing future leaders and its ability to effectively address the skills gap between school and the workforce,” said FINCO Chairman Tan Sri Azman Hashim
 
This year, the camp welcomed financial industry volunteers from AmBank (M) Berhad, BNP Paribas Malaysia Berhad, CIMB Bank Berhad, Deutsche Bank Malaysia Berhad, Generali Life Insurance Malaysia Berhad, Hannover Rueck SE, Manulife Insurance Berhad, Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank), and Public Investment Bank Berhad.
 
ACE Camp is a programme under FINCO’s Life Aspiration pillar. Under this pillar, FINCO has engaged over 27,000 upper secondary school students across Malaysia since its inception in 2017. ACE Camp participants are post-SPM students who applied for the opportunity after participating in FINCO’s Post-SPM pathway workshop and other skills workshops. These workshops are primarily delivered in schools with a high intake of B40 students as part of the not-for-profit organisation’s mission to offer young people inclusive access to high quality educational initiatives.

About the Financial Industry Collective Outreach
The Financial Industry Collective Outreach (FINCO) is a collaborative initiative pioneered by financial institutions in Malaysia with the guidance of Bank Negara Malaysia to provide underprivileged children and youth with the guidance and educational tools they need to achieve their life goals. FINCO seeks to achieve these objectives through inclusive educational initiatives under four strategic pillars - English Proficiency and Life Aspiration, Financial Literacy and Disaster Relief.

FINCO Website: www.finco.my
Instagram: finco_my
Facebook: fincomalaysia
LinkedIn: company/fincomy

SOURCE: Financial Industry Collective Outreach (FINCO)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name: Ms. Hannah Jonas
Communications and Events Manager, FINCO
Tel: 014 649 4295
Email: hannah.jonas@finco.my   

--BERNAMA