Feature

Hot demand for business and computing graduates

By Lo Tien Yin

You order your lunch through a tablet in a restaurant. While waiting for your food, you check your social media accounts and also track the delivery of that outfit you bought online the night before.

You join millions in generating heaps of data that keep the cash registers ringing for many. Technology makes things convenient for consumers like you, while spelling success for many businesses.

Business and technology is a “lethal” combination, judging from the recent Graduate Employment Survey, which showed that all graduates of NTU’s Business and Computing double degree were snapped up, with hardly time to frame up their scrolls. These graduates are equally comfortable dealing with business and with technology. The cohort saw the highest jump in average starting monthly salaries to $4,583 in 2015, up from $3,450 in 2014.

Three NTU graduates from the 2015 cohort with this sought-after double degree speak to HEY!:

Michelle Wee

Business Analyst, Deloitte Singapore

Business and technology have always been a very powerful combination. Businesses that can make use of technology solutions can create business value in many aspects. Take, for example, the case of the international airline that reinvented its customer experience through a suite of social media management tools and gained millions of dollars in sales on social media on top of being better able to serve its customers.

I do cloud technology consulting – understanding client's pain points and finding suitable technology solutions to meet their needs. As graduates of the double degree course, we can better appreciate the business value behind upcoming tech trends. Our training at NTU has also equipped us to be great communicators. For example, I can easily bridge the gaps between business and technical users.

I clinched this role with Deloitte Singapore following my internship with them. As an intern, I was given projects where I could demonstrate my business sense and technology know-how.

I decided on technology consulting way before my graduation, so I took care to curate my experience and module selection in that direction. My favourite module at NTU was Enterprise Computing, taught by Asst Prof James Ten and Assoc Prof Sia Siew Kien. In my job now, I can put into practice what I have learnt.

Huang Yujia

Technology Analyst, Bank of America Merrill Lynch

PHOTO: NURIA LING

I was a Summer Analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in my penultimate year and was offered a full-time position when I completed my studies at NTU.

After undergoing a two-week orientation programme in our New York office, I have been on rotation among various departments as part of my career development.

My NTU business degree enables me to be familiar with financial and banking definitions and products, so I was able to settle in and learn quickly on the job. My other degree in computing provides me with the technological edge. This will be especially useful when I join the Command Centre Operations team in August.

Here, I’ll fuse my knowledge in business and in technology to see how different business functions can be integrated and automated using technology to improve processes for greater efficiency. This is an area I am passionate about and I would love to take this challenge.

Attending career talks at NTU proved really useful for me. It was at one such career talk that I found out about opportunities at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Timothy Chen

Analyst, Deutsche Bank

PHOTO: NURIA LING

As someone who loves to work with technology, I am delighted to be part of Deutsche Bank’s Graduate Programme, where I get to take on four different roles in one year. I am now working on a project to automate some manual checks in the bank’s applications.

NTU’s business and computing course offers a good grounding in both business and IT. Having an understanding of how the financial sector operates, plus technical skills, equips me well for a head-start in the industry.

To those graduating soon, my advice is to do your research to ensure you are a good fit for the company, and that the company is a good fit for you. After that, demonstrate your interest in the role, company and sector, and let your passion shine through.

Big business in big data

Big data is big and in anticipation of the market demand, the Nanyang Business School introduced a new specialisation in business analytics last August. A master of science in analytics was also launched by the School of Physical & Mathematical Sciences last year.

Businesses that manage big data well gain a competitive advantage as it influences decision-making, operations, revenues and profits. Says Ms Pauline Astrid Ferrer of Deutsche Bank’s graduate recruitment section: “Looking to the future, data analytics and data mining will play a huge role, helping us to better understand our customers, optimise our services and become more competitive. Deutsche Bank welcomes high-achieving graduates from many disciplines, particularly those that rise to a challenge.”

Come 2017, those taking the double degree in business and computing will be among the pioneer cohort to graduate with this new specialisation.