It is not often in life that you do a free fall diving from 10000 ft high. Not often do you find yourself trekking through the jungles of Amazon or are caught boat rowing through the enchanting river of Nile. It is not often that you can hitch a ride to fly down to the moon or burn your skin travelling through the endless sands of the Sahara. And it is really not often that you get a chance to attend the Graduate Training Programme of UBS.
So I must bless my stars, for I did get that chance. And I intended to make most out of it.
The stakes were clearly set on the first day of the two months programme in London. Deborah Negus, our program cooordinator asked us to look around us and notice that 292 graduates from 52 locations were present and all were “equally smart as you”. She set down the objectives of the programme which were to network, learn, contribute and have fun. As for me, I couldn't have been any less excited. I was in London after twenty years and every single thing around me was creating a sense of magic. The all new faces around me, the new design and architecture was driving a history admirer like me crazy.
We were divided into groups of about 25 grads each and assigned to our classrooms from 9 am to 5:30 pm. I was sharing desk space with grads from renowned schools to ones from little known countries (Sierra Leone, Mauritius, Peru, Cyprus). Grads with masters and work experience to grads who looked like they had just been pulled out of high school. Grads who were loud and extrovert to grads who had no problems in playing the invisbile game. As I talked and interacted with all of them, I noticed one thing that was common amongst all of them. All had their eyes set for the future. All were brilliant in their own way and behind each cheerful and demure look, there was an urge to do something and to create a mark for themselves, somewhere someday. I was happy to be a part of this group.
It was in the training classroom that I think two of our four objectives (learn and contribute) were met. We were being taught the basics of finance, accounting, investing techniques and how the structure of UBS contributes towards its revenue. As the meaning of One Firm approach became clear, the principles of security, integrity and confidence upon which UBS works also started becoming evident. Top speakers were called in from various departments and spoke to us on the importance of risk control and being client focused in all our dealings. There were also brilliantly executed simulation games to teach us pit trading, art of negotiating with clients and how interest rates move up or down with new market info. We were all learning and contributing with our own understanding and knowledge of things obtained from our respective countries.
The other two objectives (network and having fun) were easily met or rather overmet as we were taken on a VIP ride over the London Eye, sent scrambling in search of clues all over London, given a chance to show our skills in bowling, ice skating and also not so much skills in singing at the karoake. There was also enough talent within us that it was felt that we could give something back to our community. We went to a school for the mentally challenged and spent some quality time painting the walls of the building and cleaning up the compound. Though it was raining all the time while we were painting! it did nothing to dampen our spirits and our committment was rock solid. The best night though was probably saved for the final night of the programme to take us on an exclusive cruise party over the river Thames. It was the night of my life as I danced to the tunes of YMCA till I was drenched with the realisation that it was all coming to an end and that soon I will be off to live of all that I have experienced. It didn't feel much good and that night, I partied really hard.
The last day of the programme was marked with prizes and awards to the high achievers amongst us and a scintilating final presentation speech from Deborah. As we hugged our fellow mates with whom we had spent so close a time for the last two months, it was evident that none of us wanted to leave.
As I reflected upon my time spent and learning, I more and more realised that the real objective of the programme was to bring us closer with our own selves. It was all about breaking free from our apprehensions, identifing our potential and discovering what is it in us that will one day make us better leaders and ultimately better human beings.
I closed off my two months experience with the resounding thought that every person when given a chance should go through this programme. It is one of those momentous life discovering events which will leave you changed forever.
So I must bless my stars, for I did get that chance. And I intended to make most out of it.
The stakes were clearly set on the first day of the two months programme in London. Deborah Negus, our program cooordinator asked us to look around us and notice that 292 graduates from 52 locations were present and all were “equally smart as you”. She set down the objectives of the programme which were to network, learn, contribute and have fun. As for me, I couldn't have been any less excited. I was in London after twenty years and every single thing around me was creating a sense of magic. The all new faces around me, the new design and architecture was driving a history admirer like me crazy.
We were divided into groups of about 25 grads each and assigned to our classrooms from 9 am to 5:30 pm. I was sharing desk space with grads from renowned schools to ones from little known countries (Sierra Leone, Mauritius, Peru, Cyprus). Grads with masters and work experience to grads who looked like they had just been pulled out of high school. Grads who were loud and extrovert to grads who had no problems in playing the invisbile game. As I talked and interacted with all of them, I noticed one thing that was common amongst all of them. All had their eyes set for the future. All were brilliant in their own way and behind each cheerful and demure look, there was an urge to do something and to create a mark for themselves, somewhere someday. I was happy to be a part of this group.
It was in the training classroom that I think two of our four objectives (learn and contribute) were met. We were being taught the basics of finance, accounting, investing techniques and how the structure of UBS contributes towards its revenue. As the meaning of One Firm approach became clear, the principles of security, integrity and confidence upon which UBS works also started becoming evident. Top speakers were called in from various departments and spoke to us on the importance of risk control and being client focused in all our dealings. There were also brilliantly executed simulation games to teach us pit trading, art of negotiating with clients and how interest rates move up or down with new market info. We were all learning and contributing with our own understanding and knowledge of things obtained from our respective countries.
The other two objectives (network and having fun) were easily met or rather overmet as we were taken on a VIP ride over the London Eye, sent scrambling in search of clues all over London, given a chance to show our skills in bowling, ice skating and also not so much skills in singing at the karoake. There was also enough talent within us that it was felt that we could give something back to our community. We went to a school for the mentally challenged and spent some quality time painting the walls of the building and cleaning up the compound. Though it was raining all the time while we were painting! it did nothing to dampen our spirits and our committment was rock solid. The best night though was probably saved for the final night of the programme to take us on an exclusive cruise party over the river Thames. It was the night of my life as I danced to the tunes of YMCA till I was drenched with the realisation that it was all coming to an end and that soon I will be off to live of all that I have experienced. It didn't feel much good and that night, I partied really hard.
The last day of the programme was marked with prizes and awards to the high achievers amongst us and a scintilating final presentation speech from Deborah. As we hugged our fellow mates with whom we had spent so close a time for the last two months, it was evident that none of us wanted to leave.
As I reflected upon my time spent and learning, I more and more realised that the real objective of the programme was to bring us closer with our own selves. It was all about breaking free from our apprehensions, identifing our potential and discovering what is it in us that will one day make us better leaders and ultimately better human beings.
I closed off my two months experience with the resounding thought that every person when given a chance should go through this programme. It is one of those momentous life discovering events which will leave you changed forever.
