Securities Markets Analyst Program
Enter our unique program for students in finance – the Securities Markets Analyst (SMA)
Demand-Supply
IAFI envisages two evolving trends which will significantly increase the demand for talent in the capital markets space in India. The country possesses a large amount of very high quality work pool having a command of the English language and with a proven track record in providing IT/BPO solutions to the world. Recognising the potential of this talent pool to deliver capital markets solutions, a number of leading global financial institutions (JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, UBS – just to name a few) have set shop in the country and initiated the Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) trend. At the same time, a large number of new players have evolved (Irevna, Amba, Aranca, Adventity, etc) to provide off-shore services in the capital markets space. We at IAFI believe that this is just the beginning of a full fledge boom for offshore financial services – a repeat of the IT revolution – at a greater scale and involving more challenging analytical jobs.
Furthermore, domestic capital markets are getting increasingly integrated with the global ones. Investors’ interest in Indian equity and debt markets has been rising sharply. As the economy modernises, the proportion of the country’s GDP driven by financial services is bound to increase several times from current levels. This will in turn drive the demand for capital markets professionals such as analysts, traders, product structures, portfolio managers, wealth advisors, etc. These twin drivers – increasing KPO requirements to service foreign clients and domestic financial services evolution will translate to a steady demand for capital market professionals in the country, we believe.
While the demand situation looks extremely robust for the next 10-20 years, IAFI understands that there is not enough tailor-made talent supply pool in India to fulfil the requirements of capital markets. We are not talking only about B.Com. or BBM grads, but even MBA graduates from the premier schools such as the IIMs are required to undergo significant on-the-job training to be in a position to serve their employer’s needs. IAFI strives to prepare cutting-edge, industry-ready finance professionals to serve across all areas of capital markets through its innovative Securities Markets Analyst program.
About the SMA
The SMA program is designed to transform graduates with finance majors into professionally trained experts in the capital markets space with confidence to serve employer/client needs. It is a program focussed on enhancing the employability of candidates by indentifying and eliminating gaps in their current profile. The SMA program consists of two modules – Module A provides solid understanding of the key areas within capital markets while Module B provides an avenue for practical applications of the concepts mastered through live projects. The SMA is an all encompassing, scientifically designed, 360-degree program aimed to achieve the following:
Domain knowledge: Professionals with solid industry back-ground and with an unmatched pedigree (IIT/IIM/CFA®/FRM®/CPA®) will deliver expert sessions on all key areas of the capital markets space to instil sound domain knowledge among participants. Equity valuation and modelling, fixed-income and credit instruments, securitisation process, derivative strategies, currency markets are some of the areas extensively covered in the program.
Practical application: Participants in the SMA program will be provided an opportunity to implement in practice the concepts mastered in the classroom via live projects touching on the important areas within capital markets. More <<Details>>
Job market preparation: IAFI will help candidates face the job market with confidence. This includes help in preparing professional resumes, mock interview sessions, review of key questions, FAQs related to capital markets domain, etc.
Networking and placements: IAFI will provide an avenue for candidates to network with senior industry professionals via the classroom sessions and live projects. We will also be conducting special seminars and workshops to introduce experts in individual areas to the candidates. Finally, though not being a placement agency per se, IAFI will help candidates identify and achieve suitable job openings. <<Details>>
From whom?
A majority of our core faculties are from IIT/IIM with additional certifications like CFA®, FRM®, CA, CPA® etc. On an average, each faculty member has above 6 years of work experience in Indian/international financial markets. <<Details>>
For whom?
The SMA program is principally targeted at students pursuing a career in finance and seeking challenging and rewarding careers in capital markets. This will include students of programs such as MBA, CA/CS/ICWAI, B.Com/M.Com, BE/BTech, BBM/BBA etc with finance/economics as one of the majors. We strongly recommend students to take up the course at least one year prior to their graduation as this will give enough time for the classrooms and the live projects before commencement of the placement season.
For more details feel free to contact us.