Upskilling In The Quant Era

5 min read

By Viraj Bhagat

Charlie Chaplin’s magnum opus ‘Modern Life’ perfectly showed how industrialization changed the world and how a common barber was caught amidst it all. Though Chaplin being Chaplin, hilarity ensues as his character struggles to learn the ways of the industry and adapt to survive. The work is considered a masterpiece today. However, it’s narrative perfectly sums up generations of evolution of work.

Businesses are rising and global economies are growing. As there is an evolution of technologies, so is there an adaptation to all the walks of life.

Algorithmic trading constitutes 70% of trading volumes globally, showcasing a bright future for it. It has become a domain that commands how global economies, large corporations, multiple businesses, countless trading exchanges and individual traders trade in the markets.

Skills like Python programming, Financial Computing, Statistical Analysis, Quantitative aptitude among others have been in demand to be a part of it. Individuals are quickly moving to pick up these skills. And businesses are not staying behind.

More content: How Much Salary Does a Quant Earn?

Growing Importance of Upskilling

To focus on economic growth, it is quintessential for any country to focus on their workforce, help them nurture their sheer talent and innovations. And the firms across the globe & governments are taking note of the same.

With this in mind, many countries have created various educational initiatives to encourage learning among the masses. 

According to Mirage News, international education exports were worth $37.7 billion to the Australian economy in 2018-19.

Australia’s Global Talent Program, is a scheme that builds on the Global Talent - Employer Sponsored Program (GTES), and would be recruiting 5000 migrants consisting of academicians, researchers with high skills, and offer high pay jobs. In numerous rankings and indices, Singapore’s students had the best results for tests in math, reading and science.

Skillsfuture credit is a scheme by the Govt. of Singapore wherein individuals earn credits for learning and gaining skills. These credit points can further be redeemed for any training programme. The govt. provides a credit limit of up to $500 per Singaporean.

IBF Certification is an industry endorsed mark of quality for finance professionals in Singapore. Individuals who successfully complete an eligible IBF-Standards Training Scheme ("IBF-STS") accredited training and assessment programme and meet the relevant criteria may apply for IBF Certification. More information on IBF Certification can be found in here.

According to the Hays Asia Salary Guide 2019 that surveys employers,
skill-shortage-reason
These numbers are not limited to Singapore alone. Same factors are prevalent in many countries globally. Professionals across the world want to upskill to help them at work… but the training just isn’t there.

About the STS scheme & IBF Singapore

IBF-STS provides upto 70% funding for direct training costs subject to a cap of S$ 7,000 per candidate per programme subject to all eligibility criteria being met. This is applicable to Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents, physically based in Singapore. Find out more on www.ibf.org.sg.

About CPD United Kingdom

CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and is the term used to describe the learning activities professionals engage in to develop and enhance their abilities.

EPAT is accredited by CPD (UK), a leading institution operating across industry sectors to complement the Continuing Professional Development policies of professional institutes and academic bodies.

Accredited CPD training means the learning activity has reached the required Continuing Professional Development standards and benchmarks. The learning value has been scrutinised to ensure integrity and quality.

CPD accredited training courses, workshops and events allow professionals to use the learning time towards individual CPD requirements.

What are we, at QuantInsti, doing?

We, at QuantInsti, focus on preparing professionals in the financial industry for the contemporary field of Algorithmic and Quantitative Trading through our Executive Programme in Algorithmic Trading (EPAT®), various outreach programmes, our self-learning portal Quantra, university outreach programmes and also contributing to the industry via various events and activities like conducting meetups, hosting free webinars and sessions.

Our courses have benefited our registered users from 160+ countries. QuantInsti’s flagship programme EPAT is also acknowledged by firms & institutions across the globe. EPAT is accredited by The Institute of Banking and Finance (IBF, Singapore) under the IBF Standards. This is applicable to Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents, physically based in Singapore and also accredited by CPD in the United Kingdom.

Why EPAT?

why-epat

In addition to the above point, EPAT also offers:


  • Practical Exposure, Expert Faculty like Dr. Ernest P. Chan, Dr. Euan Sinclair, dedicated Support Managers, 7-days a week support, CPD Certification, plus the world’s first ‘Verified certification in Quantitative & Algorithmic Trading domain’ through proctored in-center exams via Prometric test centres across the globe, provides EPATians an edge to enhance growth possibilities in their respective domains. 
  • Networking: Our strong Alumni & registered user network is spread across 160+ countries, providing you with the perfect platform to interact and connect with them. Community interactions and meetups provide the opportunity to connect in person.
  • Career Services: Our Career Management & Career Development Resources, offer support that is specifically designed for students and working professionals seeking new opportunities, as well as to launch their entrepreneurial ventures. You can avail our placement services once you join the programme, and you will be eligible for lifetime career assistance.

EPAT provides interactive online learning, and 24-hour access to all recorded lectures and programme materials, accessible through your laptop, tablets & phones. Classes are live and the recordings are uploaded onto our portal and the participants get a personal account, allowing them to access Live lectures, exercises, sample code and spreadsheets, 24/7.

Besides access to the specially designed Learning Management System, we also provide access to Open source tools and software and exclusive discounts to EPATians on a range of services.

Coming up next?

We need to live in the Future. As the demand for skills and skilled individuals rises, it is but natural that one makes a move keeping the future in mind and hone their skills equally.

Learning initiatives like the STS Scheme are an exemplary model for other countries to follow. With our various initiatives, we have and are contributing to this domain of Algorithmic trading and Quantitative trading. Here’s hoping that you benefit from this massive technological movement in the world. 

So, here’s the word for the year: UPSKILL

Are you aware of any institution or support being provided in your country? Please comment and share with our readers.

In case you have any queries or require further information, or require any information about QuantInsti and STS, you can also connect with us.

Happy Learning!

Disclaimer: All data and information provided in this article are for informational purposes only. QuantInsti® makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

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