Yi Ying began her career with OCBC Bank through the Young Banker’s Programme, now known as the Graduate Talent Programme (GTP). She joined the Group Financial Control and Advisory (GFCA) division in 2015.

A breath of fresh air

As Yi Ying reflected on her seven years in GFCA, she revealed it has been a challenging but highly rewarding journey. Her seven years with the Bank come across as a breath of fresh air given that it is an unspoken but established norm that millennials tend to change jobs every other year. Many are amazed that Yi Ying has been with the Bank for seven years. However, for Yi Ying, she naturally stayed and progressed because of the nurturing guidance she received from her seniors and the various opportunities given to her.

From GTP to a career in accounting

Yi Ying began her career in OCBC Bank through GTP as a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed fresh graduate with no experience. Over the course of just one year, she was given several job rotations in Group Finance, which included stints in Management Reporting, Investor Relations, and Corporate Treasury. She eventually settled into her home department of GFCA.

Many junior employees might have felt intimidated by the multiple rotations over such a short period. However, Yi Ying embraced the valuable exposure that she might not have received if not for GTP. The stints in various departments expanded her span of understanding of the Bank’s functions across divisions and she learned to appreciate how her work in GFCA fits into the bigger picture.

As Yi Ying graduated with a Business (Banking & Finance) degree from Nanyang Business School, her transition to an accounting-related job scope would have been challenging and unfamiliar. However, her transition was made possible because she took the initiative to pursue a CPA Australia certification and with the substantial guidance she received from her more experienced colleagues.

Growing through job exposure

Over her seven years in GFCA, Yi Ying has been given many opportunities to grow and develop her financial reporting and advisory expertise. Her work covers subsidiaries closing, interco elimination, preparing disclosure schedules and audit committee presentation slides. There was never a dull moment. Her time in GFCA has been dynamic and enriching because her job scope has evolved over the years. The evolution of her job is a result of two-way communications. She has freely expressed the areas in which she would like to develop, and her bosses have been receptive to her enthusiasm.

Growing through extra-curricular exposure

Yi Ying was included in a task force to plan department-wide events and activities, even when she was still new to the team. She was also put into a cross-functional team to ideate and publish thought-provoking pieces about financial services around the world, which were customised for OCBC. Though this was not directly related to her day-to-day job, it was a welcome experience. These opportunities allowed Yi Ying to assimilate quickly and have made her career in GFCA holistic and fulfilling.

“If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t living.” This idea encapsulates the heart of Yi Ying’s experience with OCBC Bank. She encourages everyone to embrace change to grow and develop each day.