Ravi Chandran
OCBC Bank’s Data Certification Pathway is first data analytics and digital programme to obtain industry accreditation
- This gives OCBC Bank employees an industry-recognised certificate to become qualified data analysts, fully funded by the bank
OCBC Bank’s Data Certification Pathway has received accreditation by the Institute of Banking and Finance (IBF) and employees who successfully complete the programme will be recognised as qualified data analysts. This effort supports Singapore’s drive to grow the Singapore core for the data and technology field.
The Data Certification Pathway is the first programme in the field of digital and data analytics which the IBF, the national accreditation body for financial industry in Singapore, has accredited. This accreditation – IBF Qualified (Level 1) in Digital and Data Analytics – is a notable recognition as it is an industry-endorsed mark of quality that indicates the attainment of relevant core competencies by data practitioners. The competencies include Programming and Coding, Data Governance, Data Storytelling and Visualisation, Data Computation and Modelling, Data Mining and more.
OCBC Bank had also opened the pathway to members of the public under the MySkillsFuture portal. The pathway consists of a progressive set of 13 modules which are conducted by Ngee Ann Polytechnic as well as reputable industry practitioners worldwide. The course structure and content were formulated to focus on practical skills needed for data roles based on consultation with industry practitioners, including OCBC Bank’s Head of Group Customer Analytics and Decisioning (GCAD), Mr Donald Macdonald. Upon completion of each module, members of the public will receive a certificate from Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
Data analytics has been identified by the Singapore government as one of the key skillsets that the workforce needs more training in.
The Data Certification Pathway, created in collaboration with Ngee Ann Polytechnic, was launched in July 2019 to groom 200 more data analysts and scientists in Singapore by 2022.
As of August 2020, close to 200 OCBC employees have embarked on the pathway, with some expected to graduate by end of this year. The participants come from a wide range of backgrounds such as risk management, legal and compliance, commercial banking, human resources and operations. This is aligned with the Bank’s vision to equip all its employees with digital skills on a forward-looking basis to ensure their continued relevance and employability.
The Data Certification Pathway was launched as part of OCBC Bank’s Future Smart Programme, a strategic initiative to develop the digital skills of its 30,000 employees globally across the Group to prepare everyone for jobs of the future. The Pathway will continue to be offered to OCBC Group employees to raise the overall proficiency and data literacy of its workforce.
Sheihu Abdul Khadar Asan Abdul Kader, 50, who works in Global Treasury’s Business Process Transformation Unit, is one of OCBC Bank’s employees who has started on the pathway. Sheihu hopes to complete his Pathway within 18 months and realise his dream of upskilling himself in the world of data, and at the same time value add to his current role. He said: “Today, with data being an integral part of our lives, we have to deepen our skillsets so that we are able to remain relevant and contribute to society. With this IBF accreditation, I feel assured that I have the relevant competency and foundational skills needed to remain relevant and be future ready.”
OCBC Bank’s Head of Group Human Resources, Mr Jason Ho, said: ” We want to ensure that we build a role-ready workforce and equip our people with deep competencies needed for current and future roles. Being the first to achieve this IBF accreditation is a testament of our commitment to provide rigour and discipline in the programmes we create as we build core competencies in our people. This gives us the added confidence and helps us to strengthen the quality of our workforce over time.”
Mr Ng Nam Sin, Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Banking and Finance said: “Data skills are sought after and critical for many roles in Financial Services. We are pleased that OCBC has taken steps to upskill their employees with this Data Certification Pathway and IBF is happy to support OCBC’s efforts to help their employees attain industry-recognised IBF certifications.”
In addition to focusing on OCBC Bank employees, OCBC Bank is also actively contributing to the larger community. In a joint effort with IBF and the School of Business and Accountancy at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, the Bank has created “Banking 101”, an online programme that provides a quick and easy introduction to the world of banking for new entrants to the financial industry. This programme is accessible via the Learn@IBF app and is open to new entrants in banking and experienced hires from different industries. Learners will gain knowledge of key terms, functions, emerging trends, core challenges and products and services of different types of banking.
Mr Jason Ho said: “As part of OCBC’s core value of long-term value creation for our community, we are concerned not just with developing our employees, but also uplifting the overall standards of our industry and our national workforce. To do this effectively, we strive to continuously co-create and collaborate with the ecosystem beyond the bank.”
Harnessing the power of data with analytics is not a new concept to the banking industry. In fact, the industry is widely considered to be a pioneer in the field of analytics.
Mr Paul Ho, chief mortgage officer at iCompareLoan, said: “Analytics should be a part of every major initiative, in areas ranging from customers and risk to finance, workforce, and supply chain.”
