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When I had completed all of my courses in my master's degree and I was three months away from graduating, only my dissertation left to be handed in, my summer internship at MUFG was coming to an end. I was then presented with one of the most difficult choices I have encountered to date – I was offered a full time position at MUFG, and I had to choose between this and a bulge bracket bank position I had already been offered earlier that year.
I would lie if I would say that it was an easy decision, as it was everything but. Fresh out of university, only two internships behind me, it was not easy to make realistic comparisons between these two job offers. Things such as name recognition, visibility, league table positions, market share and compensation might come to mind to many people when trying to decide between different banks. While these are all relevant, they were however not the primary considerations in my case.
What matters to me the most is being able to do work that I enjoy. I had known since the beginning of my two-year master's degree in Corporate Finance that I wanted to go into Debt Capital Markets. This area was unquestionably of the most interest to me, and I felt my skillset was very well suited for it – a hunch that then got confirmed during my internships.
MUFG was able to guarantee me a position at the team I had completed my internship with, within DCM. MUFG had recognised my suitability, skillset and personal preferences since my first telephone interview, and had taken these into account when making the decision to extend me a full-time offer. Meanwhile, the competing bank was unable to guarantee me a position with the DCM team specifically, regardless of me having been interviewed by multiple people working in the department and having clearly expressed my interest towards DCM. I appreciated, and still do, MUFG's emphasis on individuals enormously, including but not limited to considerations on skillsets, preferences and personalities.
Another immensely important aspect that contributed to my choice and that I would like to highlight here is the amount of responsibility and recognition I get at MUFG. Since the first day of my internship I was a fully accepted member of the team. I got very senior manager exposure since the very beginning, attending different level meetings daily. Once I joined the graduate programme, I had my first client meeting within a month. I am always given appropriate credit for the work that I personally prepare. I believe that the relatively small team sizes and flat organisational structure within DCM positively contribute to this, and I truly believe that I would not have been able to achieve this level of responsibility this early on elsewhere. This also links to the aspect mentioned above, as individual contribution and skills are recognised, appreciated and celebrated at MUFG.
Joining a large organisation like MUFG can be intimidating, especially as a junior member new to the industry. It can be difficult to answer the question of how to network and meet colleagues apart from those in your immediate team, and how to build your network. Joining Mosaic, one of MUFG's Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) networks, was an easy solution to this question! Mosaic's focus is to help MUFG and its employees gain the maximum benefit from our cultural diversity across EMEA.
There are five core employee-run networks, that explore different topics, raise awareness, and drive change through the organisation – Mosaic, Balance, disABILITY Works, Family Matters and Pride Alliance. The networks are open to anyone within the organisation, regardless of position, team or seniority.
Mosaic meets once a month to catch up, discuss and plan initiatives and future events. Mosaic's cultural events have been varied and have included external speakers on diversity, panel discussions, sake tasking, ethnicity and diversity-related movie screenings, amongst other things. One prominent event I helped organise was an evening celebration of cultural diversity. As a junior member of the organisation, I didn't expect to be given the opportunity to have such an impact on the network! The culture day celebration featured games, arts and crafts, cuisine and entertainment from all over the world ranging from Dutch Shuffleboard to Japanese Calligraphy. This event partnered with CSR, and raised money for a local North London based charity "All Change Arts".
Organising this event required collaboration with people from all over the organisation. As a new joiner, having the opportunity to meet and work with people at different levels and departments so early in my career at MUFG was invaluable. Joining Mosaic has given me an immediate network throughout the bank of people I wouldn't normally see in my day-to-day role. This makes me feel great – being able to support and promote initiatives around cultural and ethnic diversity, and feeling like I am truly a part of the larger organisation with a role to play.
Find out more about what Inclusion & Diversity means to MUFG
I believe that any kind of job is done the best by someone who is passionate about the subject. Where the real difference can be seen, however, is when the job is about a subject that is a matter of passion and very close to heart to the other involved parties. I believe Sustainable Finance falls into this category.
While it is an absolutely crucial step in protecting our planet and combating climate change, given that companies who are looking to raise financing for sustainable projects have these values deeply imprinted into the core of their strategy, for any successful structuring process and execution the bankers working with them also need to truly believe in it.
I was thrilled to be offered an opportunity to work with sustainable financing at MUFG, a bank that has now issued five Green Bonds in its own name and been a bookrunner on countless more high profile deals globally, as well as continuously landing near the top in both sustainable loan and bond league tables. Being able to combine my personal interests, beliefs and enthusiasm with my work at a bank with a strong involvement and capabilities in this area has been incredibly rewarding.
Sustainable Financing is an area that will only keep growing, providing more and more opportunities and ever more innovative solutions – it started with Green Bonds and has quickly evolved to Sustainability Linked Loans, UN SDG Bonds, and Green Innovation Bonds (which finance sustainability focused R&D). I am excited to observe and participate in developing new instruments in this space.
MUFG has provided me with countless opportunities to learn and to develop my skills in this field while working with colleagues just as passionate as I am about the topic. I regularly attend conferences and roundtable discussions with Sustainable Financing teams from the other major banks, as well as investors and issuers, with the aim to exchange ideas and further develop the market. At MUFG, I work directly for the Head of Green Bonds, giving me invaluable exposure to senior management as well as clients, and great levels of responsibility and recognition across the bank.
Attending MUFG's Female Insight Day marked my introduction to the financial services industry, as I gained first-hand exposure to the corporate environment. I came across the event through my university's newsletter, and what initially appealed to me was the prospect of getting a general flavour of finance, as my degree is in humanities. However, the insider perspective that I left with that day propelled me to want to pursue a career within the industry, and more specifically, at MUFG.
During the day, I attended several lectures and panel sessions which focused on both the business structure particular to MUFG, as well as more general aspects of finance that were relatively new to me. I found the discussions to be stimulating, whilst the atmosphere gave me a sense of confidence as I listened to women within the bank share their stories, what challenges they had faced throughout their career development, and what they most enjoyed about their work.
Perhaps what excited me the most was that my hopes about finance had been substantiated, and my expectations exceeded. I remember sitting down at a table with a relatively new analyst who was fascinated with her work and keen to answer all of my questions, whilst being the biggest advocate for her department and what the day-to-day work entails; she had come from a languages background, had learned everything she knew about finance since joining the bank, and took great pride in both her team, and what the company stands for. That, to me, proved to be just what I needed to embolden my ambitions and to take the next steps.
Almost two years later, I am now happy to begin the next stage of my career as a graduate analyst. The Female Insight Day is a great opportunity to learn more about what you are interested in, as well as potentially discover areas of business you might not know about. For me, it was the first opportunity I was given to build contacts and to get a realistic picture of what working in a bank might look like.
Given the competitive nature of finance, an event like this is not only a great way to enhance one's commercial awareness and begin to learn to navigate through a business environment, but it also acted as a deep educational session that successfully guided and encouraged me to select the career I wanted to follow. It is a great foundation upon which to base your theoretical degree and apply your practical skills to.
At the end of my penultimate year at university, I completed an internship rotating through a number of departments and I was delighted to receive a graduate offer from the Line P&L team within Product Control.
What is Product Control? The Product Control team at MUFG is divided into two sub-departments: Line P&L and Valuations.
The Line P&L team are responsible for the daily P&L reporting for each business area. We provide key financial information by explaining profit and loss in depth with respect to attribution of risk parameter movements, deal activity and market linked commentary. The team is engaged in the launch of new products which are to be traded by the firm in order to evaluate the controls implemented for its P&L reporting. Additionally, on a monthly and quarterly basis, we evaluate the performance of business units by detailing market events and key activity that has driven P&L, in which such commentary is distributed internally.
On a monthly basis, for each of the trading desks, the Valuations team prepare independent price valuation reports and analyse the specific risk parameters which may be driving differences in pricing. These documents provide the relevant financial information to governance forums that are contained within internal reporting packages. The team also run balance sheet and trade population reconciliations to ensure completeness and accuracy of trade valuations.
My fascination to join Product Control stems from a number of reasons, particularly the plethora of opportunity you are given even as a graduate. In the short space of a few months into joining the desk, I was given tremendous responsibility of reporting P&L for multiple business units. This experience enabled me to ascertain the fundamentals of different business functions within an organisation, and vastly broadened my technical understanding, which were facets of a graduate job I was looking for.
In addition to developing my technical competencies, I was also able to hone my interpersonal skills as I regularly had the opportunity to interact with other teams across the business including traders and sales reps. This gives me the ease of developing my network and personal brand within the firm, and the gravity of networking is constantly placed at the forefront within the working world.
Furthermore, working in Line P&L within Product Control, you are given more than just the opportunity of working on different asset classes, but you are able to partake in various projects outside your day-to-day role, transition into the Valuations team if this fits your personal interests and you are able to complete the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam.
Product Control takes great pride in providing its team members with opportunities that will accelerate both their professional and personal development, and it is for these many reasons why I decided to join this team.
There are many different perceptions of corporate banking amongst graduates coming into the industry. If I were asked to describe my graduate role in three words, I would say: dynamic, challenging and well-rounded.
Dynamic – As cliché as it sounds, it truly is the case that no day is ever the same. I would describe corporate banking as the overarching umbrella, under which falls all of MUFG's financial products and relationship management, both locally and within the global network. Hence, the nature of the role is that you can identify business opportunities across the product suite, but also across jurisdictions. As a result, you can be pitching a Securitisation deal in Australia one day, and completing a Foreign Exchange deal in South Korea the next.
Challenging and rewarding – It is within the corporate banker's scope of responsibility to identify and pursue opportunities with clients that benefit both parties. However, given the competitive nature of the industry, the corporate banker must distinguish MUFG from the other banks. This can be done by offering excellent services, tailored solutions and competitive pricing. For MUFG specifically, a significant highlight is our global presence, and being able to match any corporate's international footprint.
Well-rounded – As a graduate moving towards the 12 month mark since starting in corporate banking, I can say with confidence that it is an exceptional opportunity to start your career.
Your ability to build relationships and develop your network is essential to the role. As a corporate banker, you 'own' transactions from start to finish and you will be able to build relationships internally and externally. The internal teams you will work with range from specific product teams such as Loans Syndications and Bonds to Credit, Legal and Compliance.
You are able to take on a lot of responsibility quickly and as a result, the role is a great opportunity to gain well-rounded and transferrable skills. Clear communication skills are vital in order to interact with clients and internal teams. Considering the fast-paced environment, analytical and problem-solving skills are also vital for day-to-day responsibilities.
I am very thankful for the support and exposure I have been given by my team. I have been able to work on significant transactions across products, industries and jurisdictions, alongside some inspiring colleagues. In hindsight, I am grateful for having made the decision to join MUFG to get me where I am today.
Joining MUFG was definitely a big change in my life, and one that initially I felt very nervous about. Moving to London and effectively starting from a point where nobody knew me was daunting, but still an amazing opportunity at the same time. Even though I had some experience in Banking and Finance, I was very new to Corporate and Investment Banking, and I had to quickly learn about the industry. I'm almost a year into my graduate scheme now and I can honestly say that I have learnt so much in the short time that I have been here and relish the opportunity to take on new challenges.
MUFG prides itself on its values, but in my honest opinion, I think it's the array of cultures that are merged into one company that really make it stand out. For example, on a morning when I go to make a cup of tea or at lunch time in the canteen, I'll hear a mixture of different languages from a range of different continents. When I'm working throughout the day, I'll be taking calls from stakeholders in different office locations such as New York, Brazil, or Tokyo. When you work at a firm as truly global as this, you really appreciate how big the world is, and through bespoke training at the beginning of the scheme, you are introduced to other colleagues from locations such as Dubai and Hong Kong who join you for a month of training in London.
MUFG also invest a lot in their employees, for example, I am studying towards the CFA qualification with the support of the bank and have further attended numerous courses and training to help build my understanding of financial products and analysis. The people around you at work also make a huge difference; my team really support me with my day–to-day work and sit down with me to explain things in detail, encouraging me to ask questions and contribute my own ideas.
Furthermore, being part of the scheme has allowed me to work on various deals starting from origination all the way up to execution. If I was at another bank, I don't think that I would have had the opportunity to be exposed to the transactions and the clients I have worked on, here at MUFG they really get you stuck in from day one. You get the opportunity to meet clients and attend conferences to help you build connections and learn about the sector. For example, I recently attended a conference on how technology is impacting business in China at a leading law firm in London.
Through my time here, I have learnt more about myself, cultures, people, and the world of banking and finance. I have gained technical skills and know a great deal more about banking than I did. That might sound like an obvious thing to say, but once you start working here and become more familiar with work practices, it becomes apparent what you do and don't know, leaving space to learn as much as you can.
The best piece of advice I can give to anyone applying is to be yourself! Challenge yourself and don't pretend to be something that you're not. If you're comfortable in your own skin, then it makes working somewhere that you fit into much easier, helping you to confidently communicate with other stakeholders and most of all, excel.
Connect – Upon joining MUFG I have had numerous opportunities to set up meetings and sit with desks across the firm. One great thing about MUFG is that there are numerous divisions on one floor. In one trip to the first floor kitchen you can meet people from 10 or more divisions. It is quite unreal how easy it is to also set up a meeting with a division of interest. In most cases I organised to sit with 1 person but upon reaching their desk I was introduced to 4 if not more people in their team and by the time I knew it I had met and sat down with the whole division. I would definitely say there is a common theme of 'Let me introduce you to …' amongst employees at MUFG and it is this characteristic of going beyond what was asked of them that I really admire about the employees at MUFG.
Learn – The personalised training provided in MUFG's summer internship programme definitely distinguishes them from other banks. MUFG offered a very practical and hands on training week. We were not only given e-learning modules but upon arriving we spent our first week learning about Financial Markets and Products in a classroom and then put that knowledge to work.
Grow – During my time with MUFG I have been able to truly develop and grow as an individual. During our 3rd week we were fortunate to have an external trainer come in and speak to us about personal effectiveness in regards to Time Management. This was followed up in our 5th week with a personal effectiveness session focused on Personal Brand. Some key take away points from these sessions for me were to always under promise but over deliver, to differentiate important tasks from urgent tasks, to constantly review my performance and to always seek to understand before being understood. Aside from this, during my time with MUFG I witnessed bring your child to work day, the launch of a peer mentoring programme and an A-Level students programme. In 10 weeks alone, I was able to witness these examples of how open and encouraging MUFG is in terms of helping individuals to grow and increase their exposure to the industry. This tells me a lot about the nurturing culture at MUFG.
Embrace Culture – I have found MUFG to be a very transparent and inclusive firm. Having come from a bank with over 200 interns, MUFG's class of 19 interns has been a huge differentiator for me. I find that I am able to develop a more personal relationship with the fellow interns and embrace our differences. Interestingly, the intern group consists of individuals from Ireland, Nigeria (myself), Italy, France, Bulgaria and Scotland who studied various courses at different universities. We often meet up on Friday's after work for a social so it has been really nice and interesting to get to know everyone and each of their different backgrounds.
Overall, this summer internship programme has shown me that MUFG is an exceptional firm that provides 'Endless Opportunities to Connect, Learn, Grow and Embrace Culture!'
As an intern on the Rates Trading desk at MUFG, my internship experience was perhaps slightly different from my fellow peers. As an intern in this particular division, it was more difficult to take on real responsibility given the close proximity to the market and the nature of the department, which handles and deals with large sums of money. The challenge then lies in learning as much as possible within the confines of this position, but also adding value and assisting in whatever way you can.
Much of the first half of my internship on the Rates Trading desk focused on gaining enough knowledge and understanding of the business processes so that I could comprehend what was going on and why. This not only included the finer details of the financial products that were being traded, but I also needed to grasp the terminology that was being used. This learning curve was challenging but incredibly useful. I was keen to keep up with the fast-paced nature of the job and, by being thrown into the deep end and learn the common abbreviations and jargon; I believe I got a lot more out of the internship. Once I had a decent understanding, I was positioned well enough to become more involved and assist in pricing enquiries. This in itself furthered my understanding of how traders hedge their positions within the markets and enabled me to ask more informed questions, where relevant.
I then spent the latter half of my internship on the desk sitting with and talking to as many peers as possible. This gave me exposure to a variety of perspectives, different techniques and preferences on the market. It was incredibly useful to not only network with people within the Rates Trading desk division, but also to meet and liaise with other employees in different departments. Everyone was incredibly friendly, helpful and insightful and it meant that I developed my understanding of how the different areas worked together and combined their expertise across the business.
My main project was to research and present on the drivers behind recent trends in cross-currency basis spreads. This took up a reasonable proportion of my time on the desk and was split up by occasional smaller projects.
This has been an incredible experience and I would highly recommend taking part in MUFG's internship programme, as it promotes responsibility, initiative and career development from an early stage. It is particularly great for anyone who is interested in the world of finance, and thrives in an ever-changing, diverse and fast-paced environment.
Three pieces of advice I would give to anyone following my path on the Rates Trading desk would be:
Coming into the MUFG Analyst Programme without having been part of the internship intake, I have to admit I was not entirely sure what to expect. Even though I had some experience in investment banking, everything I read about MUFG pointed towards a different mind-set about how business is done. Now, as I go through the Analyst programme a couple of things have become clear.
Firstly, the MUFG values permeate every aspect of doing business. They are much more than words splashed on a picture of the Tokyo skyline; they are palpable and really form the driving force behind servicing clients. Putting them at the centre of what we do – simple as it may sound – has profound day-to-day consequences and helps cultivate a culture that is vital to the products we provide. How have I come across them? Well, as part of the graduate programme within Structured Finance you get the opportunity to discuss transactions you are working on with senior management, alongside the rest of the deal team.
It is not just about values though. Rotating through three different departments, Securitisation, Commodity and Structured Trade Finance, and finally, Strategic Finance, I have been surprised with how welcoming each department has been to graduates. I did not anticipate how prepared my colleagues would be to take me on board, teach me about their product, with all its intricacies and challenges, and really embrace me as part of their team. From bespoke training schemes to go through each asset class with a product expert within Securitisation, to mini-rotations within the various sub-departments in Commodity and Structured Trade Finance, I have always felt that MUFG values me as an asset and is looking to help me expand my skillset. I also found MUFG's attitude to transparency refreshing – as part of the graduate scheme, I have been invited to participate in various "lunch and learn" sessions with the organisation's senior leaders; we discussed a wide array of engaging topics, all of which were open to everyone's input.
If you're wondering what you personally will take away from the programme, it will be a greater understanding of an organisation that is both unique in the way it does business, and committed to investing in you and helping you reach your potential.
Geert Hofstede, a Dutch social psychologist, defines corporate culture as the ideologies, beliefs and behaviours that determine how a company's employees interact internally and externally. In today's world, this is a differentiating factor for a company and moreover, the key to success. From a millennial perspective, this is what attracts, develops and retains a graduate. Therefore in my opinion, corporate culture is a company's most valuable asset.
MUFG's differentiating factors from a business perspective may be its extraordinarily large balance sheet or its widely appreciated expertise in project finance. However, in my eyes, it is its corporate culture. MUFG has created a corporate culture in which its employees can grow and excel. As a result, the bank is able to obtain its globally competitive and outstanding performance.
Day in and day out, MUFG employees emphasise its corporate culture as one of the benefits of working here. After gaining first-hand experience, I have been astounded by MUFG's corporate culture which can easily be defined as diverse, friendly, yet ambitious and successful. Specifically, it is the diversity, the work-life balance and the family-like environment that I can confidently confirm are factors that makes me want to return to the office every morning.
Firstly, MUFG's diversity can be characterised by a mosaic; a plethora of cultures and nationalities that merge to create MUFG's identity. Every day I am pleasantly surprised by the number of languages I hear and the different people I meet. It is truly a place where one can broaden their views and become more accepting of others and the world as a whole. Additionally, it is very apparent that MUFG is making the effort to move towards gender equality. Awareness raising, backed by a gender strategy, is a key focus to alter the internal views and attitudes towards this issue, and the firm is working towards increasing female representation at a senior level by at least 10% by 2022. In every meeting I have attended, I have made a conscious effort to pay attention to the number of women in the meeting. I am happy and proud to say that I have yet to attend a meeting where I am the only female.
Secondly, MUFG's corporate culture also exhibits an exceptional work-life balance. There is a common consensus that this is rare in the industry. After having spoken with a myriad of employees from various levels, I have realised this is appreciated and valued by every employee. It is an aspect of MUFG's corporate culture that renders the demanding nature of the industry as sustainable. Furthermore, it enhances efficiency, productivity and creativity, which in return has a positive effect on MUFG's financial performance.
Finally, MUFG's corporate culture features a family environment, which stood out to me from day one. Every employee is a member of a team that strives towards a common goal to achieve success. Being part of a team at MUFG gives a sense of belonging and creates an environment where each employee feels comfortable to be themselves and share their opinion. This allows formal working relationships to translate into friendships. MUFG's corporate culture exhibits the right balance between professionalism and familiarity and consequently, optimises its workforce's productivity to obtain the best possible results.
All in all, MUFG has an exceptional corporate culture. It stood out to me from the very first moment I stepped through the door on the day of the assessment centre. Corporate culture is an aspect of a company I truly value and I am proud to say I have been a part of it throughout my summer internship and my analyst programme.
I joined MUFG in 2017 through the Analyst Program as a Credit sales covering mainly private banks based in Hong Kong. The company provides graduates with a comprehensive training program starting with one month in London followed by rotation opportunities. The training in London enhanced my understanding about MUFG and fundamental knowledge about finance. More importantly, it brought international graduates from different regions / departments together, which was a rare and enriching experience that I believe could benefit my career.
Over the past two years, the company has adapted quickly to changes and challenges in the evolving industry. I have been given more responsibilities as I get ready to take up more challenges. While I started as a Credit sales, I was given training to learn about products across the businesses, enabling me to transition into a multi-product sales role. I was even given the opportunity to join the Taiwan sales team and be trusted by the team to cover some major Taiwan financial institution clients independently.
MUFG places emphasis on cultural diversity and team spirit. I enjoy the flat organization here and the close collaboration across teams which enhances working efficiency. My teammates are intelligent and very helpful. I also work closely with senior salespeople who encourage an open and free dialog among team members. Overall my time in MUFG has been very fruitful and I have achieved professionalism, knowledge, business relationship and friendship at the firm.
You might be someone who's shy like me and can find it a bit daunting talking to new people whom you've never met before. So how do you overcome it? Practise! One of my favourite aspects about MUFG is its very flat organisation structure. People like myself who occupy a very junior position (intern) can easily approach and speak with those who are much higher up the corporate ladder.
Let me give you an example of just how flat the organisation structure is at MUFG. On the first day of the internship, the CEO gave a speech welcoming the interns to the firm and stayed after to have a chat with us!
These opportunities are so rare at competing banks, but are frequent at MUFG and what makes it so unique.
To utilise this organisation structure, HR tasked each intern to meet with 10 senior managers from other divisions. At first, this scared me a little. The idea of having to meet with 10 senior managers from various divisions across the organisation was overwhelming. But I assure you, once you start arranging these meetings, it's hard to stop! It's a great way for you to know as much of the bank as possible in terms of what exactly the other divisions do, can learn how they are all interconnected and to have the opportunity to speak with professionals from divisions you have an interest in to see first-hand what it's like working in that field. Not only will this give you a wide insight of the numerous functions that make the bank operate, but will also help you to learn which area you would like to spend your career in.
It's not only Senior Managers who you can meet; you can arrange to shadow anyone from any corporate title working at any division!
On top of the Executive Challenge and job shadowing, HR has done an amazing job in organising many opportunities for the interns to speak with individuals across the organisation such as networking drinks and Lunch & Learn sessions. Networking sessions enable you to meet with individuals across the firm in a more relaxed environment, where the conversation doesn't necessarily have to be about work. I've had many conversations with people about the Premier League, talking about how amazing Manchester United is! Lunch & Learn sessions are more formal sessions where a Managing Director and an Analyst from the same division take time out of their schedule to speak with the interns about their role and division, in which at the end we can ask any questions.
Partaking in networking events, lunch & learn sessions, completing the Executive Challenge and proactively setting up Shadowing session, will help you to get your name out there and ensure that you know as many people as possible.
Being a new analyst at MUFG, I was exceedingly excited to be part of the family. The holistic graduate program kick-started with six weeks of training in the London office, where I was given a golden opportunity to attend lectures to gain concrete financial and accounting knowledge to help me excel in my future work.
With a great passion for this industry, I really appreciated the training in London that enabled me to sharpen my sword given my non-finance major background. Thanks to MUFG, the six weeks were fruitful and useful in allowing me to build up my knowledge. Even better, we were taught in a class with employees from the New York and London offices which granted us a platform to interact with each other and learn at the same pace, despite being from different backgrounds.
In addition to the lectures, networking events and a speaker-series were conducive to our growth as speakers were able to share their own experience and give advice to help us on our career paths.
Life is like driving. It's time to step on the gas pedal after a new turbo engine has been implemented. Now in Hong Kong after six weeks of fruitful training, I am ready to go with full power.
As a new analyst at MUFG, I have found that an aspect which makes MUFG unique is its Sports and Social committee. The committee meet once a month to decide on different activities and events to hold for employees. The activities vary from poker and quiz nights to bowling and karaoke. Last week, I attended introductory lessons at an indoor bouldering centre.
Bouldering is similar to rock climbing; however it is climbing without ropes above a soft landing. Routes are identified by the different colour of the rocks, so a climber can link between a starting and finishing point only using a certain colour of holds which are on the walls. The centre has bouldering routes that cater for people all climbing abilities and I was thoroughly excited for my first lesson to begin!
When we arrived we started with a warm up, this gave everyone a chance to introduce themselves to the group and for everyone to get to know each other. We started in a beginner zone, the instructor would teach us different moves and then we would take it in turns to follow. Everyone was incredibly supportive, and as a beginner I found it helpful to receive tips and advice from those who had had lessons before.
When the lesson ended we were beginning to feel a little sore in our arms, so it was perfect timing that we had received our pizza delivery! After enjoying our welcomed break and feeling refreshed we hit the climbing walls again. This time my sub group aimed for more challenging paths, with the help from those who were more experienced I managed to feel more confident and also aimed for harder routes. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and I have found a fun yet challenging new hobby!
During my first 6 months at MUFG, I completed two rotations, each lasting four weeks. My first rotation was with Legal and my second one was with the Credit Trading and Sales team.
My final placement in the Analyst Program is with Debt Capital Markets (DCM), but, in order to get a better understanding of the different divisions and how they interact with each other, I had the chance to do these two rotations. Both rotations were a steep learning curve and I learnt a lot – all of which has helped me with my day-to-day work in DCM.
With the Legal department I was mainly reading different EMTN programs to develop a better understanding of bond issuance programs, what they look like and the key aspects that need to be disclosed. As this forms an important part in every bond issuance, I had the chance to learn about the relevant components, applicable for my later role in DCM.
In my second rotation with the Credit team I was shadowing traders and sales people with different regional and product focuses. This gave me huge exposure into how MUFG directly interacts with clients, and what to consider when they price their trades. I was working on different projects, helped provide pitch materials for clients and roadshows and developed a good understanding of market sentiment. Understanding investor appetite and how economic events may impact the markets was a valuable lesson during this time.
Now that I am back in DCM, I can say that the two rotations were exceptional. Apart from the work experience, the rotations helped to increase my network at MUFG and to get to know the people that I only knew via email before. It was very well organised and perfectly integrated in the Analyst Program. The whole Analyst Program so far has definitely met and gone beyond my expectations.
I would strongly recommend the Analyst Program to you, if you are willing to be proactive, are keen to challenge yourself every day and want to learn as much as possible.
During my 10-week internship at MUFG, I completed two rotations. My primary rotation was with Prudential Risk Management (PRM) and my secondary placement was with the Rates Trading Group (RTG).
The learning curve for both rotations was exponential – I came into the internship with only a vague knowledge of investment banking. Coincidently the first question I was asked when I sat on my secondary rotation was "what is an investment bank and what exactly do we do?" The question seems pretty obvious, but explaining it was a different story. The lesson I learnt from that experience was before getting into the details, understand the basics.
To get the most out of the internship, I had a specific plan that I devised beforehand. The gate pass works for 10 weeks, that is 50 working days, hence I should at least learn 50 different aspects about the financial sector and, more specifically, how MUFG contribute, within this time.
In terms of day-to-day activities, my work differed between the two divisions. With PRM I was mainly reading Basel papers and implementing the new changes into the current methods used, with the aim of calculating capital requirements for counterparty credit risk. It was imperative I understood the different departments within risk. These include, credit risk, market risk and operational risk. My secondary rotation with RTG was more of a learning placement and gave me huge exposure into how MUFG directly interact with clients and how they price their trades. During this rotation I was given the responsibility of P&L for the traders. Rather than just writing down what figures I was told, I would ask why there was such a swing in the P&L and what exactly caused the deviance. Hence I would be able to follow the markets and see how adverse movements affected each trader.
The 10-week internship was exceptional. Apart from the actual rotations, we had speakers from across the business give us an insight into their departments, therefore broadening our exposure. There were many social events for the interns to network and get to know each other as well as graduates who have joined the firm. The internship has definitely met and gone beyond my expectations. We even had a brunch with the CEO, which was the icing on the cake for me.
At the end of the internship I was lucky enough to be offered a position on the Analyst programme and I now work as an Analyst within our Rates Sales & Trading Team. I would strongly recommend this internship to you, if you are willing to be proactive, willing to treat every day as an opportunity and are willing to be a sponge for information.
During our third week of training on the graduate scheme we had a lunch scheduled without any indication about what the event would involve. All the graduates were discussing what the event would comprise and we were placing bets amongst ourselves as to what it would be. I picked up on a subtle hint that was given and managed to guess correctly, we were to begin the trading simulation!
The trading simulation would take place for a month, where we would be able to buy and sell futures linked to real market prices. We were split into three teams, so not only would we be responsible for our individual profit and loss, we were also responsible for the performance of our team and the organisation overall.
The next day, the simulation began. In total we could trade 25 different future contracts. I started to read the information about the futures that sounded familiar; gold, silver, WTI and currencies to name a few. Over the next week I bought and sold futures, and with every trade I felt that I was gaining a better understanding of why I was performing each trade. We would share tips and strategies with each other in the class. For instance Andrew, an analyst who works for the credit sales group in New York, taught me how to calculate stop loss levels based on the maximum amount of money that I was willing to lose on the trade.
Over the month there were many major news items; wheat hit 7 year lows, uncertainty over the Fed's interest rate trajectory caused global stocks to suffer their sharpest decline since the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote, the ECB's unchanged stimulus strategy sharply pushed bond yields up and the BOE, BoJ and the Fed all announced that they would keep interest rates unchanged. As each day commenced I spent additional time reading different news sources in order to gain a deeper understanding of the markets that I was trading in. I found it important to always have a view, and that preparation in advance is crucial to ensure that you are fully prepared for all possible outcomes from major announcements.
Overall, I finished with a profit of £1,313,657 and completed 98 trades. However, what I really gained from the experience was a deeper understanding and knowledge about the markets. All the graduates learnt how valuable it was to share trading ideas, with the more experienced teaching the beginners key tips and facts. The trading simulation was a great taster of what it is like to trade in the real markets; I would strongly recommend this experience to anyone!
It has been nine months now since I joined MUFG as a new Analyst in Debt Capital Markets. The program started in August with a four week product and financial training course, where we not only had the chance to develop a comprehensive understanding of financial and professional topics, but also got to know the other Analysts from New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo. This was the first opportunity the expand our network across the firm and to get to know other Analysts from different locations.
Meeting the other graduates and spending four weeks with them on the training program helped us to establish strong connections with each other. As I started working on projects with the other graduates from New York and Hong Kong immediately after the training program, these connections proved to be extremely useful from day one.
After the financial training, the networking opportunities continued and I had the chance to meet employees from all levels of the organisation. The highlight was a breakfast with the International Management Committee where we had the chance to ask questions and get to know the International Business Heads. Talking to the CEO or the International Business Head of Capital Markets, and having the opportunity to ask not only business but also personal questions is not very common and was a unique experience.
Having a great network is important – your hear this at university as well as at every career event for entry-level positions. And MUFG offers many different opportunities to expand your network within the company and your knowledge in different areas.
As part of my program, I am currently rotating through different business departments. The aim is to get to know a number of employees from across the business, to broaden your knowledge and get a better understanding of the firm's strategic direction, as well as the interconnection between different departments.
Overall, I have found this to be a very valuable experience as MUFG is helping you from day one to develop a strong network across the firm and across different levels of the organisation. You are not only expanding your financial knowledge and getting exposure to different business areas but also you have the chance to learn from different people that are happy to share their experience with you. The only limit is your personal commitment. I am sure that this network and this experience with my colleagues and senior executives will be be a value asset in the future.
Each summer at MUFG Securities, the firm opens its doors to a number of interns and business trainees. In addition to the typical training and business shadowing, everybody has the opportunity to spend a day doing voluntary work for local good causes.
As an intern last summer, we teamed up with the City of London Business Trainees to volunteer at a local Islington primary school. We were working with Sofia from Plant Environment, a local charity that provides outdoor-focused environmental education to Islington primary schools, helping to get Montem Primary School's outdoor spaces ready for the start of term. The sun was shining when we arrived, so we grabbed our paintbrushes and got to work sprucing up old benches and planters while the weather held. It was amazing how a simple lick of paint brought the play areas to life.
We retreated in for lunch just as the rain hit and spent the time chatting with Sofia about her work, and catching up with each other's news from our latest rotations. The great thing about working at a company like MUFG is that it's small enough intake that the interns all know each other well at this point, and we can depend on each other to share mutual advice and support. After lunch we got back to work, assembling planters, cleaning up the garden areas, and finishing off the last of the painting. It was great to get lost in the physical work for a while, helping us to recharge from the more intellectual work of our usual working day. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we were all pretty satisfied with what we had achieved over the course of the day, and Sofia was delighted with the progress we'd made. We left on a high, keen to take part in similar activities in the future.
This is just one example of the many Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) events that MUFG is involved in throughout the year. Just over the course of my summer internship, we participated in the Baton for Life (a charity run in support of Haven's Hospices), "dressed down" in August in support of a local Islington youth centre, supported the previous year's graduates in a 24 hour CSR challenge, and got involved painting and gardening for Plant Environment. All employees are entitled to two days a year separate from their annual leave for them to devote to volunteering, and there is always something charity related going on in the office for us to get involved in. As somebody who has always enjoyed taking part in voluntary work, I love to see the shared enthusiasm for CSR activities that is so evident at MUFG and look forward to getting stuck in, myself.
Blog entry by Milly Green (Analyst, Risk)
The one thing I noticed very early on was how much the firm is willing to invest in its employees.
Right from day one I had a comprehensive training plan designed specifically for me to ensure I developed the knowledge and skills required to do my job. My managers and HR had taken the time to understand what my needs were and designed a programme which was bespoke to me.
I work in the Capital Markets Group in the Hong Kong office, but my manager felt it was important for me to understand the international business. Therefore, I was lucky enough to spend a month with the Capital Markets Group in London followed by another month with the Singapore team.
Spending this time with the international teams has been invaluable as we work very closely together. Being able to meet my colleagues in the other offices and understand what they do has being very helpful. I have expanded my networks across the international business so if I have questions I can simply pick up the phone and ask one of my colleagues.
I really appreciated being given this opportunity as I know it takes a lot of time and resources to arrange bespoke training plans – which is not something all companies offer.
What it demonstrates is the firm's strategy and vision to invest in and nurture its people – one of the most important engines for growth.
Out of the office and onto the saddle: 30 sets of tired legs and 90 kilometres later, what did we have to show for it? Our team raised £12,500 pounds for charity which the firm matched by donating another £12,500!
A group of 30 employees, including the CEO, set out to tackle a part of the 2014 Tour de France course in the Yorkshire Dales. We took on the nastiest climb in the course (the formidable Buttertubs Pass- at nearly 200m high), and the whole team managed to complete the climb. The challenge wasn't just to finish but for each participant to raise at least £300 for Help for Heroes; a charity that provides support for members of the UK armed forces that have been injured in the line of duty. With some incredible generosity from MUFG employees, friends and families, we managed to surpass our £9,000 target. It was a brilliant opportunity to meet and have fun with people from across the company and raise money for a great cause!
Working in Debt Capital Markets at MUFG has been an exciting journey. With so much going on, the ability to multitask is essential (juggling seems to me to be a suitable metaphor!). If you like the fulfilling experience of managing different projects, tasks (urgent or long-term, ranging from deal-pitching material preparation, credit analysis to swap market analysis, model building, as well as pricing and execution), you should set your foot in here.
My typical day in the Hong Kong office looks like this:
It all starts with a morning call with the Asia team in Singapore. The call summarises overnight market movement, key events, previously priced bond deal performance and looks ahead at things to watch for the week. I then continue with live deal projects, which could be anything from preparing investor marketing material, to speaking with issuers and clients on specific issues related to deal preparation.
In addition to the live deals, preparing pitch materials takes up quite a lot of my time. This involves a fair bit of PowerPoint and Excel work (including capital structure analysis for the client company, primary market trend summary, key recommendations, etc.). Toward the end of the day, I jump on a call with the European team to get an update on deal pricing summaries and market updates from the other side of the world and to update them on the Asian market. Capital markets is highly reliant on global team collaboration.
The rest of day is dependent on the current workflow, be this long-term projects or helping to put together pitch books.
In summary, I enjoy the broad exposure of working in the DCM team at MUFG and the skills I find myself developing each day. The intensity of work could be a double-edged sword, therefore being able to prioritise and manage your time is essential.
It was Christmas Eve babe… Actually no, quite the opposite, it was thirty-three degrees in the peak of summer when I stepped off the plane and hopped in a taxi to the New York office for my first business trip – I certainly did not expect this level of exposure and responsibility just eighteen months into the role.
I work as a quantitative analyst in the London office; my job involves assisting traders with the pricing and risk management of interest rate derivative products. With a mathematics degree in hand I rolled straight out of university and onto the desk. My initial lack of financial knowledge was not an issue in a company that seeks potential and willingness to learn in its graduates.
Two years ago I didn't know what an interest rate swap was. Now I've had the chance to visit the Big Apple, develop my knowledge and work as a part of an international team. Opportunities like these don't grow on trees, but if you have the right attitude, work hard and perform well then this company will ensure that you go far.


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Phonebox pub misses out on world record
PUBLISHED: 09:20 24 July 2011
VILLAGERS who thought their telephone box pub might be the smallest in the world have had their hopes dashed by officials.
Members of Save The Plough in Shepreth opened up The Dog and Bone in a telephone box to convince South Cambs District Council it should not allow their village pub, The Plough, to be redeveloped into a five-bedroom house.
But a Guinness Book of World Records spokesman said: "The Dog and Bone would not qualify as the world's smallest pub, as it was only open for one night.
"In order to qualify for the smallest pub title, the pub must be fully licensed to sell alcohol and be a permanent commercial building."
Alistair Janson, who ran The Dog and Bone, said: "It was a bit of fun. We weren't really aiming to be the world's smallest pub, but to raise awareness for the campaign.
"We had about 70 customers who drank the bar dry by 10.30pm which proves how strong the support is for The Plough to stay as a pub."
The smallest permanent licensed bar in the world is called the Smallest Whisky Bar on Earth, in Switzerland, and has a total floor area of 8.53 m2.
The district council is expected to decide whether to allow MPM Property (Royston)'s plans to develop the pub later this year.
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Royston Crow. Click the link in the yellow box below for details.

subset: commoncrawl


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LogiCoy consultant Alex Aabedi recently launched his new venture in online education, Strium by 36 Prep, to address the growing disparities in access to high quality college entrance exam preparation at affordable prices. The Strium ACT course is fully online and on-demand with complete mobile and desktop compatibility 24/7, 365. The Strium curriculum was developed by RJ Schreck, a perfect scorer on the ACT (36) who currently attends Duke University in the Department of Engineering, in conjunction with Mr. Aabedi who hybridized his experience both as a medical student at the highest ranked public institution in the country and Founder and CEO of CurveSetter, the preeminent cost-effective online MCAT prep platform.
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Tourism Means Big Business to Tampa Bay
- 2018 Strategic Plan
- 2019 Ad Effectiveness Study
- VISIT FLORIDA: Economic Impact of Out-of-State Visitor Spending in Florida Study
- Value of Tourism to Residents of Hillsborough County Report (download)
- Value of Tourism Infographic (one-sheeter)
Visitor Profile and Economic Impacts
Fast Facts
*The documents for Research & Statistics are available to the general public. More detailed information is available to our partners only. If you are interested in becoming a partner of Visit Tampa Bay please contact our Partnership department at (813) 223-1111.


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Improve all of your Chinese language skills - speaking, listening, pronunciation, vocabulary - for everyday use. These courses focus on communication to develop your understanding, fluency and confidence.
Known across the world, the HSK test opens doors to jobs and further study. A HSK preparation course can help you to effectively prepare for HSK test.
Learn together with experienced teachers for your specific needs. Teaching approach focuses on your individual needs to help you achieve your goals. Personalized, live interactive courses with dedicated teachers.
Since 2004, we have helped over 50,000 foreigners from 130+ nationalities to speak better Mandarin. We are also the stable, reputable and trusted corporate Chinese cultural and language training provider for over 300 international corporation partners in the world.
All courses are learning outcome oriented and strictly follow the curriculum, we break courses into levels to provide you a clear picture of learning focus.
A highly experienced professional teaching team, all are native speakers with university degree, and also are certified to teach Chinese as a foreign language.
It's very flexible for you to book each session based on your schedule and personal learning goals, which ensures you effective and efficient learning outcome.
Ms. Zhu is a specialist in survival Chinese and HSK preparation. She has received much praise for her clear explanations on linguistic nuances and her error correction techniques.
Ms. Yue has been a certified Chinese teacher more than five years, she has rich teaching experience, her students refer her classes as both effective and practical.
Ms. Tang has plenty of Chinese teaching experience, having taught for over 5 years. Her classes are always exciting and engaging, giving students ample opportunity to practice their Mandarin skills.
Ms. Fan, now living in Germany, holds the Chinese language teaching certification and has a wealth of teaching experience.
Real Life Chinese, 2015
Thank you Mandarin House. See you online!
Real Life Chinese, 2015
Study in My Mandarin House 5 times a week has been one of the best learning experience I've had.
Real Life Chinese, 2013
Mandarin House gives me the opportunity to study in my own speed at my own level.
HSK Preparation, 2015
It's really a nice experience. All the teachers are very intelligent and good at teaching!
HSK Preparation, 2014
Mandarin House online is really awesome! Go, My Mandarin House!
Stay updated on our latest news


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Welcome to RCCA!
"... Back then, it didn't matter if the activity was fancy or sanctioned, just as long as we had fun together! Come to think of it, that really was the purpose of our starting RCCA: to provide an atmosphere for fellow Corvette owners to make friends, exchange information, to participate in friendly (and legal) competition, and have fun, win or lose..."
--Bob Williams, original member of RCCA
Monthly Meeting
We meet the last Tuesday of each month at Happy Joes, 1011 Lawrence Avenue, Burlington, Iowa. The meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. and anyone intersted in Corvettes is welcome to attend the meetings. See what we're all about!


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The Teaching Paradigm
- Artistic Activities
- Photography and Movie Making
- Science Experiments
- General Knowledge
- Entrepreneurship and Leadership
- Brain Boosting Activities
- Music and Dance
- Space Science
- Social Work
- Engineering and Robotics
- Public Speaking
Artistic activities are suitable for learners of all ages. Keep your children engaged with our wide range of decorative art and craft, DIY, painting, sketching, drawing, and much more. Art is a perfect way to express and reflect the creativity and innovation of a person. Children absorb new skills really fast, these artistic activities boost the creativity level in children and helps them to understand the world around them.
Benefits of Artistic Activity
• The ability to create something new through artistic activities enables children to innovate new things in other fields as well.
• Artistic activities improve neural connections. In an artistic activity a child has to do various things like squish fingers in paint, mix colours, trim paper, draw illustrations etc. A child's mind has to synthesize tons of information in order to execute various tasks.
• A child also develops fine motor skills while participating in various artistic activities. Artistic activities often require high levels of coordination and dexterity. These practical skills later become very useful in shaping their careers.
• Artistic activities give problem solving abilities to a child. We know that shaping ideas into a physical form is a difficult task. However, overtime a child tends to develop the ability to solve problems and throw new combinations of ideas into reality.
How Do We Do It?
• Our activities will include practical artistic activities.
• We will promote skills like calligraphy, collage, crafting, handicraft, pottery, doodling, sewing, knitting etc
• Kids will be taught how to create useful things out of waste materials
The surprise monthly package/box will contain various DIY kits for the kids
We help children to develop interest for photography and movie making at an early age. We also conduct varies competitions to encourage and appreciate the young talent. It's a great outlet for kids and we ensure kids have fun while learning the art of movie making and photography.
Benefits of Photography and Movie Making Activities
- Photography and movie making skills enables a child to unlock new possibilities of creativity. He can experiment with new methods of photography to provide cinematic vision to his ideas. It opens a new dimension in the mind of a child. He/She starts to see the world with newer perspective. Photography enables to see things with new angle, depth and perspective that gives more scope to creativity
- Photography and movie making are not just limited to a classroom. They require more effort and space. Together they help the students to learn what is outside their classroom
- Photography and movie making provides kids better exposure to culture and nature
- Students get the chance to travel through various places which teaches them the importance of cultures of various places
- Photography and movie making requires adjustments and settings. This gradually helps the kids to learn more practical skills
- Digital photography requires some level of technical literacy. The kids also get to learn about various editing tools while learning photography and movie making
How Do We Do It?
- We will hold various photography contests and workshops for the kids to learn
- Kids will also get the chance learn how to edit videos and images
- Kids will work on projects and assignments
- To make movie making interactive, kids will be assigned various roles (Director, cinematographer, choreographer, editor, cameraman etc.). This will help them to learn various departments of movie making
- For fun learning our personalized box will contain personalized merchandise for movie making (ex: Director's chair, hat, clapperboard etc)
- Our program will introduce various departments of photography to the kids (Wildlife, fashion, food, sport, landscape photography etc)
Science Experiments can really blow your kid's mind! Little experiments can help ignite curiosity in your child and make him even more inquisitive after the experiment. There absolutely no limit to science and kids love it. These experiments offer various developmental outcomes and other exciting experiences for the young ones.
Benefits of Science Experiments Activity
- Kids learn the best when they have to practice the theory. This makes them observe, ask questions, smell, touch and experiment. By experimentation they get the chance to discover their own discoveries. They are more likely to remember their learning experience with scientific experiments
- Kids have to use all their senses (see, feel, taste, hear, smell) to conduct various experiments. This increases their involvement in a particular topic
- Scientific experiments help the kids to use basic instruments like magnifying glasses, magnets, ramps, weights, scales and other scientific instruments
- Scientific experiments help the kids to develop better observational skills. Kids can notice and identify changes easily with better observation.
- By having better observational skills, the kids can also predict the results of an experiment.
- Kids learn to ask question based on their observations. This develops a curious mind which continuously looks for answers
How Do We Do It?
- Kids will get to learn about Chemistry through various chemical experiments
- Physics will be taught through various physical experiments. Kids will get to know the concepts of gravity, speed, inertia, sound, light, force etc. through real life experiments
- The personalized package will contain all the required items for the experiments
- Assignments will be given via flashcards
General knowledge is a must in today's world. We ensure that your kid is aware about the things relevant to him happening around the world. We offer simple activities for your kids to improve their basic general knowledge.
Benefits of General Knowledge Activity
- Having the up to date knowledge is very important to keep up with the tough competition. Our educational programs are regularly updated with the current affairs. Having good general knowledge also assists in the studies of children.
- Having good general knowledge enhances academic knowledge which helps to acquire better grades.
- Good general knowledge also helps a child in his decision making process. This is due to the fact that he's already aware of various things.
- Kids who have better general knowledge have better communication skills as well.
- General knowledge also helps the kids to have more creativity and innovative skills.
- Good general knowledge helps the kids to develop their own intellect and opinion.
How Do We Do It?
- Interactive puppet shows for children on various topics.
- The monthly package will contain flashcards about various topics
- Productive debates on various topics
- Community events will include group discussions
If kid is exposed to entrepreneurship at a young age, it can enormously help the kid shape his future. These activities can be of tremendous value to your kid and provide him with a lot of beneficial information. Your kid will also develop appreciation for money.
We at MerrySpell focus on helping your child to become tomorrow's leader. We aim to develop financial literacy to manage money and realize it's importance in children. Schools often lack the curriculum to educate kids about financial processes.
Benefits of Entrepreneurship & Leadership
- Teaching a kid about leadership helps him to become more responsible in life
- Leadership lessons effectively boosts self-confidence level in a child
- True leadership lessons help a kid to develop better coordination with his mates
- Entrepreneurship is the perfect building stone to innovation. Entrepreneurship gives the opportunity to experiment with new ideas. Kids learn to take calculated risks to implement their ideas to shape.
- To build a new idea for entrepreneurship kids have to do a research as well. This builds a curious mind with good knowledge.
How Do We Do It?
- Kids will be given assignments like make a stall, set up a brand, designing an E-commerce model, make business cards to ignite the spirit of entrepreneurship in them
- Kids will get to know how to set up their own business
- Our website will also showcase the brightest ideas from the kids
- Kids will get the chance to lead in various group activities. This will help them to improve their leadership qualities
Our brain boosting activities improves memory retention, fluid intelligence and general problem solving skills. The best way to learn is to eliminate the boring part and replace it with fun. Games and activities which makes children think, memorize and strategize are best suited for boosting the brain's ability of your child.
Benefits of Brain Boosting Activities
- These activities are helpful in improving the thinking process of a child. A child's mind is the only time when this thinking process can be boosted at the maximum rate. The games and activities generate better concentration level and response time to deal with real world tasks.
- These activities help to develop problem-solving skills. Even to solve the simplest puzzle a child has to use his imagination to strategize the possible solution. For the correct strategy child uses reasoning skills and solving skills. These skills become very useful later in their adult life.
- Solving brain boosting activities eventually boosts their self-esteem as well. It is the satisfaction after solving a puzzle that gives them some sense of pride and boosts their confidence level. This gradually helps them to solve greater challenges in their life.
- Many of the brain boosting activities require other individuals to solve. This gives the chance to your kid to improve his socialization skills.
How Do We Do It?
- The personalized package will contain various boosting games, riddles, crosswords, mazes and puzzles
- Kids will be given investigative games to improve their observational skills
Kids will be given models to build with building block to improve their creativity
Music and dance improves social skills of your child which are extremely important for the overall development of your child. Studies show that if a child is involved in activities like music and dance it actually accelerates the growth of the brain. It helps the body and mind to work together properly.
Benefits of Music
Music works as a motivational tool for the child. Children have better concentration levels when engaged in musical activities. Furthermore, music also helps in the development of emotional growth of a child. All of these help in the improvement of a child's mental health.
- Music can increase attention span of a child. A child can focus better with the help of music
- Music provides the richness and depth of human expression. Children get the chance to comprehend our world better than ever
- Kids have the opportunity to get involved in group musical activities with us
- Singing requires public presentation. It automatically boosts the self confidence of a child as he has to perform. This can be highly beneficial to an introvert child
- Music can become a source of peace for a child. It can become a place where a child can shut himself out of his surroundings. It can provide him some personal space as well
How Do We Do It?
- Kids will get the chance to learn various musical instruments
- Tips and Advices will be given by experts to improve their skills
- Events and contests will be organized so children get a chance to present themselves
- E-learning material will be provided
Our human race is not just limited to planet earth. We are meant to go beyond our horizon and explore the unexplored. Human race has already taken a "giant leap for mankind" by stepping into the surface of the moon. But this exploration is not limited to our solar system. The quest for knowledge is never ending just like the walls of our universe.
Benefits of Space Science
- Kids often find space science the most interesting form of science. Surely, cause not much is known about our universe. It is every expanding, so the possibilities are also endless.
- Concepts of Space science are generally used in other interdisciplinary courses in science as well. Studying about space science can help a kid to study courses in science.
- It can also become a hobby for a kid. Space science can easily be studied anywhere without the need to advanced equipment. Whereas, other subjects like biology and chemistry requires specialized tools and models.
How Do We Do It?
- Videos focusing on space science
- Practical experiments like space observation
- Various interactive quizzes for kids
- Updated curriculum with the latest discoveries
- Interactive games to understand space
- Our program makes your child aware about the solar system, black holes, stars, comets, galaxies and much more. The more your child will learn about the space , the more appreciation he will develop for our planet earth.
A little exposure to your child about the problems faced by our society can enormously help your child build empathy for others at an early age. We help your child develop the urge to take a stand to change the world for better.
Building a true compassionate heart is our aim. For this we will organise events to help out the underprivileged.
Benefits Of Social Work
- This help a child to develop better emotional health which is beneficial in decision making
- Children also get to know about the current affairs in the world. He begins to understand the problems faced by the people around the world
- Social work also develops problem solving capabilities in a child
How Do We Do It?
- Make and donate concept will be taught to the children
- Useful items will be made by the children for the underprivileged
- Kids will get the chance to become a part of ZForce (NGO)
With the help of our activities your child will surely get inspired to understand why engineering and robotics is a great career choice. We help kids to develop interest in these areas. It an effective way of introducing programming to kids. Kids will be learning on what robots and can and what they can't.
Our educational programs will focus on various interactive activities about engineering and programming. To have the maximum participation we will also introduce the wonders of robotics to the kids. Robotics helps the kids to understand the complexity of programming in an interactive and a fun learning way.
Benefits Of Engineering And Robotics
- Robotics helps to understand the blend of mechanical technology with digital technology.
- The study of robotics helps to bring down technology to the best practical levels.
- Robotics prepares the kids to work in competitive workforce as we know the there will be robots in future
- The study of engineering requires problem solving capabilities which automatically brings innovation
How Do We Do It?
- Kids will get know about the basics of robotics with toys like Meccano
- For advanced robotics kids will get the chance explore systems like Raspberry pi
- Engineering activities focusing on building and designing activities will be given to children
We organize various events filled with competitions and contests to encourage kids participation
Such events play a vital role boosting the confidence level of kids and eliminating stage fear. Public speaking is very important for kids today due to increased competition in today's world.
Special attention will be given to children who are under-confident. Having the right confidence level and communication skill can help children to speak out their mind with ease.
Benefits Of Public Speaking
- Public speaking helps a child to gain leadership qualities as people with good public speaking skills are the most influential people
- Having good public speaking skills also helps in developing good vocabulary and speech fluency. This can be essential for children who are introvert
- It also gives children a good competitive edge over others in their class
- Public speaking helps a child to build better social connections with others
How Do We Do It
- Kids will get the chance to prepare and deliver speech on events
- Focus on improving presentational skills
- Individual attention will be given to children with low confidence


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The line out in sevens normally consists of 3 forwards from each team and a scrum half. One player throws the ball into the line, one player jumps for the ball and the other two players support the jumper. The player jumping for the ball should hopefully catch the ball and pass it back to the player that threw it in as they run round to pass to the backs.
There aren't many line outs in sevens as the game is more about possession then territory but you can expect to have a couple during a game. As a result you probably won't have a specialist player to throw the ball in. It's best to play to your strengths, remember that the player throwing in will probably have to pass a long pass to the backs, so you might find it better for your scrum half to play this role. The important thing is they throw the ball in straight and can get it away quickly. If they threw it in underarm it doesn't matter as long as you get the ball back.
The next most important player is the jumper. They should be a good ball winner in the air and a size which means the other forwards can support the player safely.
To set the line the two forwards should stand parallel to
the player throwing in as shown below. You want to make it difficult for the
opposition to predict where the ball will be thrown in, so I'd advise the
jumper starts a meter or two behind the front of the line out and moves to the front before jumping. The new rules mean the jumper must start in the line and can't enter. The jumper should 'jump down' ( a low jump to squat) the jump high keeping their legs straight to help the lifters. The supporting players should stand with both feet and
hips square in the direction of the player to be lifted.
Wait till the jumper is reaching the top of their jump and is ready for the pass. The player throwing the ball (hooker) should then run round to catch a pass and then pass the ball out to the backs.
One of the forwards should then follow the line of the ball to run the hard line. If the ball gets to the end of the line the forward is then an option for a short pass inside to hit through the oppositions defense or hit a whole.
Tactics >


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Theus Law Offices specializes in estate planning with an emphasis on asset protection planning. Our team includes the only specialist in Estate Planning and Administration certified by the Louisiana State Board of Legal Specialization who is also licensed in the following three states: Louisiana, Washington, and Alaska – a domestic asset protection trust jurisdiction! We utilize the most advanced techniques for both large and small estates to create a comprehensive plan tailored specifically for the unique needs and circumstances of each client.
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Theus Law Offices is committed to providing our clients with the highest standard of legal services. Our premier team of highly rated, trusted and committed attorneys provides essential insight and perspective to develop and implement individualized strategies that get you results. From the boardroom to the courtroom, Theus Law Offices has ... Read More


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Regional Resilience Coordinator
Starting date: As soon as possible
Duty station: Based in Phnom Penh with travel throughout South-East Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Philippines)
Duration: Till the end of 2019 (with possibility of extension)
Reporting to: Country Director for Cambodia Country Program
About People in Need
People in Need (PIN) is an international, non-profit organization providing humanitarian and development assistance in over 20 countries worldwide. PIN draws on extensive past experiences and lessons learned across development, emergency and post emergency contexts to design, implement and monitor quality programming.
For more information see: https://www.clovekvtisni.cz/en/what-we-do/humanitarian-aid-and-development
Position Summary
Regional Resilience Coordinator is responsible for representing and coordinating People In Need Regional Disaster Management (DM) Program in Southeast Asia as it works to build to scale it Early Warning System. This position will ensure close coordination with Country Directors, Program Managers, Consortium Partners, Finance Managers, the program staff of PIN and it's difference DM Teams. Maintain strong relations with all DM stakeholders including national government bodies, and national/ regional working groups on Early Warning, Disaster Management, DRR, CCA and other relevant related topics.
In close cooperation with partners, this position shall ensure that the project: Strengthening trans-boundary early warning cooperation in the Lower Mekong (2018- 2019) funded by US Dept. of State (EAP) along with all other regional DM projects are implemented according to approved proposals and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Donors
The position will facilitate close and effective coordination and collaboration between PIN partners and relevant stakeholders ensuring high quality documentation of all project activities and different project result areas are achieved.
Main responsibilities:
- Program Management to ensure proper implementation of all regional projects under which focus on DM with regular reporting to donors
- Lead and manage regional or trans-boundary research studies, with an initial focus on Early Warning Systems funded by US Dept. of State (EAP) Bangkok
- Act as a focal point for the development of discussion papers, research reports, policy briefs etc. on regional or technical DM topics.
- Budget control and financial management of regional DM projects
- Establish and keep excellent relations with the main government actors and other regional government counterparts, keeping them updated on project progress, plan and facilitate regional strategic exercises and workshops as needed.
- Fundraising, visibility and external communication with donors and program partners
- Support in development of PIN DM regional strategy
- Support country programs within Southeast Asia in the design of projects and project proposals related to DM
- Provide technical support to other programs if necessary
Suitable candidates for this position should possess:
- Sound technical knowledge and experience (at least 4 years) within the SE Asia region implementing programmes related to DRR, Regional Governance , Early Warning Systems and or resilience building.
- Experience meeting with and collecting key information from government, private, intergovernmental, and other civil society organizations.
- Solid past experience reviewing and write studies / high quality reports which can be shared at an international level.
- Experience in proposal development for major donors and/or private partners including results frameworks and indicators to measure the impact and outcomes
- Excellent command of written and spoken English
- Strong critical thinking, problem solving, coaching and mentoring skills.
- Ability to perform under pressure and meet deadlines, have flexibility, work independently, manage multiple tasks and work effectively in fast-paced and multi-cultural environments.
- Excellent communication skills, solid management experience including feedback and evaluation mechanisms, drive for capacity building, etc.
People in Need offers:
- Environment of well-established and growing organization
- Salary according to PIN salary scale
- 25 days of paid leave annually
- Reimbursement of travel expenses with travel to the country of residence once per every 6 months of completed work
- Reimbursement of costs of visas and vaccinations; assistance with visa application procedure
- Free medical helpdesk and psychological consultation available on line
- Travel medical insurance
- Housing allowance
- Robust and thorough induction training at HQ (2 weeks)
How to Apply:
Kindly send us your cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English via this link. Please note only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Thank you.


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When "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" opened across the country at midnight Thursday, it marked the end of a 30-year journey for filmmaker George Lucas. It also marked the end of an almost as long journey for me.
To this day, I remember the first time I saw the words, "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …" on the theater screen. It was 1977, and I was a 5-year-old, sitting in the old Rose Theatre in Bastrop, back when it was a movie theater. It may or may not have been the first movie I saw in the theater, but it was certainly the first movie that I remember seeing.
I was captivated by the Star Wars mythology. I had the books, the toys, everything I could talk my parents and grandparents into getting for me.
I remember a few years later when "The Empire Strikes Back" hit theaters. I was disappointed when my family arrived at the old Twin City Mall theater to find the line stretching back around the corner of Montgomery Ward. I didn't get to see the movie that day, but I did eventually get to see it when the line shortened.
I remember fondly my father grumbling about the cost when we saw "Return of the Jedi" at Twin City Mall. With popcorn, it cost about $25 for my mom, dad, myself and my brother to see the movie. By today's standards, that seems like one heck of a deal.
At the age of 32, "Star Wars" still has a hold on me. In my office at home, you'll find a light saber (a plastic one unfortunately, but a real one is still on my all-time wish list as soon as it's invented), a number of Star Wars action figures and a photo of me in full Darth Maul regalia during Halloween 1999. (That's not a rubber mask either; it's full makeup.)
I relived the wonder of the series in 1997 when I introduced my wife to the movies. Despite having been around me for quite a few years at that point, she had never seen the movies. It was almost as much fun watching her discover the secrets of the movies as it was watching them again myself. Her reaction even lessened my grumbling about the changes Lucas had made in the movies.
I look forward to that experience again in a few years with my son, and I hope he one day gets to see all six movies on the big screen. (And to answer your next question, yes I did like "The Phantom Menace" and "Attack of the Clones." Perhaps not as much as the others, but I did like them.)
Over the years, rumors have swirled about "Star Wars" possibly being a nine-movie series. Lucas has been adamant in saying he thinks "Star Wars" is the story of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. It's now been fully told, so he insists he's done. But even he has hedged his bets a bit in recent interviews.
While I'd love to see a few more "Star Wars" movies in the future, I'm more than happy with the six I have. The closing chapter in the "Star Wars" saga arrives at an appropriate time for me, as a new chapter is opening in my own life. Here's looking forward to the next chapter.


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Kick back and escape to Casino Queen with our one-of-a-kind hotel packages. Whether you are looking for a relaxing few days, a night out with friends, or a romantic getaway...we've got something for everyone! Make your next visit one to remember with these exclusive packages.
Prices vary depending on date, series and availability. Call 1-800-777-0777 for reservations.
Full payment at time of booking is required. Please note that there will be a $100 credit card deposit per room at time of check-in. Black-out dates apply. Promotional blackout periods may apply due to seasonal periods or special events. Arrival and Departure restrictions may apply. Casino Queen reserves the right to alter or withdraw this program at any time without notice. Ticket Packages are non-refundable.
Blackout dates do apply. Call for information: 1-800-777-0777.
Please note that there will be a $100 credit card deposit per room. These packages are non-refundable. Taxes not inclusive.
Mention offer code: Romance and Birthday
Please note that there will be a $100 credit card deposit per room. Packages are non-refundable. Black-out dates apply. All packages must be prepaid at time of booking.
Book online or call 1.800.777.0777
Please note that there will be a $100 deposit per room.
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Advantages of the Fibox ARCA 806030
Customers can choose an enclosure with a wide range of sizes available. The components mounted within the enclosure will be safe and secure due to the high IP rating.
The body and lid of the enclosure are Polycarbonate with varying thickness dependant on enclosure size.
Product Finish
The ARCA 806030 comes in a RAL 7035 grey finish.
Product Protection
Product complies with IP66 | IK10 / IK08.
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New Home, New Recipe: Brown Butter Cake with Mascarpone Whipped Cream and Macerated Blackberries
I'm extremely excited to share the first recipe from the new COCOHAUS kitchen! Life has been a whirlwind for the past three weeks - we moved from our apartment into our cute little house over Memorial Day weekend and have since been taking homeownership by the reigns. This past weekend was the first time that I felt everything was finally in its place, which meant it was finally time to bake! It was so exciting to be able to get back in the swing of things, even though I was a little rusty at first. So, what did I make after months of not baking? A cake, of all things. Pretty ambitious for a first whirl in a newly put together kitchen, but, oh, was it extremely worth it! A small addition of brown butter to this vanilla cake recipe turned out to be the key to success, turning it into this super yummy, moist, pound-like cake. Topped with a very simple vanilla mascarpone whipped cream and juicy blackberries, the cake turned out just the way I had hoped: delicious. With that, enjoy some new house photos and, of course, a new recipe perfect for new beginnings!
Behind the Blog
Welcome to COCOHAUS {Kitchen}! Here you'll find handcrafted recipes, lifestyle & decor inspiration, and fun personal stories that are centered around food. I'm Kelly Campbell - kitchen dweller, self-taught baker, lifelong recipe designer, and never-ending storyteller. Read on to learn more about me.
©2019 COCOHAUS {Kitchen} by Kelly Campbell


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Hisense UK
Available In
Far from your average freezer,
The Hisense FV306N4BC1 stainless steel effect freezer features a 235-litre capacity for holding up to 13 bags of shopping, making it an ideal choice for medium-sized households. The Electronic Control puts you in complete control of your freezer's temperature and the Total No Frost with Multi Air Flow for even temperature distribution means that you'll find no frost anywhere – ever! The freezer also benefits from a Super Freeze Function to rapidly stabilise the temperature of food and a twist ice maker for perfectly frozen ice with a twist. And, if you ever forget to close either of the doors properly, the integrated door alarm will let you know.
More advanced than ordinary frost-free, the innovative Total No Frost Technology from Hisense circulates cold air evenly throughout your fridge and freezer to prevent ice crystals from forming, so there's no need to ever manually defrost.
Intelligent and evenly distributed air system in both fridge & freezer.
No water or ice build up in fridge or freezer ever.
Integrated into the internal light of your freezer, the Electronic Controls allows you to easily control the temperature of your freezer with a simple touch of a button.
Perfectly frozen ice
The twist ice cube maker can freeze large amounts of ice at a time. It's both moveable and removable to create extra space in the freezer and a simple twist is all it takes to release perfectly frozen ice cubes into the icebox below.
Integrated Open
A built-in timer and alarm alerts you when the door has been left open for an extended period of time, to prevent the temperature inside the freezer rising to high allowing food to spoil.
Lock in
The Hisense Super Freeze functions rapidly stabilise the temperature of food as soon as you've put it in your freezer, which means it retains more nutrients and moisture, tastes great and stays as fresh as possible.
All Hisense appliances include a 2 year warranty as standard to give you complete peace of mind with a product that's built to last.
Now, here's the
Below you'll find all the technical details of your product, such as dimensions, etc.
Temperature Control
Freezer Star Rating
Energy Class
Total Capacity in Litres (Gross)
Energy Consumption (kWh/year)
595 x 1746 x 651
Dimensions in mm's (W x H x D)
What people are saying.
❝Extremely pleased with this product. very stylish and efficient.❞
❝Fully fits the bill and does exactly what I wanted in a tall chest freezer.❞
Need to know more about supporting your fridge? See the pages below for more information.
Discover the latest user manuals and downloads for your Hisense fridge.
Registering your product means that, if something does go wrong, you're fully covered.
To call or email our customer service team, click the link above.
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rampaging pig!!!
Posted: March 29, 2007 at 3:32 pm
holy crap, when ellie plays…RUN! tyra did just that, she took one look at the pig in play mode and ran right back up to wait by the dog yard gate. there is nothing stupid about tyra at all. lexie got knocked down twice and then bless her heart she quite clearly told ellie to "f" off. which ellie did. dexter bit the dust once and phoebe got chased for a bit but she can run faster than ellie. i am covered with mud from ellie's joyous fun but i will give her credit she tried to go "softly" when i asked, but i think softly is different for a 300 pound baby pig then it is for a human. but i know she did try and actually did really good because if she hadn't, i would have been down in the mud pretty quick too.
so here is the thing with ellie now everyone…i was kidding about the running. we don't want her to learn that humans are afraid of her when she acts like that because she will just start to push us around. we want to be clear and consistent with her and teach her the very same thing from us all. the new magic words for ellie are…"go softly" and "don't bump me" with lots of pets and hugs and "good girl" when she tries to be gentle (which is hard for a happy really big baby pig.)


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Corporate social responsibility: building stronger stakeholder relationships through corporate social responsibility programs
Master thesis
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The success of a business in today's market is not only driven by financial values, but also by the business's behavior1. The triple bottom line (TBL) is an expansion of the traditional reporting framework of accounting, where organizational and environmental issues are included. The TBL was first phrased by John Elkington in 1994. It has later been rephrased as the three P's, profit, people and planet, which are meant to express the triple bottom line and the aim for sustainability2. After reading an article about a tragic death-accident at one of Telenor's production sites in Bangladesh, I was once again introduced to the term CSR. Because of the increased focus on this accident and similar incidents, the interest for Corporate Social Responsibility has grown. Social responsibility has in recent years received a lot of attention from many holds, the media, managers, individuals and from the society at large. CSR was first mentioned in the 1950s, but still it is a fairly new phenomenon and it is first in the recent years that the term has received increased attention. I therefore believe that it is necessary to thoroughly investigate the theories of social responsibility and other closely related theories in the thesis. It can be hard to explain the term CSR without looking at the similarities between this theory and the theories of Ethics and The Stakeholders Approach. In many ways it seems like Ethics and Stakeholder Theory are of the factors that make the foundation of CSR, and it is hard to mention one of the theories without touching at least one of the other two theories. Because of high global competition, businesses are forced to produce goods and services at a lowest possible price. To fulfill this demand in the market many business activities are outsourced to organizations worldwide. This way of doing business makes firms able to satisfy the consumer market on both price and quality. The downside to the global business making is the consequences of the increased production and transportation. Two of the issues involved are environmental damage because of global warming, and large companies that are ignoring human rights in under-developed countries because of the country's lack of structure and restrictions.
Masteroppgave i økonomi og administrasjon - Universitetet i Agder 200