AIFMRM programmes open doors into financial industry

27 Aug 2024
Careers evening panel
27 Aug 2024

For the last 10 years, AIFMRM has been producing top graduates who are taking the finance world by storm. If you’re keen on joining the world of finance – but you’re unsure which programme to choose – look no further!

A quick search on LinkedIn will show you: most AIFMRM graduates are now working in their dream careers. But their paths weren’t all so simple. In fact, most had not even considered studying finance until they reached a master’s level.

So, what changed?

For current AIFMRM students – and former chemical engineers – Emmanuel Abiodun and Zoë Arendse, it was a visit to last year's AIFMRM Careers Evening.

Emmanuel says:

“After the event, I searched for AIFMRM on LinkedIn, and I was astonished to see where all the individuals who had studied at AIFMRM had ended up! They were everywhere from banking, to insurance, to investment banking, to asset management, to consulting – and at very prestigious companies, too. It was this realisation – that this department nurtures the greatest minds of society – that drove me to make the bold move to AIFMRM!”

And Zoë says:

“I had always had an interest in finance and was eager to broaden my knowledge of the field – so when I received the acceptance letter, it was an easy decision to make. The experience so far has differed from what I expected. The degree is fast-paced and content-dense, which has allowed my financial knowledge to increase at a fast pace. Being a smaller class, you get a lot more contact time with and support from lecturers. We also have the opportunity to have mental health workshops, and to access psychologists, which I think is a very thoughtful gesture. Lastly, the networking opportunities are fantastic!”

Another student who took a chance with AIFMRM was Andrew Raney. Andrew says:

“My advice to students unsure of whether to enrol or not would be that it is just one year of your life where you can challenge yourself and further your education in an extremely conducive and supportive environment.”

But the question remains: what exactly are Andrew, Emmanuel, and Zoë studying?

Their options were twofold: the Master of Financial Engineering (MFE), or the MCom in Risk Management of Financial Markets.

In a breath, the MFE does the following: it combines advanced mathematical, statistical, financial, and computing skills with a solid understanding of financial markets, asset pricing theory, and quantitative research. Students graduate prepared for careers across the spectrum in finance.

The MCom, on the other hand, equips students with the analytical, methodological, practical and research skills needed for financial risk management. Skills include mathematics, statistics, econometrics, and computing. Like the MFE, graduates will be prepared for careers across the financial industry,

While AIFMRM is about developing excellent minds, it’s also about nurturing communities and relationships. Throughout the year, they host people-centred, informative events, such as

the Women in Finance Event and Donor Day. Then there is also the mid-year benchmark: the Financial Mathematics Team Challenge, or FMTC. The FMTC sees teams of students tackle pressing, current challenges in the world of finance over the course of a week. The experience imitates the world of work and impresses upon participants a newfound knowledge of and belief in their own abilities.

Oh, and the majority of AIFMRM students are fully funded. Bursaries from donor institutions – Nedbank, FirstRand, RMB, Liberty, Sanlam, ABSA, Old Mutual, and Standard Bank – provide students with tuition costs and stipends for rent, food, and more. In exchange, students work for one year at their bursar in the year after the degree.

To apply, please use UCT’s online applications portal. If you have any questions about AIFMRM, please send them through to aifmrm@uct.ac.za. And if you still need convincing, then hear what Emmanuel has to say:

“My advice is to enrol! I was drawn to AIFMRM, but I contemplated not doing the programme out of fear of the unknown. Looking back, I am so glad I took the leap of faith because I have gained so much more than a degree. I gained a community, a network of bright individuals, a newfound love for learning and a number of soft skills! And once you do get accepted into the programme, remember to show up every day, even when it's tough: just keep showing up and engaging. And before you know it, you'll end up on the AIFMRM panel at the careers evening, too, wondering where all the time has flown.”

Applications for the 2025 academic year close on 30 September 2024.