Vo Thanh Trung (Tom)
Master of IT in Business (Financial Services Analytics)
Graduation Class of 2019 (expected)
Head of Derivatives Clearing and Collateral
It all started with The Terminator 2: Judgment Day. I was since obsessed by the idea that one day, machine would take over the world. The last straw was Mr Elon Musk’s comment that “Artificial intelligence is our biggest existential threat”. There are a lot of underlying meaning and assumptions in that statement and I have since decided to learn more about technology. Before the machine takes over me, I need to know how to manage it. And since I enjoy being in the financial services sector, I have decided to pursue the Master of IT in Business (Financial Services Analytics) programme.
The program fits my needs with the appropriate level of depth and breadth. You need to roll up your sleeves, get your hands dirty with coding in R, Python and Java. You get the chance to learn and be proficient in statistical and machine learning tools. As this is not a hard-core computer science course, a person with no background in coding will also be able to learn and adapt after some time. However, this journey was not an easy ride for me. The learning curve was steep and there were times when I had many sleepless nights, but it was all worth it.
This program also covers a broad spectrum of frameworks, strategies and other general management skills. These are important exposure for mid-level managers who want to hone their skills in IT management.
What I appreciate most about the program are the professors. Not only are they knowledgeable in the field, they are carrying with them years of industry practices and experience. This is extremely important because you want to have someone who is always ready to guide and coach you when you hit a plateau or roadblock. And in order to do so, professors must have a deep knowledge and experience in this field.
I would definitely recommend this program to prospective students. How can one maximize the returns? Make full use of the MITB programme resources: read all materials, ask all questions, plan big projects, attend industry seminars, connect with fellow students and industry players. It's tough and a lot of pain, but it will be worth it.
