In mid-June, Catalyst Fund Managers had the pleasure of welcoming two UCT Honours students, Tinya and Musa, for a week of job shadowing. The opportunity came about after the pair proactively reached out to the team following a guest lecture, keen to gain first-hand exposure to the asset management industry. The whole team was all-hands-on-deck to make sure they got a real taste of what we do and the range of career opportunities open to them within the field.
Over the course of the week, Tinya and Musa sat in on meeting discussions covering analytical approaches, stock sign offs, portfolio and investment committee discussions, spent time with our SA and Global investment teams, including tagging along to a Nedbank presentation on SA retail. The pair was also introduced to the emerging role of AI in asset management, and joined our Women’s Forum meeting. The experience left a lasting impression:
“The Women’s Forum was a standout moment. It sparked reflection on the male-dominated nature of asset management, and we were impressed by CFM’s commitment to supporting women in the industry – setting a commendable standard for other workplaces.”
Both students left considering a future career in asset management, with a particular interest in real estate, and told us they would recommend CFM to other students seeking vacation work experience. It was a successful and rewarding week for everyone involved. As a firm, we remain firmly aligned with the objective of seeing more women build careers as investment professionals, and we look forward to welcoming more aspiring talent through our doors in the years ahead.