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THE nation’s efforts to cultivate a future-ready capital market workforce are gathering pace as the Securities Commission Malaysia’s (SC) investED programme records a 65 per cent employment rate among graduates placed directly within the industry.
The achievement underscores the programme’s expanding role in addressing talent shortages across Malaysia’s financial ecosystem as the country prepares for significant capital market growth under the Capital Market Masterplan 2026–2030.
Since its launch in 2023, 581 trainees have completed the investED Leadership programme, with the majority successfully entering the capital market sector, while others have secured opportunities in banking, fintech, consulting and accounting.
The Foundation programme has also surpassed expectations, attracting 3,072 participants across three cohorts — well above its initial target of 2,400.
The latest graduation ceremony for Cohort 3 took place on Wednesday and was attended by Higher Education Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Anesee Ibrahim alongside SC chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi.
The ceremony recognised 210 graduates from the Leadership stream and 513 from the Foundation stream.
Introduced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in June 2023, investED is the first initiative of its kind bringing together the SC, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Higher Education, universities and private sector industry players to strengthen Malaysia’s capital market talent pipeline.
The Leadership programme combines one month of intensive classroom instruction at the Asia School of Business with six months of industry placement across 50 participating firms.
Participants receive a RM2,000 training allowance and a minimum monthly stipend of RM2,400 during their placements.
Mohammad Faiz said the initiative was designed to ensure graduates are equipped with practical capabilities demanded by the financial industry.
“investED is aligned with industry needs. It is a credible and effective capacity building platform, delivering tangible workforce outcomes for the Malaysian capital market. By combining structured training with on-the-job exposure, it ensures that participants are ready for their roles and capable of contributing to the industry,” he said.
The SC chairman noted that Malaysia’s capital market is projected to expand to between RM5.8 trillion and RM6.3 trillion by 2030, making sustained talent development increasingly important for the sector’s long-term resilience and competitiveness.
Industry representatives involved in the programme also commended its impact on graduate readiness and recruitment quality.
Malaysian Investment Banking Association council chairman and Hong Leong Investment Bank group managing director and chief executive officer Lee Jim Leng said, “investED is a programme designed to extend beyond foundation and knowledge. At the core lies a recognition of the need to bridge the gap of building a consistent talent pool for the capital market industry.”
Malaysia Futures Brokers Association representative and TA Futures Sdn Bhd executive director Dayangku Shukarni Awang Jolkipli said the programme had enabled employers to identify and nurture suitable young professionals more efficiently.
“From the investED programme, we manage to filter the suitable candidates to be further trained in our organisation. Hence, TA gained in term of fresh perspective and ideas, balance in age gap for succession plan programme and cost-effective recruitment process,” she said.
Bursa Malaysia chief executive officer and investED steering committee member Datuk Fad’l Mohamed said early industry exposure remained essential in preparing graduates for the evolving demands of the financial sector.
“A vibrant and evolving capital market requires a steady pipeline of talent, and programmes such as investED provide participants with early exposure and practical insights into the industry and its ecosystem.
“Over the course of the programme, the cohort gained knowledge and skills that we hope will support their future growth and contribution to Malaysia’s capital market,” he said.
Among the graduates benefiting from the initiative is 23-year-old Kieraanvarman A/L P Nadaraja, a University of Malaya finance graduate who joined the programme to gain a deeper understanding of the capital market industry beyond classroom learning.
After previously undertaking voluntary internships in sales and investment analysis, he was placed with BDO Malaysia, where he gained experience in market research, financial analysis and advisory services while further strengthening his professional and analytical abilities.
He has since begun his professional career with one of Malaysia’s leading banking groups.
Another graduate, Nurul Dahiyah Shahirah Alias, 25, from Kuala Terengganu, said she was encouraged to apply after learning about the programme through a friend from an earlier cohort.
The Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia graduate said the initiative complemented her academic background in actuarial science and risk management while helping her pursue her ambition of building a long-term career in finance.
She said the programme enhanced her understanding of the capital market ecosystem while also improving her confidence, communication skills and professional network.
During her placement within the risk consulting division of an audit firm, she gained practical exposure to risk assessment, regulatory compliance and financial analysis.
Dahiyah is now working as a Forensic and Financial Crime Analyst at Deloitte and aims to continue strengthening her expertise in financial risk management as she advances within the financial services sector. - May 7, 2026
