The Department of Computer Science in collaboration with the Career Cell and Alumni Engagement Cell, organized a session on 13th September 2023 for the students of BCA/B.Voc.(ST). The session focused on the topic “Data Scientist Career Path in Banking”. The Resource Person was Mr. Menon Fernandes, Analyst Developer at Barings Asset Management, London, United Kingdom and an alumnus of this College. 30 BCA/B.Voc(ST) students attended the session.
The session commenced with a candid introduction by Mr. Menon, who shared his personal journey with the students. He humbly admitted that he was once a backbencher who lacked clear life goals. After completing his graduation, he ventured to London in search of a job. However, he encountered numerous rejections, which he openly displayed on his CV. Mr. Menon had previously graduated from Goa University in 2011. Later, between 2019 and 2021, he pursued a master’s degree in financial mathematics from the University of London.
The turning point in his life came when he received advice to explore opportunities in the finance sector. He decided to join an insurance company, where he embarked on a journey of personal and professional growth, eventually reaching the position of an analyst developer. During the session, Mr. Menon imparted motivational wisdom, emphasizing the significance of embracing both success and failure in life. He encouraged students to maintain a positive and joyful attitude regardless of external circumstances, drawing inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s quote, “Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up.”
Mr. Menon delved into various aspects of the banking sector, particularly the role of Information Technology in finance and investment procedures. He explained how Data Science is instrumental in the banking system, elucidating the sources of data collection for analysis, including stock market data for profit and loss assessments. He highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of Data Science in banking, which incorporates mathematical concepts, statistics, algorithms, computer science, and domain expertise. To illustrate this, he presented a Venn diagram depicting different facets of Data Science within the banking domain.
As the session progressed, Mr. Menon encouraged students to accumulate diverse job experiences, emphasizing that this diversity would be advantageous in the long run. He debunked the myth that academic marks are the sole focus of interviewers, stressing that confidence, skills, and talents are equally critical during interviews.
Towards the end of the session, Mr. Menon received a memento from Ms. Annette as a token of appreciation. The session concluded with a heartfelt Vote of Thanks delivered by Mr. Showil, a student from FY B.Voc.(ST).
