EUMEMMERRING College student Jason Minnis is definitely taking care of business.
And that task has become a whole lot easier for the 17-year-old after he returned from a week-long trip to Sydney to take part in the 2007 UBS Finance Academy.
Jason was one of 50 students selected from across Australia to spend a week gaining an insider’s view of the world of high finance.
The fully paid-for residential course was based at Macquarie University and allowed the Year 11 student an insight to the world of business.
The program teamed Jason with a UBS investment banker and the duo worked on several real case studies along with a mentoring program on completion.
Jason said he was unsure of his plans for the future but a business-based university course might be a possibility.
“It’s been a pretty full-on week and I have learnt a lot,” he said.
“I don’t really know what I’m going to do when I finish (school). I’m keeping my options open at the moment.”
UBS Australasia chairman and CEO Brad Orgill said the program was developed to help demystify the world of investment banking for students.
“While the world of corporate finance affects nearly everybody, it’s hard for ambitious students to learn about the industry and even harder to meet people working in it,” Mr Orgill said.
“We expose students to the theory and the practice of financial markets, through the use of expert speakers, day-in-the-life presentations and field visits to our trading floor, the Australian Securities Exchange and the ABC Television studios.”
Mr Minnis said that although it was a hectic week there was time to do some sightseeing around the famous city.
“We have been able to walk around Darling Harbour and we went to see a show at a theatre, which was good,” he said.