Cadet Profiles
Kevin Jochelson - 3rd year Cadet in Operations
University: University of Sydney
Course: Bachelor Commerce/Bachelor Arts
About me
I attended Killara High School and attempted to apply myself in every aspect of school, from academics to sport to community involvement. Academically I endeavoured to stay in the top few of my subjects. In sport, I represented the school in soccer, European handball, athletics and X country, captaining a few of the teams in my final years. I was an executive in the Student Representative Council for most of my high school career at a school, district and regional level, and became a Prefect in my final year. My SRC and prefect roles provided opportunities for me to participate in leadership conferences and to organise events and initiatives for my school.
In my spare time, I enjoy socialising with friends and family, and staying fit through martial arts, gym and soccer. I am also interested in film making and visual arts. Besides working for UBS, I also work in the entertainment industry through my own business, working mainly as a DJ on some weekends.
My experience as a cadet
I applied for a Business Cadetship with UBS because I saw UBS not only as a leading investment bank with an exceptional reputation, but also as an outstandingly managed corporation, renowned as a talented innovator. I knew that because I had an interest in business, a UBS Cadetship would develop me and give me the experience and understanding of working in a real corporate whilst studying the theory of commerce at University.
I honestly enjoy coming to work every day, as every day at UBS offers new experiences and challenges, from meeting with clients, to volunteering to help with UBS sponsored charities, and from settling large trades to creating new infrastructure and streamlining processes and procedures.
Now entering my third year at UBS I have worked in several teams, including Banking, International Settlements, Client Onboarding, and Equity Derivatives. My current role entails analysing costs between teams in Operations. I will continue working on a variety of projects across teams for the rest of the year.
My cadetship has provided me with invaluable experience and exposure to both the corporate world and to the world of finance and investment banking. I have gained incredible professional skills from some of the best in the industry and, at the same time, I have acquired a great amount of knowledge about finance and the world of business.
University life
I am studying a combined Bachelor of Commerce / Bachelor of Arts at the University of Sydney. Managing university and study can definitely be a challenge, but once learnt and perfected, managing time so effectively has become a skill I’ll have for life. I know this will serve me well in all aspects, from my career to my social life.
Shaminder Dhillon - 2nd year Cadet in TAX
University: UNSW
Course: Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting & Finance)
A quick grab on Shaminder...
I am a very competitive sportsman, however working full time and going to uni means that I have limited time in which to train. This simply motivates me to train harder in the time I have. For example, in my lunch breaks I run (up to 12km); on the train, I read my uni texts.
I completed my first triathlon a few months ago.
Where did you go to school and what you were good at?
St Marys Senior High School - I studied and tutored mathematics and science. I was a member of the European handball, cricket and table tennis teams.
Why did you apply for a UBS Cadetship?
I applied for the UBS Cadetship simply out of curiosity. I had very limited knowledge of the business world and did not study any business-related subject.
What is it like working at UBS?
I was actually asked this question at a tax breakfast briefing by a tax partner. My response was “I still feel as though I am at school, except I am the only student”.
What work have you done and what you are currently doing?
I have worked on updating the business and its processes when new tax laws come out. I am currently working on the UBS Foundation return (responsible for our community and charity projects).
How have you managed your study/work splice?
I am on the train for an hour and forty minutes every day and try to complete all my uni work in that time. Again, I try to see this in a competitive way - if I ‘win’, I will have the weekend to spend time with my friends.
What have you gained from your cadetship?
I have learnt the foundations: how to work in a team (efficiently); problem solving and how to cope with pressure.
Ann Nguyen - 1st year Cadet in Finance
University: UNSW
Course: Bachelor of Commerce
Hi, my name is Ann Nguyen and I’m a UBS Cadet.
I’m currently working in the Finance Department of UBS Australia. My cadetship has helped me get a foot in the door of a very competitive industry. Every day, I work with a team of dynamic people from all areas of the bank. I get to experience all aspects of financial management, from revenue and expense bookings to management reporting – pretty sweet for someone just out of high school! This kind of hands-on experience has been essential in furthering my knowledge of how global firms operate and has greatly improved my confidence and communication skills.
About me
I love watching bones and hanging out with my friends. I attended Hurlstone Agricultural High School and found out about this cadetship through my hardworking careers adviser. I liked the idea of combining work and university as I thought it would be interesting, challenging and a good opportunity for me to apply organisational and time management skills. The best thing about the cadetship is being able see what I learn in the classroom applied practically to the real world.
The selection process
The selection process was harder than I expected. In addition to the initial application, there are aptitude tests and a series of interviews with line managers from the function for which you have been shortlisted. Questions were mainly competency based and I was asked to talk through examples of when I had demonstrated key skills which are important in the workplace, such as working in a team, meeting a deadline and solving a problem. It is therefore important to know your CV and achievements really well so that you can sell yourself in an interview situation. It’s also important to prepare by researching the company and the program beforehand. Don’t be shy to ask questions if you are unsure.
Picking a course
Choosing a university course is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. The cadetship program is flexible but has some requirements around degree choice which help to narrow things down – for example you need to select a degree and university which enable part time study in the first 2 years.
Pick a course that interests you and remember to be open-minded. As Forrest Gump said ‘Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re gonna to get.’ Never give up on your goals as there are literally millions of pathways.
I know that my cadetship will allow me to gain a breadth of experience which will give me a competitive edge in the workforce. I look forward to travelling in the future, meeting many interesting people from all around the world and learning to take better profile pictures!
Wishing you all the best of luck in your future endeavours,
Ann Nguyen