For many, admission into the Young Professionals' Programme (YPP) offered by Multilateral Development Banks is a significant career milestone. However, with intense international competition for few places, getting in is no easy feat.
They say the proof of the pudding is in the eating; to learn more, we interviewed three Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) alumni to hear their journeys in participating in various YPPs around the world: Ankur Agrawal (MPA 2019) at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Chee En Hui Elaine (MPP 2014) at the World Bank, and Bianca-Martina (Tina) Rohner (MPP 2009) at the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Making the Cut
In spite of intense competition, the YPP recruitment process remains highly accessible. All three alumni noted the use of online applications, essays and interviews in initial rounds. Subsequent rounds generally involved in-person interviews, where candidates were often required to travel. “There were three to four rounds of interviews and a few online assessments. The final round was done at the AIIB headquarters at Beijing,” Ankur recounted. At that stage, it pays to know what recruiters look out for. “Rather than necessarily selecting the most vocal, articulate or knowledgeable candidate, the YPP recruiters seem to value the ability to listen well, and to communicate and work well with others,” Elaine noted. All in, the recruitment process could take up to eight months, from July to February. Note that the YPP is not an entry level recruitment programme; "It is expected that candidates already bring substantial work experience with them and are able to contribute from the start," Tina shared.
Tina is currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia
Starting out
[ALUMNI-INFO TEXT="Think big, learn fast: “I was expected to hit the ground running on day one," says Tina. Major responsibilities are quickly handed out, with high expectations. She started as a Young Professional (YP) in ADB’s Private Sector Department, spending her first year in the Fund of Funds Division. She spent the next two years in the Financial Institutions Division, choosing to stay after becoming regular staff. She found it challenging to learn the ropes quickly and adapt to a new environment. However, learning from more senior staff helped her much in handling transactions with clients.
For Ankur, participating in a YPP entailed diverse exposure. YPs go through three eight month stints in various departments in the AIIB, such as Investments, Risk Management and Policy, quickly widening their horizons. However, the scope of exposure can be varied, and tailored to the background and preferences of the YP, he noted. From his experience, YPs are generally entrusted with highly important tasks. For him, this ranged from working on ‘live’ Investment Operations projects to working on new bank strategies and policy formulation.
Participating in the World Bank’s YPP gave Elaine the chance to work on a wide variety of pressing social issues across the West Africa region, providing deep insight into many countries’ struggle with persistent fragility and weak institutional capacities. The World Bank’s YPP has seen Elaine participating in the fight to abolish poverty - from small grassroot interventions, to regional dialogues and national policy reforms. "It has been both intellectually stimulating and humbling to learn about these countries and their challenges, and to co-create solutions with various stakeholders," she reflected. In spite of the many challenges, she found her work highly rewarding, and deeply meaningful."][/ALUMNI-INFO]
Education at LKYSPP: Standing Tall, Standing Out
[ALUMNI-QUOTES TEXT="The "education at LKYSPP helped me understand real world policy issues and prepared me to find solutions," Ankur shared. Taking part in a Governance Study Project exposed him to a real world policy issue, greatly aiding him to develop new, different perspectives. For Ankur, participating in Essential Skills and career services workshops were crucial in making the cut.
As an international student, studying at LKYSPP was Tina’s first exposure to living in Asia, having grown up in Germany. "The diverse classroom experience, the exposure students get through [their] professors, as well as my course of study, laid the groundwork for me to develop necessary skills later on," she recounted. Interning at an investment bank during her studies helped her land a job there, providing crucial work experience that prepared her well for the YPP.
The training at LKYSPP “provided me a good grounding in policy formulation and analysis, equipping me with critical technical skills in quantitative and qualitative research,” Elaine said. In particular, she found the class on poverty helpful in broadening her perspectives on poverty alleviation and in learning to develop contextualized, relevant solutions. Participating in the Policy Analysis Exercise gave her first-hand application of content knowledge, having partnered with World Vision India to improve policy to tackle malnutrition in New Delhi's slums. "][/ALUMNI-QUOTES]
In Parting "Even if it doesn’t turn out one year, I would always encourage applicants to try again the next year," Tina encouraged. "Sometimes it depends on what particular skills are being looked for in a particular year."
For Elaine, her passion to speak up for the voiceless shone through. "I was much surprised to be selected. In fact, I almost did not apply for the YPP as the chances seemed so slim," she recounts. To stand out, she advises YPP-hopefuls to build up a wealth of development-related expertise at different scales, and to gather unique perspectives.
"The YPP is prestigious, but getting rejected is not the end of the road," Ankur shared, referring to the many openings with the AIIB. Staying in touch with the school's Career Services, as well as other alumni, can be crucial in connecting with one's employer of choice.
In Ankur’s own words, "LKYSPP made the selection happen, and I am extremely happy about it."