Frais Capital has developed a robust Intern Talent Development program to connect with students within the University of Melbourne. As an intern at Frais Capital, I have the chance to learn real world problem solving and research skills within the area of wealth and portfolio management. As Frais Capital has established itself, our focus has moved from the logistics of starting up, to raising Frais Capital’s wealth management profile and building a network of potential talent. This involves working with the University of Melbourne and the Faculty of Business & Economics Intern Program and being the lead student voice for the Frais Capital Intern Development program.
Siobhan Blewitt, Founder and CEO of Frais Capital and the team are committed to the development and encouragement of interns within the program, having given me the opportunity to network with pre-eminent financial analysts, sit in on strategy meetings with research providers, and exercise responsibility and leadership by being the lead student voice for the intern program.
Throughout my internship I have learnt intricately about the way that a wealth management business operates, with experience working on investment idea generation and learning the reporting processes, to understanding about the importance of compliance, cyber security and my role in this. Not only have I learnt how to use macroeconomic data and trends alongside equity research, but I have honed my problem-solving skills because of the constant need to consider new issues or overcome inevitable challenges that is equity markets and investing.
For me, a key to succeeding at Frais Capital and learning as much as possible was my keen interest in finance and specifically the stock market. Having a strong personal interest in the share market, working at Frais Capital has helped extend my knowledge of the equity market, complementing my personal research and sating my curiosity. It was this curiosity that I think is so essential to bring to an internship because fundamentally, internships are learning experiences. Another key facilitator throughout my development was Siobhan’s open-minded approach, as she is keen to give us a range of interesting and real-world problem-solving examples while allowing us to learn along the way.
Alongside developing technical skills and knowledge that I can use as building blocks as I move through my career, I have taken away three other key lessons. The first is a renewed appreciation for the role of macroeconomics in investment idea generation, as throughout University I have thought of it as overly theoretical and unrealistic. But throughout my internship, I have seen firsthand how key macroeconomic data and econometric models can be used to paint an accurate picture of trends in the economy and pick out industries and companies set to benefit. Secondly, I have developed a robust understanding of the way the financial services industry works and fits together, particularly the different roles each service plays. Finally, I have realized that once I have understood the key concepts and frameworks taught at university, then on-the-job problem solving is what matters over remembering the intricacies of certain subjects or disciplines.
My thoughts to those who wish to pursue an internship at Frais Capital or elsewhere, would be to keep an open mind and be intensely curious, constantly asking questions and seeking out extra opportunities. When asked a question or given a task, think about what you could add, how you could make it better or more comprehensive. Alongside these, try and get an internship at a firm that genuinely cares about your development, who are willing to help mentor and teach you, while also giving you enough independence to learn for yourself.
