Bolat Kustaubaev: “Learn to make better decisions”

The financial industry is rapidly changing under the influence of digital technologies, artificial intelligence and new customer demands. Therefore, professional experience can no longer be separated from continuing education. Bolat Kustaubaev, Deputy Director of the Halyk Bank branch in Semey, talks about why it is important for a manager to constantly learn and how the MBA program helps make more informed management decisions.

- Bolat Aibatolaevich, at what point did you realize that professional experience was no longer enough and you needed to become a student again?

- Practical experience is a huge value, but at a certain point you realize that it is no longer enough. Every day you make dozens of decisions, you are responsible for the team, results, and business development. Over time, you begin to notice that many processes change much faster than you have time to adapt to them. And then an understanding comes: if you want to develop further, you need to systematize your accumulated experience, look at familiar tasks from a different point of view and obtain modern management tools. Therefore, the decision to enroll in an MBA was quite natural.

- What new management competencies did the MBA program give you that could not be obtained only through practical work?

- Practice teaches you to solve specific problems, and an MBA helps you see the system as a whole. During training, you begin to perceive strategic planning, change management, financial analysis, risk assessment, and organizational development differently. Disciplines related to leadership, team management and decision making were very useful. It is also important that the program forces you to analyze your own experience, compare it with the best world practices and look for new approaches to work.

The program teaches you to take a broader view: you begin to see the relationship between strategy, finance, people, technology and the external environment. In addition, the training became an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences with colleagues from different sectors of the economy. Such professional dialogue broadens one's horizons no less than academic disciplines.

The main discovery was the understanding that management is not only about control and setting tasks. When the team understands the common goal and feels the trust of the leader, the results become significantly better.

- Why did you choose MBA Shakarim University? What convinced you that the program meets modern business requirements?

- A modern leader can no longer limit himself only to professional knowledge. It is the combination of professional competence and developed management skills that allows a manager to work effectively in modern conditions.

That’s why it was important for me that the program combines both fundamental training and practical orientation.

Shakarim University today is actively developing, expanding international cooperation, inviting practitioners and experts, and updating educational programs. This indicates the university’s desire to meet modern market requirements. In addition, the training took place in a convenient format, which made it possible to combine professional activities and education.

The teachers made the strongest impression on me. They constantly connected the material with real practice, analyzed specific cases and offered to look for their own solutions.

There were meetings with invited foreign experts and the opportunity to discuss modern management approaches with people who themselves successfully work in business. It is this format that makes training truly useful.

- Shakarim University has changed noticeably in recent years. How much do such changes affect employers' trust in university graduates?

- Employers always pay attention to how the university is developing, what opportunities it provides to students and how well its educational programs meet modern requirements. International projects, new laboratories, participation of foreign partners, increased positions in world rankings strengthen the reputation of the university and increase confidence in its graduates.

What do employers expect from university graduates today? Yes, a diploma is important, but today it is no longer enough. That's why we pay attention to a person's ability to learn, analyze information, work in a team, take responsibility, quickly adapt to changes, and the desire to constantly develop.

These qualities allow a young specialist to quickly grow professionally.

- Why is continuing education becoming the new norm? And what would you wish for those who are just deciding to enroll in Shakarim University today?

-Technologies, legislation, financial products, management methods are constantly changing. If a person stops learning, his knowledge gradually loses relevance. Continuing education is becoming part of the profession, regardless of industry. This is no longer an advantage, but a necessary condition for professional development.

Don't be afraid to invest in your education! Any knowledge will definitely be returned. Even if not right away, they always help to make more informed decisions, open up new opportunities and make a person more confident in the profession. Shakarim University today is developing very dynamically and together with the region. Offers programs focused on the real needs of the economy.

Therefore, for those who are just choosing their future, I would like to use these opportunities as fully as possible. Gain knowledge, ask questions, communicate with teachers and colleagues, do not be afraid to go beyond the usual.

And most importantly, never stop learning! This is what distinguishes people who not only build a successful career, but become leaders in their profession.