Applications extended for McKinsey Youth Leadership Academy in Malaysia

Applications for McKinsey’s coveted Youth Leadership Academy programme in Malaysia have been extended to the 13th of May in response to this year’s overwhelming interest.

Aiming to equip ambitious young Malaysians with the skills required to become the innovative leaders of tomorrow, the McKinsey Youth Leadership Academy has through a schedule of projects, seminars, and coaching sessions provided guidance and mentorship to a select group of 50 lucky participants per year.

This year, the selection will be even more difficult, with the programme receiving an ‘overwhelming’ number of applications and requests – so much so, that the Academy has now extended the application deadline to midnight on the 13th of May. And the competition for spots among Malaysian undergrads will likely be tough, with selection based on a combination of personal achievements, leadership experiences, communication skills and overall academic record.

The Academy states; “we are looking for candidates who have demonstrated strong leadership potential, personal drive, and a passion and energy for making a difference in our community and country. It does not matter what field you are currently studying (law, engineering, accounting, interior design, etc) as we are interested in your leadership potential, strong sense of achievement, and track record of wanting to be a leader and making a change.”Consisting of a mix of one-day workshops, lectures and coaching sessions delivered by a range of leaders – this year including Leo Chon, an analyst in energy insights with McKinsey in Singapore, and Shi Khai, a McKinseyite with a background in biology and the start-up community – the 12-week immersive programme features at its centre a group project in the field of social entrepreneurship. Notable past projects have ranged from paper-recycling initiatives to organ-donation drives.

And the social entrepreneurship focus of the Academy programme has in turn inspired its graduate future leaders. “Before YLA, I didn’t think I had it in me, now I’m determined to make a difference,” said 2013 alumna Nurul Amalina Che Ariffin, who has since founded a youth leadership platform Chili Padi Academy and followed her passion by training at a law firm for human rights. “More than anything, YLA gave me the confidence to believe in myself,” she adds.

Li-Kai Chen, Partner with McKinsey in Malaysia, agrees with the sentiment that the programme can deliver broader benefits to the community beyond simply the corporate. “Whether you’re talking about a company or a country, we know from our work with clients that leadership capability is really important to unlocking performance improvement,” she said. “We are helping to develop leadership capability for the countries in which we work, and we are continuously inspired by these passionate youth leaders.”