China Development Financial (CDF) organized a career development workshop in collaboration with the College of Commerce of National Chengchi University (NCCU) in early summer, just before the graduation season. KGI Bank Chairman Mark Wei, workplace writer and graphic artist Mark Lee, and Bleu&Book founder Tsai Jui-shan were invited to a panel discussion to share their dreams and success stories to the soon-to-be college graduates. Mark Wei talked about his football dream, which was incepted when he was ten, and now, at the age of sixty, he is about to realize that dream. The common advice that the three guest speakers gave students, in the hope of helping them develop their careers, is to read avidly so that they will be able to cope with frustrations in life, and come up with effective solutions, because the lessons learned from failures and setbacks will be the foundation for their future success.
Chairman Mark Wei said he had seventeen jobs in the last thirty-six years. As a veteran of the job market, he encouraged students to embrace changes in their lives because that’s where opportunity presents itself, and hiding one’s weaknesses is a very important survival tip in the workplace. As a new entrant to the market, one must be able to hide his or her weaknesses, and learn quickly before the chance to shine arrives. Speaking of his dream, the chairman said he began playing football when he was ten, and he was a member of an amateur football team. As such, he would very much like to support Taiwanese football players who want to pursue a career as a professional athlete. KGI Bank will establish a philanthropic trust fund for Mr. Chen Bo-liang, the captain of Taiwan’s national football team, to help discover and train local players. The chairman also invited a few like-minded friends to sponsor the Football Dream Come True program, hoping to promote the sport at the grass-roots level in Taiwan. By helping more children participate in the sport, the chairman has fulfilled his five decade-old football dream.
Mr. Tsai Wei-chi, Dean of the NCCU College of Commerce, said that CDF and its subsidiaries have been supporting the curriculum of the college, and that workshops that combine academic study and industry knowledge are very helpful for students’ academic pursuits and career development. The dean also noted that the three guest speakers are from different industries, and yet they share the common qualities of not restraining themselves in a specific area and being open to cross-disciplinary and diversified ideas, and this is what NCCU students should try to equip themselves with in future studies and jobs.
Workplace writer and graphic artist Mark Lee spoke on the topic of inspiring yourself. He suggested students seek breakthroughs and maintain positive thinking in the face of adversity, and turn setbacks in life into power that propels them forward. Passion, he said, is the most important thing to have in the pursuit of dreams, and only passion will help people get through all the suffering and tears along the way. Lee said he was over NT$10million in debt when he was thirty, and his values and personal beliefs fell apart all of a sudden because of that. However, it was at that time that he created the comic figure Mark, which made him the famous writer and artist that he is now. With his customary humor, he told students that eight or nine out of ten things in life won’t go your way, and the remaining one or two is even worse, but that’s when you learn your lesson and prepare yourself for future success.
Bleu&Book founder Tsai Jui-shan recommended students to think outside the box and try to connect different ideas in the face of a challenge, as this will help them turn a crisis into an opportunity. Like the KGI Bank chairman, Ms. Tsai has a lot of work experience. She used to work as a TV show producer, show host, professional model and writer, and now she’s the owner of an independent bookstore. She’s nothing like a conventional bookstore owner, and she suggested students to read broadly because reading can inspire people and even help them find their future paths in life.