CISI, Fitch Learning Launch Scheme To Improve Students’ Socio-Economic Diversity In Financial Services
By Sulaimon Salau
The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) and Fitch Learning have announced their inaugural Financial Services Career Accelerator education programme.
The programme aims to support the profession to find future apprentices from a broad diverse range of young people and provide a gateway to those for whom financial services careers may be seen as inaccessible or excluding.
From January 2023 and again in April 2023, 30 NEET (Not in Employment Education or Training) students will embark on a free, 10-week bootcamp, combining the CISI Level 2 Award in Fundamentals of Financial Services with Fitch Learning skills employability training.
The programme’s target is that over 50% of students will proceed to undertake apprenticeships with Fitch Learning client firms, where they will receive structured Apprentice Learning programmes from Fitch Learning.
In addition, to celebrate and recognise the success of those applicants who undertake the Fitch Apprenticeship and go on to complete their CISI qualifications, Fitch will support their CISI professional body membership. This ensures that these students can publicly demonstrate their achievements to peers, employers and clients through their designatory letters, and to confirm the programme has ongoing and lasting learning support.
The first student cohort will take place in London state secondary schools and colleges, before then extending into other areas of England.
In line with CISI’s charitable objectives, the new programme is designed to provide students with the necessary skills base, knowledge and confidence to apply for apprenticeships irrespective of their backgrounds or any other characteristic. The programme will provide a safe, encouraging and open space for young people who are not in work, education or training to start a career in financial services. It will also open-up different pathways to financial services for underrepresented young talent.
CISI Chief Executive, Tracy Vegro, said: “I am delighted CISI and our partner Fitch Learning have initiated this important programme which should provide students with core training and support, in addition to the opportunity of gaining employment in the exciting and important financial services sector.
“We hope this will be a breakthrough programme to support socio-economic diversity and will provide a gateway for the next generation of young financial services professionals.”
