Today, CISI has, in conjunction with Fitch Learning, announced their inaugural Financial Services Career Accelerator education programme.
According to CISI, 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.
Tracy Vegro, CISI Chief Executive, 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.”
Andreas Karaiskos, CEO of Fitch Learning said: “Our intent and aspiration are to use the power of education to widen the participation in Financial Services. We are pleased to build on our strong relationships with the leading employers in the sector, and our trusted partnership with the CISI to be able to deliver what we hope will be a transformational programme for participants.”
