Fast growing Leeds-based Financial Planning and professional services group Progeny welcomed nine students to its first summer personal finance school held last week for 16-to-18 year olds. 

The company, which has acquired many Financial Planning firms recently, said the initiative was aimed at giving students an insight into roles in the financial services sector to help with future career choices. 

Students took part in sessions on cyber crime, PR and marketing and were also able to film their own showreel in Progeny’s in-house video studio.

The Summer School programme ran from 1 to 5 August and hosted nine young people. Most were students from the Leeds area, although one came from as far as Bedfordshire to take advantage of the opportunity. 

Progeny head of advice quality Sarika Dhanjal said: “Financial services is still a sector that many people fall into, rather than it being a structured career choice. Our first summer school is one of a number of initiatives we are working on to help change that. 

“Many of our delegates initially thought financial services was all about banking or working in the city and I feel that we’ve helped to open up their eyes and brought to life the many opportunities within our sector. Everyone involved at Progeny was extremely impressed by how confident, enquiring and open-minded our delegates were and I’ve had great feedback from the group about the value they obtained from their week with us.”

Summer school student Jessica Townsend said: “Progeny summer school was an amazing experience - it was a really friendly environment and has truly inspired me down the financial services path.”

Student Joseph Sanderson said: “The summer school was a great insight into the real financial sector, which isn't really taught in schools. I never had a strong idea about what I really wanted to do with my career, however after taking part in their summer school, Progeny gave me options and opportunities that I didn't even know existed and I have a solid plan in my head that I am going to follow.”

Sarika Dhanjal said this year the summer school focused on Financial Planning but the plan is to include Progeny’s asset management and legal and tax teams in future. 

In July Progeny Group acquired Edinburgh-based Chartered Financial Planners Balmoral Asset Management to expand its presence in Scotland, boosting total AUM to more than £6.5bn.  In June Progeny agreed to acquire The Fry Group for an undisclosed sum. In May it acquired Hampshire-based Financial Planning firm Coll Perkins and in February it acquired Chartered Financial Planning firm RU Group, adding £3bn in assets under management. 

US-based private equity firm Further Global Capital Management acquired a majority stake in the five-year-old Progeny business in October, to accelerate the Financial Planning firm’s expansion. Both management and Progeny’s existing capital partner, LSG Holdings, remain significant shareholders in the company.

• Progeny announced recently it would welcome six new associate planners to join the September intake to its Progeny Adviser Academy. The three-year course will result in Chartered status.