The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) and Fitch Learning have partnered to help more people from less privileged backgrounds enter financial services.

The two organisations have launched the inaugural Financial Services Career Accelerator education programme.

From January and again in April, 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 aims to find future apprentices for the profession from a “broad diverse range of young people” including those not in training or unemployed.

The aim is to provide a gateway to those who have seen a financial services career as inaccessible or excluding in the past.

The CISI has 40,000+ members working in financial services and is the professional body for Certified Financial Planners. Fitch Learning is the training arm of Fitch Group, a global company providing financial information services in more than 30 countries.

The programme’s target is that over 50% of students will proceed to undertake apprenticeships with Fitch Learning client firms. At firms they will undertake structured Apprentice Learning programmes from Fitch Learning.

For those applicants who undertake the Fitch Apprenticeship and go on to complete their CISI qualifications, Fitch will support their CISI professional body membership.

The first student cohort will take place in London state secondary schools and colleges, before being extended to other areas of England.

The CISI says it hopes the new programme will 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. 

• Further information on the programme email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.