Major financial companies such as Barclays and Hastings Direct are offering new graduate opportunities for young Brits hoping to gain experience within the financial sector.
Graduate training programmes at Hastings Direct
In association with the University of Brighton -which will also covers Sussex University, ‘The Hastings Way Forward Graduate Scheme’ will offer candidates a fixed term graduate job contract for £17,000.
Graduates will be trained around different parts of the insurance business including all the core product areas as well as more general business training in HR, marketing, claims, underwriting, fraud, IT and finance.
At the moment, the programme has places for 15 graduates. Applications will take place in August 2012 with a view to successful candidates beginning work in September 2012. According to Hastings Direct, full time permanent positions will be offered to candidates prior to the end of the contract, depending on their performance and assessment.
"As a company we are committed to identifying and nurturing talent and I am delighted we can now extend this commitment to undergraduates. We are one of the biggest employers along our part of the South Coast and have nearly doubled in size in the last 18 months,” said Amanda Menahem, HR Director at Hastings Direct.
Apprenticeships at Barclays
Through a major programme which is launching in April, the high street bank is to launch 1,000 new apprenticeships aiming to give unemployed graduates the chance to build careers in the financial services industry.
Candidates taking place in those programmes will receive 12 months training, support and progress to a permanent position. Apprentices will work to achieve a competency qualification in Financial Services similar to an NVQ, a BTEC Award in Customer Service, and qualifications in numeracy and literacy.
Apprenticeships will be located across Barclays UK Retail and the Business Banking division in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sunderland, Birmingham, London, Northampton and Coventry.
Graduate jobs within the financial industry offer good work and pay conditions, have you ever considered developing your career within this sector?