Website Gives Direction to Youngsters

New portal gives young people the resources to progress into a rewarding career

With unemployment at record levels among 16 to 24 year olds, and a recent survey stating that many young people don’t feel they will ever land their dream job , a groundbreaking initiative is set for launch.

The Financial Skills Partnership (FSP) is launching Directions – a free online careers destination for young people to gain an insight into the financial sector and pursue career opportunities with leading organisations. Directions will enable ambitious young people to link to employers and work opportunities, and introduce them to a career in finance - one of the 21st century’s most popular sectors.

With growing numbers of people choosing not to go to university because of rising tuition fees, the portal has been created to inform young people about the alternative routes into a career. It will help them find out about opportunities in the sector, which includes everything from one day work experience through to full placements, apprenticeships, and school and college programmes. By taking part in these opportunities, they can begin to build a network of experience and contacts that will help them to enhance their job prospects.

Companies including HSBC, Aviva, Barclays, Nationwide and PricewaterhouseCoopers have signed up to Directions, giving input and advice from some of the major players in the industry.

Liz Field, CEO of the Financial Skills Partnership, said, “We know from first-hand experience and our strong relationships with careers advisers and teachers, that young people are confused as to where to start to find out about opportunities. Directions enables young people to obtain first-hand experience of the world of work in financial services, accountancy and finance. They get to access the opportunities that our sector can offer, understand the skills and behaviours that our industry wants, and build crucial relationships with their future employers.”

New media and interaction will be used to engage and inspire the users, with video case studies and content relevant to each stage of an individual’s career planning process. Directions provides expert job profiles for 70 careers in the financial sector, a showcase of work experience, school leaver and apprenticeship programmes, and a proactive interface where the portal keeps in contact with the user.

Liz continued, “We challenged our industry to open their doors wider, to provide access and entry points for a broader cohort of young people. Employers are responding with innovative vocational alternatives to university and experience of work initiatives. Directions provides them with an industry-wide mechanism to change the way that young people find out about, evaluate and access these opportunities – and can revolutionise the way that young talent identifies opportunities.”

She also added that a small business version will be developed over the forthcoming months.

ENDS

Case Studies

Case studies are available that show the benefits of relevant work experience in the financial sector. For more information, contact Flame PR on 0203 357 9743 or email fsp@flamepr.com

Notes to Editors and Journalists on the Financial Skills Partnership

‘FSP’ and the Financial Skills Partnership is the new name for the Financial Services Skills Council.
It is the skills champion for finance, accountancy and financial services organisations to provide employer leadership to address skills needs within our sector and galvanise employer ambition and investment in skills.
Their new name better describes the organisation’s partnership working approach with stakeholders and employers and is fundamental to their culture.
The Financial Skills Partnership (FSP) is a strategic, impartial, employer-led organisation which aims to support employers in developing and retaining a skilled workforce in finance, accountancy and financial services across the nations and regions of the UK. It acts as a link between industry, government and education. It is also a UK-wide sector skills council, licensed by the Government to articulate the employers’ voice on skills and develop innovative skills solutions.
The FSP covers the whole of the finance function including accountancy and finance, banking and building societies (wholesale and retail), financial planning, insurance, wealth, investment management and pensions.
All of these sectors have Sector Panels and there are also 3 nations panels. The purpose of these is to provide strategic direction regarding the future demand for skills and prioritising for the sector or nation.
The FSP's flagship product Directions is an online careers guide, with additional consultancy services aimed at informing people of the range of career options within the sector and helping employers attract diverse talent at all levels. For more details visit: www.financialskillspartnership.org.uk/directions
The FSP is one of a number of Sector Skills Councils. Visit www.financialskillspartnership.org.uk for more information. SSCs are key strategic partners in creating the conditions for increased investment in skills.
For further information or comment about these issues and the wider skills and employment brief please contact fsp@flamepr.com or call +44 (0) 203 357 9740.