A graduate programme helping to develop and retain industry professionals and future leaders in Wales’ financial services sector is being extended following a £1m EU funding boost.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
The funding will extend the Wales Financial Services Graduate Programme to 2019 and support a career development programme involving some of Wales’ leading financial services companies such as Admiral, Atradius, GM Financial and Principality.
The programme is offering graduate placement opportunities in areas including underwriting, investment management, product development and accounting alongside a fully-funded Masters degree in Financial Services Management.
Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said:
“This is an excellent programme that is strengthening a key industry while helping to retain ambitious young people in Wales and attract talent to our financial sector.
“I’m delighted that a further £1m of EU funding is supporting this extension and helping to fund more opportunities for young people to develop successful and rewarding careers in Wales. This is another example which demonstrates how important EU funding is to Wales and reaffirms our case for replacement funding from UK sources after 2020 to help boost the Welsh economy.”
The extension to the programme has also been funded by a £1.4m investment from the participating companies within the Welsh financial services industry.
Sandra Busby, Managing Director of the Welsh Financial Services Forum which leads the Programme said:
“Wales competes against the rest of the world for the top talent in the financial and professional services field and the Welsh Financial Services Graduate Programme has been a key tool in retaining and attracting graduates to Wales, giving them a real taste of how they can build a rewarding career in this field.
“Graduates from Wales and across the globe are undertaking this programme, gaining on-the-job experience at leading organisations while studying towards an MSc in Financial Services Management and then progressing to permanent roles within the sector here in Wales. This has given real evidence that the scheme works and it’s a bold and progressive statement for the Welsh economy that it’s being extended for a further two years thanks to additional EU funding.”