Brightstar launches programme to encourage women into financial services careers

The scheme is being run through its adviser business, Sirius Property Finance, which will host a ‘Women into Finance’ day on 12 July in partnership with MT Finance.

A programme of events will be held at the London-based brokerage, with 12 sixth form students from Debden High School in Essex who are interested in a financial services career taking part. They will be able to spend time in a variety of different areas with the Sirius business, including with brokers, case managers, the marketing and relationship teams. 

The students will then be invited to apply for a fictional job role, and be interviewed by managers within the business, with feedback then provided on how they performed.

The ‘Women into Finance’ scheme follows the Sirius Academy and Young Learners Programme, which delivers an in-house training and CeMAP programme. The first two academy members ‘graduated’ into financial adviser roles at the firm last year.

Leoni Alexandrou (pictured), head of operations at Sirius Property Finance, said: “We already have shining examples of young people who have come to Sirius for work experience placements, some of whom have gone onto take full time roles with us. We are so proud of our youth team and what they have achieved and we believe that they serve as fantastic role models to other young people looking to join our business and the industry.”

Clare Jupp, group director of people development, added that the scheme was evidence of the action needed to improve the representation of women in financial services, as well as to help build the next generation of the industry.

She continued: “Opening the doors to the working office is the obvious way to give young people a real taste of what it means to work in this fantastic industry. These young women will be led in a variety of sessions by women of our business and also from MT Finance. We believe that these women have inspirational stories and journeys to share as well as knowledge and expertise. We believe that this is a winning strategy.”