eFinancialCareers

Education, education, education. The skills shortage in the Scottish financial services market has prompted action at a grass roots level, and its targets are getting younger.

The Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland (CIOBS) offers a Certificate in Financial Services in schools, which looks to fast-track pupils into a financial career and is now on its second intake of students.

The class of 2006 were the guinea pigs, but last year the course was streamlined – 75 students signed up – and it aims to attract pupils with a clear interest in working in financial services.

“We as an institution understand that there are a large number of jobs and not necessarily the people to fill them,” says Sharon Allen, business development manager at CIOBS. “We’re giving banks assistance at an entry level, and once the students have a foot in the door we then hope they can be sponsored by the bank for further training.”

The course is aimed at fifth and sixth year students, and they can choose from mudules on credit unions, banking practice, marketing, accounting, economics, team development and introduction to financial services.

There are also plans to launch the Scottish Investment Operations Diploma, which is no doubt a response to Scotland’s growing status as a centre for back-office functions.

Bankers are also travelling around Scottish schools in an attempt to convince pupils of the joys of pursuing a financial services career.

However, Standard Life is making a push to develop financial nous in Scotland even earlier in life. At this year’s Scottish Financial Enterprise Innovation Awards, it picked up the prize for ‘innovation in corporate citizenship’ for its On the Money series of books aimed at primary schools.

The books include a story about budding entrepreneurs trying to raise money for toilets in Africa and a lesson in frugality called ‘Funny Money’, in which kids are taught that you don’t need to spend money to have a good time.

Could this be the start of a series of more advanced stories, such as ‘Jack and the Giant Credit Crunch’ or ‘Pinocchio – A Lesson in Financial Sales’? Maybe not…