Liver Birds land at the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment event in Liverpool supporting employability for finance industry’s next generation of talent

By Lora Benson | Jul 06, 2015
Students taking Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) qualifications from schools and colleges across Liverpool will gather in the iconic Royal Liver Building on the Liverpool waterfront this week to take part in an inaugural Career in Investment Management Insight Conference.

The two-day event, hosted by Tilney Bestinvest and organised by the CISI and the Liverpool & North Wales CISI committee, includes a “Liver Bird’s Den” session, (as opposed to Dragon’s Den!) where local leading practitioners - “Liver Birds” - will judge the student’s investment pitches.

The conference, which includes opportunities to learn more about the industry, meet practitioners and develop in-demand employability skills, is the culmination of a work experience week for 25 students, most of whom will have spent the previous three days following a comprehensive work experience programme in one of five Liverpool investment firms - Blankstone Sington, Investec Limited, Pershing Limited, Tilney Bestinvest and Wealth at Work.

Even more representatives from local firms are involved in the conference, alongside those offering students work experience - Quilter Cheviot Investment Management, Rathbone Brothers PLC, SL Investment Limited, Barclays Lifeskills and Marshall Moore - Financial Services recruitment company. Andy Bounds, a networking and communications guru and author of the Jelly Effect, will also be giving the students the low down on how to make their communications stick!

Students attending from King David High School, St John Bosco Arts College, Calderstones School and North Liverpool Academy take their CISI qualifications through Liverpool City Council’s Liverpool Learning Partnership CISI - sponsored programme delivered through Archbishop Beck Catholic Sports College. Students attending from Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School study CISI qualifications as part of their Economics A level and students from The Liverpool Blue Coat School are interested in finding out more about a career in the industry.

Dirk Strontschak, CISI Liverpool Committee President said: “I’m delighted that the CISI is investing in the young people of our region, which will enable them to gain practical experience and a professional qualification, giving the students the chance to stand out from the crowd when they want to enter the job market after completing their studies.”

James Charlton, CISI Liverpool Committee Education Secretary & VP said: “The Institute has invested greatly in the region’s education programme over the last few years, providing 6th form students with the opportunity to study CISI examinations. This year, the region’s firms are providing quality work experience placements for students in order to give them a greater understanding of how our firms operate and how day-to-day business activity links in with the subject material.

“The insight conference will put emphasis on the important practical skills needed for a career in financial services, and we are immensely proud to support the development of the region’s next generation of talented investment professionals as we look to ensure that Liverpool cements its status as the UK’s second city of wealth management."