Did you choose to do your course with a job role in mind?

I came to university without a clear idea of what I wanted to do afterwards. At A Level I studied Maths, Economics and Geography, and while I found them okay, I kept thinking back to how much I’d enjoyed Business at GCSE. It was one of my favourite subjects, and I always wished I’d taken it further. Choosing a Business Management course felt like a good way to build a strong foundation and study something I genuinely enjoyed.

What did you receive from your course that benefits your chosen area of work now?

During my course we did a lot of student facing work and plenty of presentations. Speaking in front of the class really helped me build confidence, and that’s carried directly into my job now. I talk to clients every day, so being comfortable communicating clearly, presenting information, and not overthinking it has been a huge benefit.

I’m currently a Client Services Associate at Schroders Personal Wealth. I support the Advisors by booking meetings, preparing documents, and sending information to clients. When clients call with a query and their Advisor isn’t available, I help figure out what they need and reassure them. Many of them have significant investments with us, so being able to communicate calmly and clearly is really important. There’s a lot of people-facing work and acting as the middleman to keep everything running smoothly.

Before this role, I worked as a Duty Manager at Premier Inn while studying at Leeds Beckett. That job also helped me develop strong communication skills, but I knew it wasn’t something I wanted to do long term. I even considered training as a Hotel Manager, but quickly realised the long hours and intensity weren’t right for me. Still, speaking to over 200 guests a day definitely helped me learn how to handle professional conversations.

Then I got a call from the Beckett Careers team about the upcoming FinTech programme. I was a bit sceptical at first, but I thought, why not? It could open doors and give me skills that would be really valuable for my future — and it did.

Did you know anything about FinTech already?

I’d covered a little bit of FinTech on my course, but really my understanding was pretty limited. What really helped was how the programme opened my eyes to the huge range of roles within the financial technology sector. I’m not a very technical person — I’m much more people focused — but I ended up discovering a role I didn’t even know existed in this space, and it’s something I genuinely enjoy.

What's the FinTech Graduate Development Programme like to do?

The programme was great. We met once a week for a mix of teaching sessions and career development workshops. Each week we’d learn about a different area of FinTech and then explore how it applied to real life situations and potential job roles. For example, we covered wealth management — which is the area I eventually went into — and then looked at the different roles available within that sector.

It really gave me a push to explore what was out there and encouraged us to start applying for jobs. It made the whole process feel much more achievable.

What were the speakers like on the course and were there any topics that stood out to you?

Silas was one of our trainers from FinTech North, and he was fantastic. His presentations were engaging, easy to follow, and genuinely interesting. He had a great way of keeping everyone focused, and you could tell he really cared about what he was teaching. That made a huge difference — it helped me stay motivated and think, “yes, this is something I want to pursue". It gave me a solid knowledge base for the next step in my career.

Overall, I found the course brilliant — both informative and really flexible, which mattered because I was working at the time. There were moments when I had to step out for a bit or leave early, and they were completely understanding. They always made sure I had the information I’d missed and were genuinely supportive throughout. That level of care made the whole experience even better.

So, how did the programme help you get the job you have now? How did that work?

In the second week of the programme, we were encouraged to look for jobs in the areas that interested us. I came across a role that matched a lot of my skills and thought, why not apply? Even though we were only meant to be exploring options, I decided to send off an application anyway. That led to being invited to an assessment centre, and once I’d finished the course, the Beckett Careers team helped me prepare for the interview. I had a mock interview, which was incredibly helpful, and they also gave me access to practice assessment centres through GradCore. I even got to try out the Lloyds assessment centre format, which was the same style used in my real interview. The preparation made a huge difference. The job I have now genuinely came from being part of the FinTech programme.

Once I finish my six month probation as a Client Services Associate, I’ll start my Financial Planning exams. There are eight to complete initially, which usually take around two to two and a half years. After that, there are another three exams required by Schroders, focused on working with vulnerable clients. It’s a long journey to becoming a fully qualified Financial Advisor, but the company pays for the training, and I’m learning a lot along the way.

When I qualify, I’ll spend six to eight months shadowing an experienced Financial Advisor to understand how everything works in practice. It’s a heavily regulated sector, so there are plenty of boxes to tick, but I’m excited about the challenge.

What does the future look like for you now?

The future looks completely different now compared to before I joined the programme. There’s a lot of progression available within my company, and with all the training they provide, I know they’ll be happy to support me as I grow. I also have the flexibility of working from home, which gives me more freedom in terms of where I live. I only need to go into the office once a week, and the rest of the time I’m remote. I’m hoping to become a Financial Advisor within the next four years, and everything feels much more positive and achievable now. Things are looking good for the future.

What would your top tip be for improving employability skills for a future job?

My top tip is to make the most of the support available through Beckett Careers. They were incredibly helpful — from reviewing my CV to interview preparation and even having practice assessment centres to use. I joined the FinTech programme, but they offer loads of other courses that can help you build experience and strengthen your applications.

If you’re interested in FinTech specifically, completing a 6–8 week course looks great on your CV and shows employers you’re serious about the sector. And when it comes to interviews, preparation really is everything. Everyone says it, but it genuinely makes a huge difference. Stay focused, understand what the employer is looking for, read the job description carefully, and match your skills to their requirements.

The programme also gave me the confidence to actually apply for roles in the sector and commit to making it happen. By the end, I knew I wanted a job in FinTech, and the Beckett Careers team played a huge part in helping me secure my role with Schroders.

How to apply

If you’d like to register your interest to be involved in the FinTech Graduate Development Programme this March, please complete the Expression of Interest form and visit leedsbeckett.ac.uk/gradprogramme for more information. 

The deadline for #UGClassOf2025 registrations is Thursday 26 February 2026.