As someone who started their financial career in the 1990s, I can safely say that a lot has changed since then.
For me, one of the most noticeable changes has been the increase in the number of women in the industry. This takes a variety of forms, from women leading teams to a growing number of forums and networks set up to offer guidance and support.
While this is undoubtedly encouraging, and progress has definitely been made, there is still more to do. Like the changes seen in women’s sport, if we want to create meaningful and sustained changes in our industry then we have to invest at a grass-roots level. While students and graduates are more than likely to be aware of career options in mainstream financial institutions, they may not be as knowledgeable when it comes to specialist finance. I believe that we all have a role to play when it comes to informing young women of the options available to them.
I was particularly thrilled when some of my colleagues at MT Finance worked with Brightstar last year on its inaugural Women into Finance event, which saw them take part in a series with students from Debden High School. Initiatives such as this are so important, particularly as they can often act as a catalyst for those who are still working out what career they want to pursue.
I am an advocate of the importance in offering work experience placements to students from a variety of different schools, colleges and universities, therefore helping to broaden the socio-economic background of those entering the industry. We need to consider how we make these placements as informative as possible. At MT Finance, we split a student’s time between different departments, allowing them to work out which areas they are most interested in.
Giving women access to someone who can advise and act as a mentor is another way in which we can support women looking to kickstart, restart or advance their careers.
However, we shouldn’t assume our main challenge is simply getting women into the industry. We also need to ensure they are given the same opportunities as men when it comes to progression. At MT Finance, we signed the Women in Finance Charter back in 2018 which has allowed the business to not only set goals to increase gender equality but also hold itself accountable. As of October 2022, we have hit a number of ambitious targets, including maintaining 50% of women in senior management positions and adding two female candidates to our board of directors. This makes for very encouraging reading and I’m looking forward to seeing more companies reporting similar figures.
Are you a woman in the financial services industry keen to get your voice heard? Contact press@medianett.co.uk — we would love to chat!
