Aware that Risk Management and Compliance professionals in particular are in huge demand currently with the number of roles and progression opportunities rapidly increasing in the sector as whole (and experiencing a surge in demand for services in this area themselves) the firm launched the new trainee programme, initially focused in Compliance and Risk roles, offering a number of key benefits – including time off to work on socially responsible projects during the traineeship, as well as the choice of a cash bonus or a paid 4 week sabbatical on successful completion of the training period.

Joint Chairman Peter Mills commented, “Although the programme is not exclusively aimed at upcoming and recent graduates, we expected them to be the main applicants – looking for the first step on the ladder in this expanding area of financial services. This generation tends to value socially responsible and community minded organisations more highly when considering job roles so we used this as a key attraction of the campaign, as well as underpinning our existing commitment to CSR. We thought this, and the paid sabbatical, would be attractive to this segment of candidates. However, we actually saw a broad spectrum of candidates apply, from all age groups and wider backgrounds across financial services, who valued these particular benefits but also the opportunity to gain valuable skills, knowledge, qualifications and direct experience – on the job – in this booming area of financial services . Interest in the programme and recruitment has been so successful we are considering using this approach in other areas of talent development for the business”

The programme itself offers comprehensive on the job training, support, mentoring and a competitive salary and includes the following benefits:

• 3 year ‘on the job’ training programme focusing on the skills required for a successful career within Risk Management and Compliance Consulting and Advisory
• Support towards completion of a relevant professional qualifications
• Opportunity to take part in board and/or management shadowing, as well as being mentored by senior professionals within the space.
• Opportunity to undertake a secondment within client companies or across business functions
• Support in the completion of a professional research project to be delivered to the Board on completion
• Study support
• Up to 3 paid days (over the course of the programme) to engaged in community, volunteering or CSR activities
• Programme completion award – either cash bonus or paid sabbatical.

New trainee Blaine McDaid commented, “I am really excited to get to work and learn all I can from such respected experts in this field.”