Education

Schools and Colleges

Each school we work with has a relationship manager from our membership who facilitates and coordinates the Company's response to requests from the schools for example careers talks, business challenges, lectures etc.

We work with a number of partner charities in delivering certain of the programmes we are involved with. We have a longstanding relationship with the Brokerage Citylink and, for example, currently fund their Gateway to City Careers programme and support it by providing speakers. In 2020 the Company responded to a 2019 article in the Economist (which attributed some of the success of public school students with familiarity with debating) and with Debate Mate and the Southwark Schools Learning Partnership organises debating clubs and training for a number of state schools in South London for the annual Debate Mate competition. Our members also provide mentoring to teams from our relationship schools which have entered the Financial Services Group of Livery Companies' Sheriffs' Challenge.

The Company also runs an annual competition for London state schools in conjunction with one of our partner charities. This competition supports raising aspirations for young people in London as they consider their next step to university or other career path. Students in years 12 and 13 at London schools and colleges (collectively “schools”) are invited to submit a 1,000 word article, sometimes in the style of a newspaper feature, providing a balanced view on a topic chosen by the WCIB.

For a number of schools, our annual competition has become a regular feature of their autumn term. The number of schools participating varies from year to year but is typically around 20. Each school is asked to choose its own winner and runner-up and submit the winner’s entry to the WCIB judging panel, which selects an overall winner and runner-up.

Read about the Competition, Awards and Prizes

Universities and Business Schools

Members of the WCIB Education and Awards Working Group have developed relationships with 19 Business Schools to further the Company’s aims to encourage educational excellence and promote our profession.

Through these relationships the Company supports the Schools and students while interacting with the administrators, professors and students.

The Company is working to broaden and make these relationships with the Schools more inter-active between WCIB Members students and professors. Involvement ranges from Members providing expert knowledge as speakers, through competition judging and career counselling, to providing guidance to professors and administrators in how to relate to relate effectively to the financial community and the City. Members have arranged for many students to meet employees in City institutions. One example of deeper involvement with a School was where the WCIB worked with the student-led Finance Society to support a conference at that School with four Members of the Company's speakers. Both speakers and students enjoyed the experience and learnt from each other.

Read about the WCIB Lombard Prize