Monmouthshire Building Society (MBS) has launched a programme designed to break down barriers to careers in financial services.
The MBS Community Academy will offer up to six paid entry-level placements for a duration of 12 months, providing candidates with the necessary skills and knowledge to kickstart their careers.
At the end of the placement candidates will have the opportunity to apply for any permanent roles available at the Society.
The academy will be open to anyone aged over 16, with no upper age limit. The Society has also removed any requirement to have a minimum of five GCSEs to apply and will support potential applicants all the way through the process.
Beverley Flood, Head of People at Monmouthshire Building Society, said:
“We’re committed to building a thriving workforce that is representative of our communities. However, we often find it hard to connect with the talent we know is out there.
“People in our communities have told us they don’t feel financial services is for people like them, they don’t have the qualifications needed to apply, or that the application process is too complicated. We’ve listened to that feedback, and we’ve created our MBS Community Academy to tackle these challenges head-on. We are embracing the opportunity to break down those real and perceived barriers people face when they are trying to find employment.”
Chief Operating Officer, Dawn Gunter, added:
“The MBS Community Academy is a fantastic initiative that will deliver on several of our strategic commitments, supporting inclusion across our communities, as well as bringing to life our core purpose of helping members, communities and colleagues to thrive.”
The Society will be hosting two open days on Saturday 3 and 31 August, 10am to 3pm, where anyone interested can pop along to the Society’s branch on John Frost Square in Newport. Potential applicants will have the opportunity to meet the recruiting teams and have an informal conversation. There will be no formal interviews or long application process, candidates will be assessed through other methods.
Rusna Begum, CEO of inclusion charity KidCare4U, runs the community events at Pill Millennium Centre in Newport. She said:
“This is an innovative programme from MBS that is showcasing there are alternative pathways into employment with real career prospects outside of the academic route. I’m excited to support and promote the opportunities available in our communities and look forward to welcoming the MBS team back to Pill Millennium.”
The MBS Community Academy will officially open for expressions of interest from 13 July 2024 until 1 September 2024 with the academy colleagues expected to join the Society from September 2024 to September 2025.
Candidates can also register their interest in the Academy by visiting monbs.com/careers or email academy@monbs.com
