Northern Ireland students are being encouraged to explore career opportunities in the world of fintech, after the UK Government identified the sector as a key area for future economic growth.
According to reports, the UK is at the forefront of the global fintech industry and is the top-ranking fintech investment destination in Europe; it’s home to an estimated 2,500 firms, employing 76,500 people, with this set to grow to 105,500 by 2030.
Now in its fifth year, the CompareNI.com fintech scholarship is designed to raise awareness of the wide range of career opportunities available within the sector.
Bronagh Cassidy, an economics student at Ulster University, won the 2024 scholarship, securing a £1,000 bursary to help support course materials, textbooks or living expenses.
Northern Ireland is recognised as a fintech hub, with the highest concentration of fintech employment in the UK, with one in five people working across the financial and tech sectors.
Entry-level pay in fintech is estimated to be 60% higher than the average graduate starting salary. In order to maintain the UK’s position as one of the leading hubs for innovation and growth in fintech, it is imperative that the sector is able to plug this talent gap by attracting the next generation of professionals.
CompareNI.com has now launched its fifth annual fintech scholarship. The initiative aims to encourage students who may never have considered a career in financial technology to research this flourishing sector and get excited about everything it has to offer.
Ian Wilson, CompareNI.com managing director, said: “Last year was another positive year for the fintech industry here in NI. Our own price comparison site saw an incredible surge in customers hunting for savings.
“With the cost of living still on the rise, it is important for consumers to continue to shop around and reduce their spending where they can.
“For our students currently studying, being happy in your workplace is incredibly important. I would recommend a career in fintech to any student in NI, given the wide range of options available, from marketing to coding to business management and client relations, plus the wealth of benefits and competitive salaries on offer.
“Fintech really is an industry that caters for students from all educational backgrounds, so no matter what or where you studied, it’s key to do some research and see what would interest you in this sector.
“Personally, I graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a Master of Engineering degree and have now gone on to build a fintech career that keeps me engaged and motivated every day.
“This scholarship could be the ideal first step to a career in fintech. I’d encourage anyone who’s even remotely curious to fill in our short online entry form. The winner will receive £1,000 to support their studies and the option to take part in some work experience here at CompareNI.”
The application process for the CompareNI.com fintech scholarship is simple. It consists of a short online form asking students for their thoughts on how the sector could improve recruitment and the issues they currently face.