Last week, 30 young people from Abraham Moss Community School in Cheetham Hill, St. Monica’s in Prestwich, St. James in Stockport and Levenshulme High School for Girls joined together for ‘StateTalking Finance’ at the Manchester offices of St James’s Place to take a deep dive into careers in finance. It was a unique opportunity for the pupils to see what a future in finance could truly look like for them and to hear from people who were once in their shoes.
The event was hosted by Tim Willis, North West Regional Director at St. James’s Place who introduced keynote speaker, Justin Onuewski, Chief Investment Officer who shared his journey from St Monica’s school to his current role.
Throughout the event, pupils also heard from Sarah Thomas and Joanna Taylor, both of St. James’s Place who shared practical advice on carving a path in finance and the range of options available. Efua Uke from Castlefield Investments brought the human side of finance into focus, sharing her experience of building client relationships, and proving that finance isn’t just about numbers but also about people and trust.
In an interactive Q&A session, young apprentices—Hamza, Aimee, Toby answered questions about apprenticeships, shedding light on an alternative route into the industry and opening up new possibilities for those who might be unsure about traditional paths.
The day ended with a session led by Josh Ellick, Immersive Technology Manager, who introduced students to the future of finance through virtual reality and gave them a unique opportunity to experience a finance client meeting with VR headsets, giving a glimpse into how technology is shaping the finance industry.
This event is part of our series of StateTalking Events, each designed to give young people from state schools a deep dive into different sectors. We believe that taking students out of their familiar settings and into real workplaces gives them a raw, authentic insight into what lies beyond school. For these 30 students, finance is no longer an abstract idea but a field they can see themselves in.
