It’s just working in a bank, right?
To many young people, a career in finance has been presented as a standard, uninspired, yet practical path to follow. But in reality, working within the industry is rewarding, varied and ever changing – it’s an industry that moves and adapts with the times.
Guernsey has maintained its reputation as the world’s leading centre for non-US and international captive insurance. As such, we are lucky to have a whole range of finance-based careers available to those entering the workplace, including jobs in investment funds, investment management, trust, pensions and insurance.
Guernsey presents a unique opportunity for young people to thrive within the finance industry, and subsequently progress quickly – it’s a fruitful career with boundless opportunities. In such a tight employment market, finance companies work to retain a good team.
Consequently, local junior starters in all areas of the industry are welcomed onto teams where training and benefits are prioritised.
The nature of corporate incentives has changed too. As well as talented graduates being fast-tracked to managerial positions at a relatively young age, Guernsey offers those with a keen interest in the environment to often work with green investors.
Pioneering corporate sustainability has never been more important due to the climate crisis. However, young people are used to living in a world where being eco-conscious is essential, and are therefore driven to jobs where a company & environmental footprint has been taken into consideration by the company themselves – which is where green finance comes in as a new incentive.
Green finance is any structured financial activity, be that a product or service, that has been created to ensure a better environmental outcome. For example, typical projects that fall under the green finance umbrella include managing renewable energy and energy efficiency, pollution prevention and control, biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources and land.
Guernsey prides itself on its financial industry, being the jurisdiction of choice for a vast variety of sectors for more than 50 years due to the high level of experienced service providers.
Having a reputation for being this dominant, it’s arguably the largest contributor to island GDP, and still continues to grow and expand.
As such, Guernsey’s finance industry has looked to increase presence and awareness in emerging markets globally, such as India and Asia. This is an attractive aspect – greater knowledge of Guernsey’s own strengths in the industry leads to geographical collaborations and innovation. It’s the place to be for future development.
With all these factors considered, it’s evident there’s a lot more to the finance industry than young people might think. Being a versatile sector, new starters have the power to influence the areas they work. Sustainable, innovative and fresh outlooks are incredibly desirable for employers – so while finance could involve working in a bank for some, there’s so much more beyond that bank – what it’s built on, who it attracts and what it might do next.
