Heriot-Watt and J.P. Morgan Pave New Paths for Graduate Apprenticeships
Heriot-Watt University is pleased to announce a new collaboration with partner J.P. Morgan with the recruitment of Graduate Apprentices (GAs) onto the Business Management for Financial Services programme. This initiative reflects both organisations' commitment to providing practical, career-oriented education that develops new talent within the financial services sector.
A lynchpin of the economy, Scotland's financial sector is the biggest sectoral contributor based on Gross Value Added (GVA) employing around 135,000 people. Despite the continual growth of the sector, recent statistics published in the Skills Action Plan by Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE), indicate the industry is facing a potential crisis in the next few years, with a growing demand for skills but a shrinking supply of talent. Allied to this, rapid change in the industry is leading to a rising demand for new skills such as data science and software development.
Graduate Apprenticeships (GAs) are a ground-breaking initiative, combining work-based and academic learning to create degree-qualified employees with the key skills needed by industry. They have been designed specifically to fill critical skills gaps in key growth sectors of the Scottish economy.
Professor Gillian Murray, Deputy Principal - Business and Enterprise at Heriot-Watt University, reflects on the partnership:
"Our collaboration with J.P. Morgan exemplifies our strategy to align education with industry needs. These new Graduate Apprenticeship positions will contribute significantly to mitigating the skills gap in Scotland's financial services industry, offering a direct pathway for students into highly skilled and in-demand roles."
Successful candidates for the newly established Graduate Apprenticeship (GA) positions at J.P. Morgan will benefit from a unique opportunity to 'earn while they learn', acquiring critical skills and knowledge that are highly sought after in today's market. Through a practical work-based learning approach, apprentices will immediately apply their newly acquired insights directly in their roles. Upon completing their coursework, they will be awarded a degree from Heriot-Watt University. The specialised program in Business Management: Financial Services includes modules like Financial Technology and Financial Regulation, specifically designed to meet the evolving needs of Scotland's Financial Services sector.
Addressing the specific skills gap, Lynne Lockier, EMEA Emerging Talent Vice President at J.P. Morgan, commented:
"Our new partnership with Heriot-Watt University Graduate Apprenticeships will directly answer the urgent call for generating new talent for Scotland's financial services sector. By fostering a close relationship between students' learning and their work, we're not only preparing them for the challenges of today but also for the innovations of tomorrow."
These new Graduate Apprenticeship positions will contribute significantly to mitigating the skills gap in Scotland's financial services industry
SFE’s Skills Action Plan also highlights other key skills gaps for data analysts and software developers. Heriot-Watt’s Data Science and Software Development for Business degrees are at the forefront of generating talent with these specific technical skills. Our Data Science programme immerses learners in essential skills such as statistical analysis, machine learning, and computational techniques, tailored to meet the specific demands of the industry. Similarly, our Software Development for Business degree prepares apprentices with the latest coding skills required by Fintech innovators, covering areas from blockchain technology to mobile platform development.
Financial Services organisations looking to tackle skills gaps can find out more about Graduate Apprenticeships here or get in touch ga@hw.ac.uk
Heriot-Watt is the first in Scotland for graduate employability and our graduates are first in the UK for CEO or MD roles (Novuna Business Cash Flow, 2023).