Fintech company Seopa Ltd, parent company of financial comparison platform Quotezone.co.uk, has announced the return of its highly sought-after scholarship programme for higher education students, an initiative that has been specifically designed to help foster greater diversity in the fintech sector here in England.
The aim of the scholarship is to encourage students from outside the world of fintech to explore what it could potentially offer them as a career and enter a short but insightful blog post on what the next generation see as the future of fintech. The industry is facing a very serious talent shortage which is a growing concern across the sector. This scholarship hopes to attract a diverse range of students from across the academic syllabus, who may never before have considered this path as a viable option.
Data from a wide range of research firms and government agencies, including the Department for Education, suggests the talent shortage is the single biggest concern for senior leaders in the financial services industry. PwC’s Global Fintech Report found 42% of both financial services (FS) and Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) organisations are struggling to fill roles.
British fintech firms continue to entice lucrative international investment, having just hit the multibillion-pound peak of investor interest in July 2021. There are now 13 UK cities with at least 10 fintech companies, estimated to employ nearly 53,000 people, with Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Cambridge, Brighton, Oxford and Newcastle all on the Global Fintech Rankings.
Seopa’s approach to fostering greater diversity in its sector has been hailed by politicians, academics and business leaders across the UK. Stuart Harrison from FinTech West comments: “At FinTech West we work closely with the region’s universities and colleges to help increase talent and job opportunities within the local FinTech ecosystem. We are always looking at new ways to enhance this which is why we’re delighted to see and support initiatives such as the Quotezone Fintech Scholarship, particularly as it encourages diversity and opportunity in the sector. It would be great to see more programmes like this across the country.”
Greg Wilson, the fintech entrepreneur behind comparison site Quotezone.co.uk, had this to say about the company’s new Quotezone Fintech Scholarship: “Talented graduates are the lifeblood of the fintech sector and in our experience, teams that are more diverse tend to perform better and create more sustainable growth for the business.
“The financial sector is being reinvented and we need aspiring students to think outside the box and drive innovation forward. The list of contributions made to fintech by those with non-traditional backgrounds is extensive and the main driver behind the disruptive nature of fintech which has been so pivotal in embracing change.
“We want this scholarship to be a trigger that opens minds and shows talented young English students where they could be in 5 years’ time.”
Quotezone.co.uk’s parent company, Seopa, renowned for its pioneering comparison technology, was founded by entrepreneur, Greg Wilson in 2003 and has now grown to more than 50 team members spread across two European offices.
The company has been recognised with six Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards, and has been awarded a Deloitte Best Managed Company Award each year for the past three years – topped by the Gold Standard Deloitte Award for Best Managed Company in 2020 – making it four consecutive wins.
Quotezone.co.uk helps around 3 million users every year, with over 400 insurance brands across 60 different insurance and personal finance products – recommended by 97% of reviewers on Reviews.co.uk.
The deadline to apply for Quotezone.co.uk’s Fintech Scholarship is 31st December 2021, full details of how to apply are available here: Quotezone Fintech Scholarship. The successful candidate will receive a £1,000 bursary which can be used to cover part of the cost of their studies, course materials or any other living expenses. Each of the UK’s four regions will have their own individual winner.