Active Chartered Financial Planners is encouraging successful students to stay in the region by welcoming a new member to its client support team.
Middlesbrough-based Jessica Armstrong has previously worked at EE as a customer service advisor, where she helped clients with a wide variety of complex issues, before making the switch to studying for a degree in Business Management at Teesside University Business School.
Jessica joined Active Chartered Financial Planners as a client support officer in July 2019, following a six-month long project with Karl Pemberton through her Teesside University Business School Course.
Suzanne Withrington, Principal Lecturer in Enterprise and Business Engagement, from Teesside University Business School, said: “Jessica, is an excellent student and it was a natural match to put her forward for the mentoring initiative at Active.”
Jessica said: “Suzanne prepared the module which focused on practical experience and enabled me to work with businesses across the north east region.
“During the module I worked closely with Karl and conducted research on how to attract millennials within the financial sector. Speaking to employees at Active and gaining a greater understanding about what the business does I became very interested in the role and when Karl offered me employment I jumped at the chance.”
“My final dissertation is about workplace well-being, so I know working at a company where staff well-being is so important will really help me with my studies.”
Karl Pemberton said: “As a client support officer, Jess will work closely with Active’s advisers and financial planners, helping to build those invaluable client relationships we’re known for.
“She stood out in her group at Teesside University Business School and I was keen to support her in her further studies and professional career.
“Retaining great students in our area is paramount to our region’s success, so to add her to the team at Active will further strengthen our future”.
Having completed two years of her studies for a degree in Business Management at Teesside University Business School, Jessica will continue working at Active throughout the final year of her studies, gaining real life business experience to add to the great theory being taught in the lecture rooms.