Member Article

AJ Bell launches apprenticeship scheme

Manchester-headquartered AJ Bell, one of the UK’s fastest-growing online investment platforms, has launched a new apprenticeship scheme as it looks to develop the next generation of talent in the company. The first intake sees nine young people from across the north west begin their training at the company’s new HQ in Salford Quays. They have enrolled on a two-year bespoke course leading to a professional qualification from the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment. All nine have completed their A-levels but wanted to work and train as an alternative to university. They are: • Tobias Hill, 18, who has joined from Manchester Grammar School; • Daniel Eachus and Nathan Doyle, both 19, and Ryan Meredith, 20, from Cardinal Langley RC High School in Middleton; • Ben Eastham, 18, from Xaverian College, Manchester; • Adam Haydock, 18, from Runshaw College, Leyland; • Bethany Cassell, 18, from Oldham Sixth Form College; • Max Maudsley, 18, from Holy Cross College, Bury; • Charlie Yates, 19, from Eaton Bank Academy, Congleton. AJ Bell, which provides online pension, investment and stockbroking services to more than 155,000 customers in the UK, has teamed up with training provider Kaplan to deliver the apprenticeship programme. The training will incorporate critical skills including building customer relationships and communication, alongside technical knowledge of financial products such as self-invested personal pensions and individual savings accounts. The group will spend time in various client services teams, including those focused on investments and new business, and will work towards obtaining the CISI’s Investment Operations Certificate. Andy Bell, the company’s chief executive, said: “We’re very excited to launch our first apprenticeship programme. “It underlines our commitment to recruiting highly-motivated young people from the local area. We look forward to helping our first intake to develop successful careers within the business. “The bespoke training will be delivered by our own experts and other technical specialists, and each apprentice has been assigned a mentor to support them throughout their training.” AJ Bell has recruited apprentices in the past but never on this scale. One, Lauren Morgan, started 10 years ago at the age of 17 and is now the benefits and pension payroll manager. AJ Bell is growing rapidly, with profit before tax increasing 27 per cent in the first six months of this financial year (October 1 2016 to March 31 2017). It now looks after £36.3bn of investments for 155,000 customers in the UK through a combination of online pensions, individual savings accounts (ISAs) and dealing accounts. The company employs 650 people, of whom more than 500 are based at its 93,000sq ft headquarters at Exchange Quay, which opened earlier this year. The photograph shows, back row L-R: Tobias Hill, Ryan Meredith, AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould, chief executive Andy Bell, Bethany Cassell, Charlie Yates, Max Maudsley. Front row, L-R: Ben Eastham, Adam Haydock, Daniel Eachus and Nathan Doyle.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by AJ Bell .