Developing the next generation of investment professionals

In this exclusive article on Wealth DFM, Tracy Vegro OBE, CEO of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) shares some practical pathways, real-world experience, and flexible ways to learn and advance for the next generation of investment professionals.

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The investment industry continues to face the challenge of developing a new and diverse talent pipeline into the profession, and attracting people who see the sector as accessible, and can succeed within it. The solutions are practical: structured pathways that combine learning with real work experience, and qualifications designed to fit people’s lives.

Apprenticeships and graduate pathways create opportunities for young people who may not have previously considered investment careers. The Financial Services Professional apprenticeship standard, developed with industry input and supported by professional bodies including CISI, offers a degree-level route into roles such as operations, wealth management, compliance, capital markets, and corporate finance. Apprentices receive a salary, on-the-job training, mentorship, and a recognised qualification, bridging academic theory with practical experience. Employers benefit by shaping talent from the outset and building more inclusive teams. Graduate pathways complement this approach through structured early-career programmes that combine job assignments, training, and development. Both routes demonstrate the industry’s commitment to investing in talent before candidates are fully experienced.

Qualifications that balance work and life 

A key benefit for firms is the flexibility of CISI’s professional qualification pathways, which serve school leavers, apprentices, university students, and working professionals. Candidates can begin with entry-level awards, such as the Level 2 Fundamentals of Financial Services qualification, and progress to higher awards, diplomas, and specialist routes. Study options include self-study or accredited training partners, allowing candidates to choose based on their resources and learning preferences. This flexibility is essential for those balancing work, part-time study, or family commitments. Firms can support staff in earning globally recognised qualifications without requiring them to leave the workplace. These pathways function as scaffolds for progressive skill development alongside practical experience in roles such as wealth advisory support, compliance analysis, or operations.

Mentoring and membership: things that power future pathways

Qualifications and apprenticeships are effective only when individuals receive support. Structured mentoring enhances progression, confidence, and professional identity. CISI’s mentoring scheme, available to all members, includes reverse mentoring, which is especially valuable for younger professionals and those from non-traditional backgrounds. Mentoring helps individuals understand expectations, navigate their careers, and develop soft skills valued by employers. It also improves retention by demonstrating a commitment to long-term development. For apprentices and graduate hires, mentorship can be the deciding factor in completing a programme.

Peer support is also essential. At CISI, where 30% of our 57,000 members are under 30, the Young Professionals Network offers a forum for young people to meet, network, and support each other. In financial services, where confidence, connections, and shared experience are important, peer-to-peer learning is especially valuable. It allows early-career professionals to exchange ideas and build relationships that foster long-term commitment.

Diversity and Inclusion: widening the pipeline through partnerships.

The industry must also address structural barriers that prevent women and underrepresented groups from entering and advancing in the industry. CISI supports this work through its own Women in Finance initiative and by supporting Progress Together and GAIN (Girls Are Investors). CISI is also a signatory to HM Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter and the Race at Work Charter.

CISI’s Women in Finance initiative, launched in 2026, offered 100 complimentary CISI memberships to women entering or re-entering financial services. Members receive access to the smart learning platform, global events, mentoring, and the CISI mobile app. This initiative reflects CISI’s commitment to making financial services careers accessible to all. CISI also supports Progress Together, which promotes socio-economic diversity, progression, and retention in the sector.

CISI sponsors GAIN through the national UK Investment Challenge, which offers a £3,000 prize fund. The Challenge develops the talent pipeline for entry-level female and non-binary students in years 10 to 13 across England and Wales. Teams research companies, receive mentor guidance, and submit video stock pitches and reports. In Scotland, CISI sponsors Future Assets’ Investment Challenge, which involves 100 schools and over 900 girls and is supported by a growing alumnae network. CISI also supports the Young Women Into Finance (YWIF) scholarship programme, a five-year initiative that demonstrates to disadvantaged young women that finance careers are attainable. By graduation, participants complete the CISI Corporate Finance & Capital Markets qualification, undertake internships, and learn financial modelling. Together, these initiatives show that diversity is central to CISI’s talent strategy.

Outreach and awareness: raising the bar earlier.

The profession cannot rely solely on traditional recruitment. Awareness of investment careers must be raised earlier through schools, colleges, and partnerships. CISI has a long-established presence in schools and colleges, creating content to help 11- to 14-year-olds understand investment roles. CISI also funds organisations that work with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, supporting social mobility.

CISI also plays a key role in building financial literacy as a foundation for investment careers. In 2023, CISI responded to the UK Parliamentary Education Committee, advocating for financial education to be embedded across curricula and linked to careers. CISI supports this through initiatives such as MoneyLaunch, which introduces young people to personal finance and investment concepts in a practical, engaging way.

A call to Action      

For firms, the practical steps are clear: integrate apprenticeships and graduate pathways into talent strategies, support staff studying alongside work, provide mentoring, and engage with schools and partners. For professional bodies, our role is to ensure pathways are flexible, relevant, and aligned with industry needs.

Wealth management and financial planning are growing fields. The next generation of professionals will come from broad, flexible apprenticeships, programmes, and pathways supported by authentic experience. By combining practical routes with initiatives such as Women in Finance, Progress Together, and GAIN, CISI can help the profession build a stronger, more diverse pipeline that reflects the clients and communities it serves.

Tracy Vegro OBE

CEO of CISI

Tracy is a former City Regulator who joined the CISI in September 2022 from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Prior to the SRA, Tracy was Executive Director, Strategy and Resources at the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), the Regulator of accounting, audit and corporate governance.

Tracy was awarded an OBE in the 2020 New Year Honours list for services to Business and Diversity.