Industry Guide

Banking & Finance Careers for Young People

Find your fit in banking & finance, where analytical thinking and ethical practices matter most. This industry offers diverse entry points for young people, with a focus on local economic growth and financial wellbeing.

Open Budi

Banking & finance: explore where it could take you

What the industry covers

What kind of people thrive here?

This kind of work is usually technical and analytical, structured and organised and shaped by customers, trends and demand. It can suit you if you like work that has a clear purpose, gives you room to grow, and connects your strengths to real tasks.

Organisation

You like keeping tasks, information and deadlines under control.

Ethical Awareness

You think carefully about fairness, responsibility and impact.

Communication

You can share ideas clearly and listen to other people.

Attention to Detail

You notice small things and care about accuracy and quality.

Key industry insights

Look beyond the obvious employers

Local organisations, SMEs, charities, public bodies and specialist employers can offer valuable first steps, practical experience and clearer routes to responsibility.

Pay varies by role

Experience, responsibility, qualifications, employer and location all affect salary. Treat published figures as a guide rather than a guarantee.

How to start your banking & finance career

1.Explore your strengths.

Think about whether you prefer creating, making, fixing, analysing, organising, supporting people or working with technology.

2.Research realistic pathways.

Look at apprenticeships, college courses, traineeships, volunteering, entry-level vacancies and local employers.

3.Build evidence.

Use school, college, work, volunteering or personal projects to show what you can already do.

4.Learn the language of the sector.

Read job descriptions, follow current developments and notice the skills employers mention repeatedly.

5.Apply before you feel perfect.

Employers do not expect beginners to know everything — they look for potential, reliability and willingness to learn.

Roles and career pathways

Where people often start

Opportunities include digital banking, fintech, customer support, data, finance administration, sustainable finance, compliance and local business banking. Entry-level assistant, apprentice and analyst routes can build confidence.

Where it can lead

Banking and finance helps people, businesses and communities manage money, risk, payments, savings, investments and financial decisions. Roles can be analytical, customer-facing, digital, advisory, operational or compliance-focused. With experience, you may move into specialist, supervisory, management, consultancy or leadership work depending on the pathway you choose.

What employers value

Helpful skills include spotting patterns and solving problems, attention to detail, supporting clients clearly, understanding rules and standards and solving problems. You do not need to be perfect at all of them straight away — these are strengths you can build through projects, volunteering, part-time work, courses, apprenticeships or simply practising.

Skills employers value

Organisation
Ethical Awareness
Communication
Attention to Detail

Trends and useful preparation

Why this section matters

This field is changing. Showing that you understand what is happening — and that you are already taking small steps to prepare — can help you stand out.

Trends to watch

Market picture: Vacancies appear to be lower year on year (around -1.2%). That is roughly 0k fewer vacancies than the comparison period. The latest vacancy estimate is still about 34k. A dip does not mean there are no jobs — it usually means being more targeted about applications, training and local opportunities.
Opportunity areas: Opportunities include digital banking, fintech, customer support, data, finance administration, sustainable finance, compliance and local business banking. Entry-level assistant, apprentice and analyst routes can build confidence.
Things to be aware of: Things to be aware of: there are rules to follow, accuracy matters, and the sector can be affected by the wider economy. It can suit people who like structure and responsibility.

Useful preparation

Prepare an example of when you handled money, data, deadlines or responsibility carefully.
Show that you can be accurate, trustworthy and clear with people.
You do not need to sound like an expert, but it helps to understand the organisation’s customers and what the role supports.
Mention attention to detail, problem-solving and ethical judgement.

Your next step

You do not need to be a finished expert to belong in banking & finance. Start with curiosity, build evidence through small experiences and explore the pathway that fits how you work best.