Politics and International Business student, Ethan Savage won a £1,500 grant awarded by Santander Universities UK’s Black Inclusion Programme.
The programme invited applications from Black university students and graduates to apply to gain access to an online programme covering finance topics including green finance, blockchain and private equity.
Santander’s programme, in partnership with learning platform Finance Unlocked, encouraged applicants to achieve an 80% pass rate across the programme to be in with the opportunity to win one of thirty £1,500 Santander Scholarships.
Ethan was one of eighteen students studying at the University of Liverpool who applied for the programme.
Reflecting on why he applied, he said: “After speaking with a family member about future career prospects, I searched for opportunities that could give me an insight into specific industries. Whilst searching, I found Santander’s Black Inclusion Programme which would not only introduce me to the financial world but also promotes diversity within the industry. I knew that this was for me and therefore submitted my application.
“The platform was easy to navigate, and the modules gave a valuable insight. The modules on ‘Finance Unlocked’ are endless, however for the scholarship, there were 3 modules: Banking Essentials, ESG essentials (Environment, Social and Governance) and Private Equity.
“The modules furthered my understanding of said disciplines and supplemented my degree in Politics and International Business. The programme has encouraged me to pursue a career within financial industry, particularly investment banking.
“I advise students with a similar ethnic background to apply for this scholarship, and equally advise other students to look at the different opportunities that Santander have to offer. To students completing courses on finance unlocked I would recommend taking notes throughout the lectures and wider reading around the topics, this will help to ensure the 80% pass rate is met.
“I’d like to thank Santander for the opportunity. It has and will continue to open doors for me, and I would love to build a greater relationship with the company in the future. The grant has been invested and was a bonus to the experience and knowledge gained. I will definitely continue to use the Finance Unlocked platform.”
A special thanks to Santander Universities UK for their continued support of the University of Liverpool. To find out about future Santander’s opportunities visit their dedicated webpage: https://www.becas-santander.com/en/index.html