A credit union employee from Cleveleys has completed a prestigious training programme which develops young talent to strengthen the sector, and will help improve services for local people.
Andrew Moulding, a 23-year-old business administrator at CLEVR Money credit union in Blackpool, was nominated by his employer to participate in the CU Futures scheme – and was one of only 20 young people in the country to be accepted onto the course. The former Blackpool and the Fylde College student joined CLEVR Money on a business administration apprenticeship four years ago, before being offered a full-time position.
To be deemed eligible for the competitive 12-month programme, credit union employees between the ages of 18 and 35 had to demonstrate passion, enthusiasm and an aptitude for leadership.
CU Futures is run by the Association of British Credit Unions (ABCUL) in partnership with the Credit Union Foundation, and is sponsored by the Citi Foundation, the charitable arm of CityGroup bank.
Designed to give bespoke financial training to those young people identified as the credit union managers, directors and leaders of the future, the course also introduces participants to new resources, techniques and information which helps them improve services for people within their communities in need of financial assistance through fair and affordable loans.
Andrew was awarded a graduation certificate at a ceremony held at ABCUL’s annual conference in Manchester and is currently working towards his Certificate in Credit Union Professional Conduct (CeCUPC), a qualification accredited by the London Institute of Banking and Finance.
Mike Barry, chief executive of CLEVR Money and Andrew’s sponsor for the CU Futures programme, said: “This is an important opportunity for young people working within the sector to develop their careers and learn more about banking, finance, regulation and governance.
“Andrew is an extremely valued member of our team who is dedicated to providing the best service possible to our members. This qualification has enabled him to enhance his skills and knowledge, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it takes him.”
Andrew said: “The experience has been fantastic, and the qualification will hopefully open up new avenues for me in terms of my career and progression.
“It was great to meet employees from other credit unions and find out how they operate, in addition to what we can learn from them in order to improve our members’ experience.
“Credit unions provide incredibly important services to our communities and anything we can be doing to improve processes is ultimately going to increase the standard of services we deliver to local people.”
