If you were one of the many thousands of people enjoying the Barclays Jersey Boat Show at the weekend, as well as the boats, displays, food, drink and music, you may have spotted Jersey Finance there.
If you were wondering why they were they, you’re not alone. We wondered, too. And we asked the team to share with us their reason for attending the Channel Islands’ biggest free event.
Here’s what they told us:
We had the opportunity to speak to many islanders and visitors to Jersey about the vital role finance industry plays and its positive impact on our community.
There was much support for our efforts in keeping Jersey at the forefront of international business, but for some, there was a lack of clarity around the contribution the industry makes to our island success and the efforts of more than 13,000 employees in making a difference to Island life. Because when the finance industry does well, the island does well too.
For example, many were unaware that the finance industry contributed 41% to the local economy in 2016 and that £1 million a day is spent by the industry on local goods and services. Or that every £1 million generated by the finance industry produces another £300,000 elsewhere in our community. And away from the numbers, a great deal of hard work goes on behind the scenes, from community projects and charitable initiatives, to sponsorship and environmental programmes. Some examples can be found at www.jerseyfinance.je/communitynews
With the future of Jersey in the hands of the next generation, we continue to work with young people to ensure they are well-equipped for the future and that they are aware of the opportunities available to them. More than 300 students from school or universities are joining the finance industry annually.
That’s more than ever before and it bodes well for the future. 2018’s Jersey Finance ‘Life in Finance’ Scheme is looking like another great success, with many sixth form students being placed within our Member Firms on work experience this summer. We are also working closely with Skills Jersey to raise awareness among young Islanders of the variety of career opportunities available in our industry. A quarter of private sector employees work in a variety of different jobs away from the traditional finance roles, such as in marketing, events management, HR and IT – there’s something for everyone.
Our ‘Working together for a better future’ document was shared with boat show visitors too, as it provides a roadmap of our vision for the industry and the main challenges and opportunities ahead. The sustained growth in finance sector jobs, as indicated by the latest Jersey Labour Market statistics reflects clear confidence in Jersey as a forward thinking jurisdiction.
So, a great weekend for fun, freebies and fact sharing! I hope that many visitors came away from our stand with a sense of understanding and the ‘myth bust’ fan we gave away is helping tell our story. We are proud of the collaborative relationship we have with industry, the regulator, the Jersey government and the local community to ensure the future success of our island.
For more information, visit www.jerseyfinance.je/jerseyproud
