Financial specialists share expertise with Barnsley College students

Over the course of two months, workshops have been delivered covering a variety of topics from loans and mortgages to pay slips and business start-up advice.

One of the guest speakers who met with students was Rachel Tunnicliffe, an Independent Financial Adviser at Oakworth Financial Planning Ltd. In the first of the two workshops with students, Rachel spoke about the reasons why people take risks with their money, the importance of saving and why students should consider insurance and other ‘shelter’ methods to protect themselves against financial risks.

Rachel’s second workshop was specifically about life after college and shared in-depth knowledge about national insurance, state pensions, student loans and grants and payslips. The students completed activities with her guidance and came away from the session with the ability to interpret the information on payslips as well as identify common errors that can occur when employers pay staff.

Rachel said: “As a mum and an Independent Financial Adviser, I want to help provide some basic financial planning to the students of Barnsley College.  I am thankful to Oakworth Financial Planning Ltd. for allowing me to commit time to this. 

“I have really enjoyed engaging with the students and look forward to future sessions and hearing their feedback. One participant came up to me a couple of months after the session I delivered a session and told me I had changed her life and helped her to save to buy her first home.  This is what it’s all about and it’s privilege to be part of.”

Students also listened to Kirsty Morgan from Virgin Money. With seventeen years’ experience in the industry, Kirsty revealed the secrets to good financial wellbeing as she discussed the importance of budgeting and tracking spending, how to spot and prevent fraudulent activity and how to check credit reports.

The sessions were organised by Barnsley College’s Enterprise department which provides students with the chance to gain employability skills via a host of regular workshops, core tutorials and events, many of which connect them with local industry experts and employers. The Enterprise team provides advice and a variety of funding options for work placements including opportunities overseas and also funding and support to students who wish to set-up their own businesses. 

Jess Widdowson, Enterprise Team Leader, added:

“Our sessions have been really engaging for the students and they have learnt a lot about money management. Workshops with all our visitors have been thought-provoking for students and given them a real opportunity to consider their future finances and how to deal with money when they move on to university or employment in the future.”