Undergraduate students visit Cooper Parry for Females in Finance Insight Day

Second-year undergraduate students from Nottingham University Business School recently took part in a Females in Finance Insight Day hosted by Cooper Parry at their East Midlands office in Castle Donnington.

Cooper Parry welcomed 23 female students for a day of inspiring talks, interactive workshops, and networking. Senior female leaders from across Cooper Parry - including teams in corporate finance, tax, audit, operations, internal finance, and wealth - shared their career journeys and insights into the finance sector.

Interactive sessions led by Katherine Gibbins (Early Careers Talent Acquisition Lead) and Hannah Johnson (Early Careers Coordinator) gave students a deeper understanding of the varied career pathways available and helped them prepare for application processes beginning in September.

With the finance sector facing challenges in attracting and retaining female talent, the initiative supports the Business School’s broader commitment to promoting gender diversity and encouraging more women to pursue careers in finance. The day concluded with an office tour and Q&A with current placement students and trainees, giving attendees the chance to ask questions and hear firsthand experiences.

One participating student, Leah Shah, explained:

"It was extremely useful to hear about Cooper Parry’s placement and graduate opportunities. Speaking directly with current placement year employees was especially valuable as it gave me first-hand insights into how to succeed at each stage of the application process.

“Completing two mock assessment tasks, including auditing warehouse stocktake, allowed me to apply the knowledge I’ve gained at university, particularly from the Fundamentals of Financial and Management Accounting module, in a real-world corporate setting. These tasks also gave me relevant experience and constructive feedback that I will take forward into future assessment centres.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my day at Cooper Parry. What stood out most was the firm’s clear and infectious positive culture. I had an exciting tour of their beautiful office and the opportunity to meet many friendly and inspiring women. It was clear how much the employees genuinely enjoy working there." 

Undergraduate placements at Nottingham University Business School

Find out more about the benefits of an undergraduate placement year and how it can support your future career prospects.