Bursary will help fund undergraduate study

Monday 07 October 2019

This year’s PraxisIFM Guernsey Bursary Award has been awarded to a psychology undergraduate.

It is the third year the global financial services group, which employs more than 200 staff in its Guernsey headquarters, has offered a graduate bursary and it attracted a record number of submissions.

This year's recipient Sophie de Garis has been guaranteed paid work within in each of the Guernsey office’s Trust, Fund and Pensions divisions, gaining exposure to a wide range of tasks.

The former Ladies College pupil, who is studying at the University of Surrey, will receive a grant of £2,500 each academic year and commence the first of three periods of paid work at PraxisIFM next summer. 

"The work experience that the bursary offers will not only give me the opportunity to work for a growing company in a variety of areas within financial services, but will also allow me to develop skills such as organisation and communication," said Ms de Garis. "I know this will be hugely beneficial for my degree at university. I am so grateful for this opportunity and can’t wait to start the work experience in the summer holidays." 

The first PraxisIFM bursary recipient, Matilda Ayres, has worked with the Group during university summer holidays for the past two years and second year winner, Isabel Ives spent her summer placement with the Private Client & Corporate team.

Group Head of Human Resources, Sharon Coburn, said the response to the bursary had been excellent in terms of quantity and quality of submissions.

Students had to submit a CV and a 750-word word statement explaining why they should be selected.

"Our interview panel was extremely impressed by the calibre of the applications and had a very tough job in choosing the successful candidate," said Mrs Coburn.

"Sophie not only has a very strong academic background but also got herself involved in many extra curriculum events which led her to possessing a fully rounded set of skills and is therefore a very worthy recipient of the PraxisIFM bursary."

Pictured top: Sophie de Garis and Sharon Coburn.