Talent Bonds for Tech

Jake applied to the Hear Me Out! fund with great news to share: he had been offered a place to study Maths and Finance at university. “I’ve been informed that there’s some software I’ll need to run, so having my own laptop will be useful,” he said. Our panel of young people wanted to celebrate his success by awarding him £250 to buy a personal laptop.

Jake’s passion for maths has been with him throughout his school life. “I’ve always been good at maths,” he told us. “It’s always been my favourite subject. I carried it on at college and studied maths, economics and physics for my A Levels. I like that you’re either right or wrong with maths. It’s easy to figure out where you went wrong. It’s very independent.”

Going away to study can be both exciting and nerve-wracking, and this year has been an especially up-and-down year for year for students. First, the pandemic made it clear that access to digital technology is a necessity – not a luxury. Then the grading algorithm threw many people’s plans off-kilter. “I’ve stopped listening, to be honest,” said Jake, who lives at Ravenhead Foyer, “It’s all a bit confusing. I had to appeal one of my grades, but my place has been confirmed now. I’m really excited!”

The present seems very bright, and we think the future will be too. What does Jake see when he looks into the future? “I’d like to go into finance and work for an investment bank. I know my interests are in finance, but I’m not 100% set on any one career just yet.”