The GAIN Investment Insight Programme
An introductory programme for first-year undergraduate students (or second year on a four-year course)
Are you a UK university undergraduate starting to explore ‘Spring Week’ options?
Are you interested in discovering what a career in investing is like?
Would you like to hear from investment professionals about their roles, participate in small group mentoring sessions, and attend two in-person Insight Days at a top investment firm during the Easter break?
If the answer to the above questions is yes, then GAIN’s Investment Insight Programme (GIIP) could be for you!
Why choose the GIIP?
The GAIN Investment Insight Programme (GIIP) is bigger and better than your usual Spring Week offering!
Our 10-week programme prepares you with introductory knowledge of the investment management industry and skills to succeed through a series of online events, mentoring and two in person Insight Days with a top investment firm.
This competitive programme allows successful applicants to join a cohort of 100+ other young women and non-binary students on the GIIP, discovering the exciting and varied career options available in the industry.
Keen to find out more?
The GIIP is open to:
Young women and non-binary individuals.
Students in their first year of study at a UK university (or second on a four-year course).
Students of any degree discipline.
Students with an interest in learning about what a career in investment management is like.
Individuals who are curious and love learning, have strong communication and teamworking skills, and are interested in exploring investment management as a future career.
Who can take part?
What's Included?
The GAIN Investment Insight Programme (GIIP) Insight Days are the culmination of your hard work in the online sessions and mentoring. They will take place on the 9th and 10th April 2025.
At the beginning of the programme, you will be divided into small peer networking groups of 5-7 students who you will attend your Insight Days with. Attending the Insight Days in small groups will give you a more intimate and personal experience with your allocated firm.
Each Insight Day will involve different activities giving you a bespoke, interactive experience with your host firm. Previous Insight Day activities have included:
Overview of the firm and how they operate
Work shadowing of investment teams
CV tips, interview skills and internship application advice
Speed networking and networking lunches
As a group, you will present a stock pitch to a team of investment professionals. You will have spent the preceding weeks researching and creating your stock pitch presentation virtually in your pre-assigned peer networking groups and will have time on the first Insight Day to practice delivering your pitch together.
“I valued the chance to conduct research, analyse a specific stock with other students, and present our results to business experts. It was a terrific opportunity for us to hone our analytical and public speaking abilities as well as gain a deeper understanding of what it's like to operate in the investing sector.” - Jennifer
Insight Days will be held in London and, subject to demand, Edinburgh.
Your Insight Day firm will provide support towards your travel costs from your UK address during the Easter break 2025 that you provide us within your application (i.e. home or university) to their office address. For those students travelling more than 30 miles, they will also contribute towards your accommodation costs. Whilst we anticipate that the financial contributions made by your Insight Day firm will be sufficient to cover the majority of your Insight Days travel expenses, in exceptional circumstances, for students needing extra financial support, please check with your university to ask about available funding. In addition, GAIN has a discretionary bursary which includes a contribution towards office attire for the Insight Days and an additional night’s accommodation pre-Insight Days, for those who meet our criteria. Please see our FAQ below for further information.
The Insight Days
2025 Insight Day hosts
What our GIIP Alumni think…
"I really enjoyed how the speakers were all from slightly different sectors, which provided a great overview of all the different investment careers.”
“The insight days really helped me narrow down what summer internships I would like to apply for. They were extremely useful, and I enjoyed them a lot.”
“A mentor is always a great opportunity to get direct expertise from someone within the industry and a great way to network so I am grateful for this opportunity.”
“It has been an incredibly rewarding experience and inspired me to pursue investing even more. Thank you so much.”
-
9 x virtual events every Monday evening, 10 February – 14 April 2025
3 x one-hour virtual sessions with a mentor in small groups February – April 2025
2 x in-person days at an insight event 09 & 10 April 2025
1 x in-person networking event on 09 April 2025
-
· Understanding of the investment management industry taught directly from industry experts, career guidance and an expanded professional network
· small group mentoring from an investment professional
· Knowledge on how to prepare and deliver a stock pitch - great to add to your CV!
· A GIIP graduate certificate of programme completion (please note programme completion requires a minimum of 80% programme attendance & return of our feedback questionnaire)
-
Applications for the programme are open 11th November to 15th December 2024.
You will need to complete an application form which will be reviewed by the Programmes Team.
We will be looking for intellectually curious individuals who love learning, have strong communication and teamworking skills, and are interested in exploring investment management as a future career.
We suggest you review GAIN’s application advice which can be found in our resources.
Please note, this is a competitive programme and, unfortunately, not everyone who applies will be offered a place on the programme.
-
Applications to the programme will not be on a rolling basis. Eligible students will be invited to apply to the programme between the 11th November and the 15th December 2024.
We will contact you by 6th January 2025 to confirm if your application has been successful. We will also notify you if you are unsuccessful.
FAQs
-
Participants will only be accepted onto the programme if they are available for the Insight Days.
-
Your Insight Day firm will contribute £50 per day towards your travel costs from your UK address during the Easter break 2025 that you provide us with in your application (i.e. home or university) to their office address. For those students travelling more than 30 miles, they will also contribute towards one night’s accommodation (on 09 April) up to a maximum of £150.
Whilst we anticipate that the financial contributions made by your Insight Day firm will be sufficient to cover the majority of your Insight Days travel expenses, in exceptional circumstances, for students needing extra financial support, please check with your university to ask about available funding.
In addition, GAIN has a discretionary bursary which includes a contribution towards office attire for the Insight Days and an additional night’s accommodation pre-Insight Days, for those who meet our criteria.
Lunch and refreshments will be provided by the firm on both Insight Days.
-
You will receive a GIIP certificate of completion to showcase to future employers
You will receive priority communications from GAIN about the GAIN Empower Investment Internship Programme including top tips on applying
You will be prioritised for invites to future GAIN events
You could be nominated by GAIN/your Insight Days Firm and/or your Mentor for our ‘GIIP student of the year’ award at the GAIN 2025 awards ceremony