CIPFA spotlight Student

Setting tomorrow’s public finance leaders up for success

CIPFA Student Network President Will Goodchild explains why you should be attending the upcoming Public Finance Live conference

We all know that balancing your studies and career can be incredibly difficult, especially in the new home working environment that can leave some students feeling overwhelmed. As the world reopens, it will be important to take the opportunity to meet others who have faced similar challenges and hear how they made the most of them.

The upcoming Public Finance Live conference on 7-8 July will have a full day dedicated to tomorrow’s public finance leaders. Students will be able to hear from those with decades of experience in the profession, as well as meet other aspiring professionals.

Each year at the annual conference, senior managers share anecdotes about how they entered the public finance profession and give their advice on how they landed where they did. Last year we heard from CIPFA CEO Rob Whiteman, as well as speakers from the health and police sectors, who provided insights and inspiration for the journey ahead. This year’s conference also features senior leaders who will share stories from across the world of public finance to provide examples of how the hard work they put into their roles made a difference to their careers and society at large. During times of uncertainty, this type of support from leaders in the sector will be invaluable for those starting out and trying to get a grip on the places where their careers could take them, and how their new skills will be best placed to help those in their communities.

Students will have the opportunity to attend our traditional CIPFA Student Network networking drinks event and meet professionals who have been working in the sector for decades, newly qualified members and fellow students who might have similar experiences.

Opportunities to connect with others both in and out of the profession have been rare during the pandemic, so the conference will be a great opportunity for all of us to check in with those who might not have had the chance to meet other CIPFA members or students during this time.

Students will find the plenary sessions from the main conference useful as well, with topics ranging from sustainability, the future of health and social care, place-based leadership, technological innovation and more across the programme.

The public finance profession is constantly evolving, so taking advantage of opportunities to network with others, as well as hear insights on the future of the profession will be invaluable for starting a successful career. I’m looking forward to seeing many of you there on 8 July and hearing more about all of your experiences over the past year.

HM RC

Public Finance Live will take virtually on 7 and 8 July. The NSF conference is planned for Thursday 8 July and is free to CIPFA students. For more go to https://publicfinancelive.org/. #publicfinancelive21 #CIPFA