Spicerhaart’s broker arm Just Mortgages has revealed that for the first time there were more female than male applicants for its academy places.

Sixty per cent of applicants for the latest broker academy were women.

Each academy is significantly oversubscribed with often over one thousand applicants for the 20 available places, and the overwhelming majority of applicants have typically been male.

However, a new recruitment strategy targeting those outside of the industry and showing a more inclusive working environment, appears to have struck a chord with women looking to start a new career in financial services.

The number of successful female candidates increased by 180% in 2021, and is on course to more than double again by the end of 2022.

Thrilled

Linsey Davies (main picture)  head of talent acquisition and business support at Just Mortgages says: “We work hard to create an environment within Just Mortgages where anyone can thrive and success is defined by the quality of the person and nothing else.

“For some time now the percentage of women applying for academy places has been increasing, but this is the first time that we have had more female than male applicants and it is a significant sixty-forty split.”

She says that in previous years, just three out of 10 applicants were women. ”We are thrilled so many women now see financial services as a great career path, and an environment where their potential can be realised.”

Just Mortgages also revealed eight of the top-performing brokers in the employed division were women, and this is increasing every year.

More information on careers with Just Mortgages is available here