In this episode of From Education to Finance (E2F) Oli Harrison interviews UCL's Dr Andrea Calef on preparing the next generation for the finance industry. It's not just about technical skills - it requires curiosity, confidence, and a bridge between academic theory and the realities of the industry.

Finance is evolving at extraordinary speed. Technology is reshaping roles, global shocks have unsettled economies, and the path into the sector can feel increasingly complex for young people. For Dr Andrea Calef, Associate Professor (Education) in Finance at UCL School of Management, these challenges are not theoretical. They play out every day in classrooms filled with students from more than 50 countries, each trying to understand how to build a meaningful career in a sector that is both demanding and full of opportunity.

A Global Classroom and a Career Built on Connection

Andrea describes himself simply: economist, educator, researcher. But behind those labels is a career shaped by a desire to connect ideas, people, and worlds. Trained entirely as an economist - bachelor’s, master’s, PhD - he found himself increasingly drawn toward finance through research internships at a Swiss asset manager and a traineeship at the European Central Bank. Those experiences nudged his academic work toward international finance and eventually led him to UCL’s School of Management, where he now leads the MSc Finance with Data Science.

His students form one of the most diverse cohorts in the UK. A third come from economics, a third from finance or accounting, and the rest from quantitative fields such as mathematics, engineering, or data science. Some arrive straight from their bachelor’s degrees; others bring early career experience; a few already hold a second master’s. What unites them is ambition. “Virtually all of them want to work in finance,” Andrea says, whether in London, Singapore, Shanghai, New York, or Luxembourg.

But this generation is different. Many are post‑COVID learners: bright, motivated, but often less confident and more hesitant to speak up. They have grown up surrounded by information, yet still struggle to navigate it. “Technically, everybody has access to information,” Andrea notes. “Realistically, we still need somebody to explain and show you.” That gap - between information and understanding - is one of the defining challenges he sees in today’s students.

Challenges Ahead: AI, Stagnation, and the Confidence Gap

Andrea is candid about the headwinds facing young people entering finance. AI is advancing at a pace that makes it difficult for universities to keep curricula fully aligned with industry needs. Graduate job markets are tightening, shaped by both technological change and macroeconomic stagnation in Europe. And despite the abundance of online content, many students still lack clear guidance about career paths, roles, and expectations.

Yet the challenge he returns to most often is confidence. He remembers being a shy student himself - one who asked questions, but not as many as he now wishes he had. Today’s students, shaped by years of remote learning and disrupted social development, often struggle even more. “There is no stupid question,” he insists. “Just questions.” Showing up matters. Raising a hand matters. Attending events - UCL runs them almost daily - matters. These small acts build self‑awareness and clarity about the path ahead.

UCL’s location in Canary Wharf gives Andrea’s students a unique advantage. The School of Management sits in One Canada Square, surrounded by banks, fintechs, hedge funds, private equity firms, and a thriving startup ecosystem. Students meet founders at Level 39, engage with BBVA just a few floors below, and visit firms across the City and West End. For Andrea, these interactions are invaluable. There is no substitute for face‑to‑face conversations, the informal insights, or the off‑the‑record advice that practitioners can offer. “It’s massive,” he says. “Students know they will benefit from the positive spillovers of being here.”

What Educators and Institutions Must Do Differently

Andrea believes the old model of education - one‑size‑fits‑all lectures, theory without application - no longer works. Students need three pillars: strong theoretical foundations, applied empirical training, and direct exposure to practitioners. He has seen the impact of this approach firsthand. When teaching alternative investments, he brought in a different expert every week - hedge funds, venture capital, real estate, crypto, portfolio construction. Students loved it, but more importantly, they later told him those sessions helped them secure jobs. “That actually was meaningful,” they would say. “It helped me in the interview.”

He argues that financial institutions also have a responsibility to engage earlier and more actively with universities. CVs alone cannot capture mindset, adaptability, or the ability to work across disciplines. Conversations can. Workshops can. Guest lectures can. “It’s a win‑win,” he says. Firms gain access to talent with the right skills and mindset, and students gain clarity about the realities of the industry. He also urges institutions to broaden their search beyond traditional pipelines. Finance is increasingly multidisciplinary, multicultural, and collaborative. Diversity of thought is not a “nice to have” - it is essential.

Despite the challenges, Andrea remains optimistic. He sees students who want purpose, who want to contribute, and who increasingly view finance as a way to support innovation, growth, and societal impact. Many are drawn to venture capital, private equity, and impact investing - areas where finance and purpose intersect. “They still have a passion to do something good,” he says. “And they see finance as a way to do it.”

Curiosity, Confidence, and the Future of Finance

Andrea Calef’s story is a reminder that preparing young people for careers in finance is not just about teaching models or methods. It is about building confidence, opening doors, and helping students see themselves in a sector that needs their curiosity, diversity, and ambition. In a world of rapid change, the bridge between education and industry has never been more important. Andrea stands on that bridge every day - guiding students, challenging institutions, and shaping a generation that will define the future of finance.

To find out more about the E2F video podcast and get involved contact: oliharrison@financialmarketinginsights.com