Junior Trader Plus

What is Junior Trader+?

Junior Trader+ (JT+) is our self-paced online development programme designed to help students build the commercial awareness, professional judgement and analytical skills increasingly sought by universities and employers.

Rather than teaching students how to trade, JT+ explores how businesses are run, how investment decisions are made and how financial professionals evaluate opportunities, risks and ethical dilemmas. Throughout the programme, students complete practical assignments and receive personalised feedback designed to develop their thinking and communication. Rather than teaching students what to think, JT+ teaches them how to think.

JT+ is designed for ambitious students aged 16+ who want to gain a competitive advantage before applying for university, apprenticeships, internships or graduate careers.

Many participants study Economics, Business or Mathematics, but this is by no means essential. Students from Sciences, Humanities and Languages can complete the programme successfully.

The programme begins with our Jargon Buster, breaking down financial terminology and ensuring that students without previous knowledge or an existing professional network can participate with confidence.

JT+ is built around the way professionals think rather than what they can memorise.

Using real companies and current business events, you'll learn how to interpret information, identify what really matters and make evidence-based decisions. You'll investigate why businesses make the choices they do, whether company directors are acting in shareholders' interests, how ethical issues influence commercial decisions and how world events affect financial markets.

Instead of completing traditional classroom exercises, you'll analyse listed companies, assess executive remuneration, explore corporate governance, respond to real business scenarios and prepare professional investment reports. Every assignment is designed to encourage curiosity, independent research and critical thinking.

By the end of the programme, you'll have developed not only a broader understanding of business and financial markets, but also the confidence to discuss commercial issues in university interviews, assessment centres and the workplace.

In an age where information is available instantly- and AI can answer almost any factual question - simply acquiring knowledge is no longer enough.

JT+ focuses on the skills that sit beyond information. Using real companies and current business issues, students learn to ask better questions, evaluate evidence, recognise different perspectives and communicate well-reasoned conclusions.

There are rarely perfect answers. Instead, students are challenged to make balanced decisions using incomplete information, justify their recommendations and defend their thinking - just as professionals do every day.

JT+ isn't about memorising facts. It's about developing the judgement to use information effectively.

Employers have always looked for bright, motivated candidates. Increasingly, however, they are looking beyond academic grades to identify students who can think critically, communicate effectively and apply their knowledge to real-world situations.

At the same time, artificial intelligence has made information more accessible than ever before. The competitive advantage is no longer simply knowing the answer - it is understanding how to evaluate information, ask better questions and make well-reasoned decisions.

JT+ has been designed to develop these skills through practical assignments based on real companies and current business issues, helping students prepare for university, internships and the workplace.

Every assignment is reviewed individually.

Rather than simply receiving a score or automated comments, students receive personalised feedback highlighting what they have done well, where their analysis could be strengthened and how they can improve future assignments.

Where appropriate, feedback may challenge assumptions, suggest alternative viewpoints or encourage students to investigate issues in greater depth. The aim is not simply to assess performance, but to develop the judgement, confidence and communication skills expected in higher education and the workplace.

As the programme progresses, students are encouraged to build upon previous feedback, creating a continuous process of improvement rather than a series of isolated assignments.

Yes.

Many university, apprenticeship and graduate interviews assess far more than academic knowledge. Employers increasingly look for candidates who can demonstrate commercial awareness, discuss current business issues and explain how they reached a particular conclusion.

JT+ gives students practical examples that can be drawn upon in personal statements, CVs and interviews. By researching real companies, analysing current affairs and presenting evidence-based recommendations, students develop experiences and examples that help them speak with confidence about business and the wider economy.

Whether applying for university, apprenticeships, internships or graduate roles, JT+ helps students demonstrate curiosity, initiative and the ability to think independently - qualities that employers consistently value.