Actuarial Analyst Review

My role is to support actuarial client teams in many ways. This can be through regular monthly tasks such as factor updates (MVAs) or commonly through member queries which are specific calculations we are referred. As well as this I communicate with clients and provide support on a multitude of different projects.

I have learnt a lot about pensions specifically which I didn't know anything about before I started my apprenticeship. For example, the different types of schemes, different quirks and the types of pension tranches. Also, I've learnt a lot mathematically through the calculations behind pensions such as revaluations.

I love my job, it stretches me mentally and I'm constantly learning new terms, calculations and quirks that can happen on schemes. The programme itself has been a very good transition from the life of going to school everyday, to being in a full time job where you are in charge of your own time and development.

The course itself is quite well organised, although it varies for different work streams, the overall Aon programme has been set out from the point I started until now 18 months later where I am officially a colleague. I appreciated being able to see how far through the programme I was by the timeline we were given when we started.

The early careers team provides a lot of support through a structured programme, including different talks and a very useful induction process. Throughout the year they are not really who I go to for support but I know that I can if I have any apprenticeship specific questions that I need answering.

I've found that BPP have been a very good training provider. We each got set up with a coach at the start of our course and I have got a very good relationship with mine. She lets me know that although my progress isn't linear and meeting the specific targets, that she understands that I'm making enough progress and do it slightly differently to others.

I've found that the thing I value most is being able to talk to my training coach about issues at work. It can be very scary as an 18 year old to feel as though someone else is in the wrong so having someone to talk to about this that doesn't work for Aon has been invaluable.

I know that Aon has a lot of office specific activities to get involved with. I personally am not on any sports teams but there are a lot of social events that go on throughout the year that are great. We recently had a ceramics painting night as well as the regular pub drinks.

Yes

I have done multiple times already to some of my friends because I genuinely love Aon as a company. I always thought the corporate world would be very scary especially joining at 18 years old. But everyone has been incredibly supportive and I really feel at home in my job and a part of a company that I'm proud of.

I'd say the main thing is that Aon isn't one of those very scary corporate companies and they actually care about individuals. So I would make sure to show off your friendly side because they definitely value kind and friendly people not just numbers and grades. I didn't actually get the required grades but I was still offered the highly coveted job because my interviewer thought I would be great to work with and that I had a lot of genuine enthusaism!