What made you decide to do an apprenticeship?

When applying to universities I came across the government apprenticeship website and found that there was the relatively new option to become an Actuary through the apprentice route.

Although at the time there were limited spaces and few companies who offered the opportunity the feedback from the previous year’s intake was very positive and helped me to realise all of the benefits of not going to university, such as having years of work experience before any of my peers had even starting work and still getting a recognised and respected qualification.

Why did you decide an actuarial career was for you?

Previously I was going to go down the route of Accountancy, and it wasn’t till I started looking at work experience placements and university options that I found out what an Actuary was. After researching it I knew that it was definitely a better fit for me as it promised the interest of not only working with numbers but also being able to use more qualitative reasoning, such as applying knowledge of a constantly changing industry and wider economy.

How did you hear about the apprenticeship you’re on?

The Government Apprenticeship website.

What do you do day-to-day?

The work is very varied which is great as it means that you are constantly interested in what you are doing and always learning new skills; I’ve been in my position for just over six months now and there is as much learning today as the day I joined. I work in a great team who are all very talented at what they do and are always more than happy to help me develop and progress in my role, both at work with learning all of the technical skills and with my exams so that I can achieve my goal of becoming a fully qualified Actuary.

What is it like going straight from school to a job?

Personally I have always preferred hands-on learning as I find it much more stimulating and rewarding. As a result of this I have thoroughly enjoyed going straight from college into work. There is still a lot of revising and studying to do but the exams link into the work that I am doing and help me to do my role better.

There is still support for the exams similar to what you would receive at college or school but it is more centred around being self-motivated. Personally I think this helps you to develop a lot of skills such as responsibility, time management and organisation that weren’t as concentrated on at college.

What’s next for you?

Firstly, I hope to finish my apprenticeship and CAA exams, following that I would I am keen to then move onto completing the Fellowship to become a fully qualified Actuary.

I understand that as an Actuary there are many opportunities open to you and endless fields and industries into which to potentially move. I look forward to the future when I can explore these options and progress through my, hopefully colourful and exciting, career as an Actuary.