Upon the completion of my A-level studies, my initial plan was to begin studying Economics & Finance at the University of York. However, due to certain complications with my university application, I was faced with the task of searching for other opportunities and pathways; one of which was the apprenticeship route.

Although searching for an apprenticeship programme seemed very daunting and, at times, tedious; it was extremely rewarding once I had found M&G and was successful in attaining the role of Compliance Apprentice.

Originally, I did not plan on joining the Compliance department as it wasn’t an area that I thought I would be interested in. Despite this, I valued that it would be good place to start, and it turned out that it was the perfect department for me. I was given the privilege of being able to rotate between each of the 9 teams within the department, making me the only person who will gain a valuable insight into all of the teams.

To begin with, I thought that my limited knowledge and experience within the financial industry would be a drawback; however, it gave me the opportunity to learn, hands on, from the professionals around me. In this way, working at M&G has not only increased the versatility of my knowledge, but also allowed me to develop my confidence when working with others. I have also made many great friendships during the past 8 months, which has made my experience at M&G even more enjoyable.

Having only entered the world of work 8 months ago, I am still exploring my career paths and have so far enjoyed staring in the Compliance department as I have gained vast knowledge of M&G as a whole and the industry. At the end of my apprenticeship, I will have gained qualifications, namely IOC and NVQ. The IOC qualification comprises of 3 textbook based exams, whereas NVQs work by testing your abilities in the workplace, giving employers a true demonstration of your skills.

Joining M&G has not only sparked my interest in Compliance, but it has been invaluable in developing the way in which I work with others and the way I tackle each of my tasks. This is something that I will be able to carry with me throughout my working career.