Trading Assistant Review

I am a Cash Equities Trading Assistant which means that I support a large group of traders that deal in stocks/shares. It's an important role that I gain a lot of exposure form and really enjoy. I get to speak with a wide variety of teams from trading to client services, helping to amend, rebook and retouch trades so that they are able to settle on time.

I've learnt how to prioritise as well as deal with pressured environments. My job can be stressful as there is a lot at stake if I get some things wrong. However, I enjoy being trusted with the responsibility and it has helped me develop as a person as well as in a professional capacity. It has also helped my confidence levels, as I feel like I have learnt so much in a short space of time and I am trusted by my team and other colleagues

The programme is amazing. It's hard work, but if you know that you want to work in the financial services industry it's a great way to start out without having to go to university. If you're willing to put the effort in, you will succeed in the apprenticeship and in J.P. Morgan itself

I feel just as valued as every other employee. I haven't found that I have been treated differently by anyone in the firm just because I am an apprentice. being one of the youngest on the programme, it has also been nice to not notice any difference in the way I am treated because of my age. I am involved in exactly the same day to day tasks and projects as the rest of my team who all had many years of experience before working in my team. We also get the opportunities to contribute in 'Missions' as part of our apprenticeship which allow us to come up with new ideas/improvements for how teams could work more effectively, which if viable, are put into place.

The programme gives a lot of support to its apprentices and is run by a dedicated team, who are there to help in any way they can. We have one day a week to study, which we do from home. There is a 2 hour online lecture that we all join virtually and then have the rest of the day to study in the way we find most effective. We have 3 exams over the 18 months that contribute to our end qualification, all of which are taught in this way.

We have a dedicated member from the training provider who is available to support us throughout the 18 months. She also marks our coursework and ensures that we are on track to complete the apprenticeship. We can also email her at any time and set up extra calls if we have concerns about our work/progress or issues that have arisen in the workplace (i.e. health and safety issues). We also have a forum where we can contact our tutors should we have a question about the content of study or something that was brought up in the lectures we want clarification on.

I have bi-weekly meetings with my manager who oversees my progress in my actual job. He sets me targets that he wants me to hit and areas he would like me to improve on. The rest of my team have been the ones to teach me the role and I ask they questions on a daily basis which they are happy to answer and explain to me to help grow my understanding of the job. The programme tries to put you in a team where they feel you would fit on a personality level as well as an academic level so it's nice to get on well with my team.

The salary we are on is generous compared to a lot of apprenticeships in London, but as always it depends on whether you are currently living in the city or your commuting costs are high. It is definitely enough to cover costs as long as you keep an eye on it and learn your budget.

I have been invited to many team events after work to get to know surrounding teams on a more personal level. We also do at least one volunteering event per year as part of the apprenticeship and many teams also do another one together. The firm are also very supportive if we want to go out and promote the apprenticeship to our old schools and will give us the time to go and speak to people who were in a similar position to ourselves a few years previously.

Yes

I feel it's an apprenticeship that gives you the best of all options. We get to work for an amazing firm, get a great social life and get to learn on the job from day one. It can be tough, but it's so worth it.

Be willing to put the work in - if you get an offer to be an apprentice remember how lucky you are and how many people applied for the same role. Be confident in yourself and be willing to learn. It's a huge learning curve, but well worth the effort you put in.