Trade Support Review

I work in Trade Support in a team which deals with both Foreign Exchange and Swaps. Trade Support involves performing daily control checks to ensure that all trades have been booked correctly, and contain all the correct details for settlement, pricing, reporting etc. As part of these controls we also perform daily reconciliations which ensure that trades are booked consistently over different systems. We also indirectly deal with client queries, by investigating and resolving any discrepancies that may arise. For example, a client may have used a different rate when calculating their payments, and it is our job to investigate and resolve this.

I have developed so many skills, often without even realising. I have become much more confident when communicating with other people within the firm; I now have no problem picking up the phone to contact people who I have never spoken to before, or giving demonstrations to teams more senior than myself. Acting in a more professional manner comes more naturally now, and I am aware of how I present myself to others.

I enjoy the programme as there are opportunities to get involved in so many things outside of my daily role. I like how it is fully accepted by my manager and the firm to take time out of your normal day to do other things, as the extra activities are often seen to be part of the apprenticeship ie School Visits or Talks. I love the balance of work and study, as it feels like I am getting the best of both. Due to the large number of apprentices that join per cohort, I feel like this apprenticeship is particularly social, which was an extremely important deciding factor for me.

Within my team, I am treated just like everybody else. I feel like I have the opportunity for responsibility just like everybody else, and the fact that I am an apprentice rarely effects what I can get involved in. In this way, I feel just as valued as any other employee here at JP.

As this programme has been running for several years now, it has been tried and tested so many times, and therefore is extremely organised and structured. I trust that my apprenticeship coordinators know what they are doing, and that they genuinely want the apprenticeship to go well. From the start, we have had clear dates set to us, such as exam days, and all activities are raised to us well in advance.

We have not had the best experience with our external training provider. Due to the fact that we are such a large cohort, often our work is not marked or moderated efficiently. In terms of exams, our providers offer extra material for us to revise from, and so have tried to support us in this way. Having said this, I feel like if I had an issue, I could raise it to them and it would be taken seriously and dealt with.

I have received lots of support from my employer, specifically my team manager. He has always taken an interest in the apprenticeship, and offers us opportunities for improvement when he can. There are so many talks and online training courses that I feel supported in terms of my development. There are also designated people to go to with problems if needed.

I moved in with a few other apprentices when I started, and although the cost of living in Bournemouth is relatively high compared with other areas of the country, I am able to pay all my bills, save a little and still go out and enjoy myself when I want to. I don’t have a car at the moment, and if I did I would probably find it harder to save any each month.

There are loads of volunteering things that you can get involved in, and it’s acceptable to take time out of your working day to take part in these every now and again. There are so many sports teams to get involved in too, which you can attend just as training or for matches too. If there is not an existing club for whatever you want, there is the opportunity to start one up from scratch.

Yes

I would recommend JP as it has been the perfect balance of work and study for me. It is very social compared to other apprenticeships, which is great if you have moved away from home. Even if it is not exactly what you would like to do in the far future, the skills you gain and the exposure you get to the industry is a great start. I feel like the opportunities here at JP to push myself are there if I want them, and I feel like I am in control of my own development here.

I think being yourself if so important. Having been on the assessing side of ACs, it is easy to see when someone is putting on a front or saying things because they believe that it is the correct thing to say. It is more about the potential you show and your willingness to learn rather than the knowledge that you already have; the job roles are so specific and niche that you would never be expected to come in and know anything technical about it already.