Account Handler Review

Within the Aviation business unit, I am on the Aerospace team and work as an account handler. I manage various facilities such as the airside and tarbox facility. However, I have very recently passed this onto our newest apprentice who joined in September. Therefore, since September 2018 I have been training our new colleague to take over the airside and tarbox facilities. This has involved training on responding to e-mails, answering queries, how to use various systems, etc. As well as training our new apprentice, I also manage all of our small products accounts that are placed with Global Aerospace and am starting to take on more open market accounts. On a day-to-day basis this will involve communicating with clients in order to gain the appropriate information to allow negotiations with underwriters. I will respond to queries, quote and bind my renewals and handle a number of on-going new enquiries.

Upon joining Willis Towers Watson, I have gained many skills around the topic of working professionally. This has involved responding to e-mails in a polite and formal manner, increasing my telephone conversation skills so I am confident when speaking with either a client or an underwriter and how to greet people in person in a professional environment. I am continuing to develop my communication skills on a daily basis.

I thoroughly enjoy my day-to-day work with the Aerospace team, however find that it can occasionally be a struggle to manage my time effectively with my daily job, exams/coursework and apprenticeship side. I think a lot is expected in regards to my apprenticeship side of the programme (proving my competencies) in a short amount of time sometimes which can put stress on my day-to-day job.

Unfortunately, my year have been the guinea pigs for the apprenticeship scheme, therefore, I do not think it has been very well organised throughout. After being here for a year and a half, I still do not completely understand the apprenticeship side of my programme, however, it is clearer than when I first joined!

Within Aviation, there is a great support system and I feel very comfortable raising any issues. I have a very supportive team and manager, which is highly appreciated. However, I do not receive much support from the apprenticeship team, and rarely see them, apart from the occasional group catch-up every few months.

Assuming my training provider is the CII, I receive my textbook, 1 mock exam and 1 quiz per chapter online. I find the online resources very helpful, and struggle to think of how the CII could support us anymore with our qualifications. We also have workshops within Willis Towers Watson, however I have had multiple trainers which all have different techniques of studying.

My insurance qualification has most definitely benefited me within my role. This is because I came in with absolutely no insurance knowledge, therefore, studying LM1 and LM2 which covered basic insurance principles, helped me hugely with picking up procedures and certain key terms that are used on a daily basis.

Yes - we get a number of e-mails regarding activities that we can take part in outside of work, such as charity fun-runs etc. I am also a member of the Young Professional Comity which means I attend various events such as speed networking, lunch and learns and end of year parties!

Yes

Working a full-time job alongside studying and receiving a qualification is great experience and teaches you how to manage your time effectively and various professional skills. Willis Towers Watson has an apprenticeship scheme in place and is very willing to support professional studies alongside your full-time job. I also feel that the separate BU's are very supportive and welcoming.

- make sure you know exactly what you are applying for and ask any questions that you may have. - ensure that you are willing to give up your own personal time to study. - be aware that the apprenticeship scheme does involve a lot work besides your day-to-day job and studies. - be willing to learn!