Risk & Controls Apprentice Review

As a Risk and Control team member within Retail Distribution we assist the Retail Distribution Director and Management Team actively manage their Governance, Compliance, Risk and Control profile. The role reports into the Risk & Control Manager. The role holder will assist the Risk & Control manager and the Senior Risk & Control consultants to put into practice the risk and control frameworks in line with second line Operational Risk guidance, overseeing the application of the frameworks within Retail Distribution. The role covers breach co-ordination and management, risk co-ordination and assisting with overseeing third party internal dependencies (for example Complaint handing specific complaints in Customer Savings and Investment) and Risk and Control reporting to senior stakeholders.

In the Risk & Controls roles it is important to be visible & approachable and have a good level of communication and negotiation skills in order to influence and persuade senior & executive management on the best course of risk management actions. I have also developed additional skills through the apprenticeship such as presentation and organisational skills. Some of the most important skills that I have developed within the that are specific to the R&C Team is the ability to deliver results and inspire others to deliver results by maintaining an environment that views effective risk management as a value and business critical discipline.

I have enjoyed the programme to a good extent as it has run for a significant number of years the course is well structured and laid out to a high standard. Additionally due the Apprenticeship management being deeply passionate about their work the course is run with a great deal of care for the future of apprentices that take part ensuring they are successfully developed to perform well in future business placements.

Prudential's Apprenticeship programme offers a very structured course which has been created and developed overs the previous years of apprenticeships. This therefore offers a smooth running course which supports apprentices in various aspects throughout the programme and ensures that work & qualification tasks can be completed on schedule to a high standard.

As an Apprentice the support that you receive is unmatched to any other role. There are various people in various roles that can assist you including the Apprenticeship management and members of our team. The level of support can be clearly seen with a constant emphasis on getting you to the best of your ability. This provides an excellent level of support which both protects and develops apprentices.

Our BPP assessors provide a high level of support and are always willing and available to discuss and run through tasks and workbooks whenever we require the extra assistance. Our qualification is laid out well therefore runs very well with only a couple of small areas where the tasks may be slightly confusing however this is always resolved by our training provider who helps us understand and complete any area of difficulty.

I believe my qualification work helps me perform better in various aspects of my workplace role. This is because the questions asked in the workbooks are linked to objectives that we complete for our personal development plan which promotes the completion of these business critical and personal objectives. This helps us develop our skills including presentation skills which are used various times during our qualification work.

There are various activities that can be utilised whilst working within such a large company opportunities to volunteer are greatly encouraged and this can be done within business time at the approval of line managers so no holidays are required. These include huge events such as Prudential's ride London and the M&G Investments Chelsea flower show. Team nights are also encouraged and paid for with company budget to promote team building and cooperation.

Yes

I would recommend Prudential to anyone looking to gain valuable experience and skills within a reputable institutions that promotes personal development. The Company offers an excellent structured approach and is prepared to assist in any way throughout your journey and progression with the business. The business also offers its apprentices with a competitive salary with various other perks including the ability to start pension contributions which the company adds generously too. The environment within the business and welcoming and friendly which can clearly be seen with everyone willing to help and push you further in your own personal development.

When applying for a company such as prudential it is paramount that an applicant displays confidence and the willingness to work as a team and show dedication in their own and the businesses development. The Application process is fairly simple and consists of an online submission form to start with followed by a questionnaire and web interview. If successful in these previous filter processes you will be formally invited to an assessment day for your chosen role. This consists of a formal interview with the line manager of the team you would be placed in and a group activity. I would tell potential applicants to ensure they get involved as much as possible in the group tasks and prepare scenarios for the competency based interview.