Investment 2020 School Leaver Review

Working within the operations department I carry out daily tasks in relation to the regulatory reporting of the company. This is a completely new experience for me as these topics were never taught at secondary school. Alongside my day to day role, being on an apprenticeship scheme has given me the responsibility to study towards a qualification while on the job.

This experience has allowed me to develop a wide network of contacts who I can now go to at any time. Leaving secondary school after the end of my 5th year and diving straight into the world of work tested my confidence at times. However, presenting on several occasions and putting my self into situations I once found uncomfortable has extremely helped to change this. I am coming out of these 12 months with knowledge and experience which will be invaluable to me in my future career journey.

The programme I am currently on has allowed me to meet a vast number of people and learn about subjects I previously didn't know existed. I thoroughly enjoy my job and being able to gain a qualification while working is a brilliant opportunity for a young person. Overall I highly recommend an apprenticeship programme to a school leaver who perhaps isn't 100% certain on what they want their future to look like.

The programme is developed to allow us as apprentices to have a strong support network throughout our 12 months with the company. Every month we have group training sessions which bring us all together and allow us to learn about various other aspects of the company we are working in. Monthly catch ups are also put in place with our apprenticeship mentor who checks that we are completing the recommended amount of work in the set time. The early careers team have been a massive help and are there whenever we need someone to chat to.

I receive a large amount of support from my employer as there is someone always on hand whenever I have a question or suggestion to put forward. The company has provided us with various opportunities to meet new people and put our ideas forward which is great to have when coming straight from school into the workplace.

Every month we have a one to one meeting with our apprenticeship mentor. During this meeting we are required to feed back our progress in relation to our job role and the qualification. This is an extremely helpful meeting as it allows me to see what still needs worked on and the progress I am making.

The qualification has helped to improve my confidence as I have had to present in front of other members of my programme which is something I previously felt uncomfortable doing. It has also enabled me to do deeper analysis of my current role and to understand more clearly why I am carrying specific tasks.

One of the main extra-curricular activities I have got involved in is a networking group called Balance. We were first introduced to the company's networks at our induction days which was extremely helpful as we were able to identify areas which perhaps interested us. Within the Balance network I have presented at their International Women's Day event, helped create their monthly newsletter and also attended the working group meeting on different occasions.

Yes

Overall, Standard Life Aberdeen has allowed me to experience the world of work at a young age and given me skills and qualifications to take with me into the future. I am continuing to progress within the company and learn new things everyday. These 12 months have enabled me to go beyond my comfort zone, meet new people and prepare me for the rest of my career journey.

Others applying to Standard Life Aberdeen should come in with an open mind, ready to learn and meet a vast amount of new people. At times the world of work can get overwhelming but all hard work pays off and I am extremely pleased of what I have managed to achieve in a short period of time.