Why do you enjoy your job?
I am an apprentice at Aberdeen Asset Management*. I love my job because it gives me the opportunity to gain vital experience in a job without accumulating debt. I am an ambitious person who wants to succeed in the world of work and I felt that there was no better way for me to do this than to go straight into a job. My duties and responsibilities are regularly changing because as part of the apprenticeship I rotate every 4 months into different departments within the business.
So far I have rotated in Risk/Compliance and Marketing Risk. In only 8 months I feel I have learned so many vital skills that will allow me to succeed and progress in my career. Working as part of multiple teams has given me the opportunity to constantly meet new people and learn from them which is what I love most about the job. I am also exposed to various types of training as an apprentice and am currently midway through completing a diploma in digital application support. This will give me the opportunity to further my education by beginning an Investment Operations Certificate which will widen my opportunities for a permanent and specific role within the company.
What is the most challenging thing about your job?
I’d say the most challenging aspect of my job would be learning to adapt to new environments. Given the fact that I change team every four months, I have to quickly grasp the skills of being adaptable and flexible. This was pretty difficult at first. However, as time has progressed I feel I have developed these skills and can now manage, change and adapt more efficiently.
How did you get into your job?
I left school in June 2016 before beginning this apprenticeship in September 2016. I had originally planned to attend university and had an offer to study Sociology at Edinburgh University. I also considered a football scholarship in the US. However, as time progressed, my mind started to shift towards the idea of going straight into work. I felt the best thing for me to do would be to go and gain experience in a job and look to progress from there as I wasn’t convinced that a sociology degree would allow me to do what I wanted. As much as university is a great option for some, I knew it wasn’t for me and I’m extremely thankful that this fantastic opportunity was available.
What are your future aspirations?
In terms of my future aspirations I plan to take things one step at a time. I have been working as an apprentice for 6 months now and I want to continue to learn about different areas of the business at Aberdeen without jumping too quickly into a permanent role. The apprentice title offers me exposure to the company as a whole and gives me the opportunity to constantly learn new things from different people. I want to ensure that I make the most of it.
As for my long term aspirations, I am looking to increase my knowledge of the asset management industry and progress towards a role in which I can make a difference to the business whilst having a positive influence on others. Apprenticeship programmes are just one example of how companies are moving forward and realising the importance of having such schemes. Therefore, I’d love to take part in this area of work and support others who decide to go in a similar direction to myself.
How would you sum up your Investment20/20 experience?
“A long apprenticeship is the most logical way to success. The only alternative is overnight stardom, but I can’t give you a formula for that” – Chet Atkins
I want to continue to learn and develop as a professional and as a person. This apprenticeship is the best platform in which I can do just that.
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