What attracted you to the Aon Graduate Programme?

I desired a career where I could use the mathematical and analytical skills I developed at university and continue learning through professional exams. Aon stood out to me because of their exceptional study policies, support throughout the application process and the inclusive, welcoming nature of the company. I completed a summer internship where I had the opportunity to perform calculations, build models and learn about the pensions industry. Everyone was so friendly and I felt like a valued member of the team. When I was offered a graduate position, there was no hesitation accepting.

What have you learnt in your time at Aon?

Since joining Aon I have had many amazing development opportunities such as attending meetings with clients. I also helped organise and facilitate discussions at Aon’s pension conference. My confidence has grown enormously, and I have learnt how to communicate with external contacts and clients.

I have also learnt how to prioritise my work alongside studying for the actuarial exams. At Aon there are countless examples of senior colleagues who also joined as graduates and qualified as actuaries whilst progressing their career and maintaining a good work-life balance.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Day-to-day I work across both the Corporate and Trustee Advisory teams. We look at financial conditions and demographic assumptions to calculate member’s benefits and pension scheme liabilities. This is more important than ever as people are living longer; economic conditions are uncertain and companies need to ensure they can pay the benefits promised to their employees. I also assist with producing company accounting disclosures.

I am also a member of a specialist team where we help clients manage their liabilities and provide members with more options at retirement. For example, the option to take a transfer value or reshape their benefits to meet their lifestyle requirements.

What have you enjoyed most about the Graduate Programme?

I really enjoyed the training and meeting graduates from different offices and business streams. The training covered key skills such as presenting, teamwork and an introduction to actuarial techniques which helped me feel prepared when joining the office. Throughout the graduate programme I enjoyed the chance to meet up with the other actuarial graduates at training days which gave us further insight into the role of an actuary. We were also able to catch up on work we had been doing in our offices.

What’s next for you at Aon?

I will continue to study towards becoming a qualified actuary. Also, I will continue developing in my role by taking on more responsibility managing projects and supporting new graduates.