I am currently working for the Government Actuary’s Department. I have been working here since I graduated in 2014 and I am really enjoying my time here. As a Mathematics graduate I found the analytical aspect of actuarial work appealing, but I was drawn to GAD in particular for their unique position within the public sector. As an advisor to many large government departments the work offered by GAD seemed especially interesting and set it aside from other actuarial employers.
At GAD, the type of work you do depends on which team you are placed in. I am currently on a pensions’ team, but others work in areas such as insurance, investment and advice to government. Within my team the bulk of the work that we do is for the pension schemes of the Armed Forces and NHS – some examples of projects that I have worked on so far include estimating the liabilities of the Armed Forces pension schemes, producing accounting figures and helping to advise the Ministry of Defence on the impact of new government policies on pensions and tax.
As a new graduate, working at GAD was my first entry into the actuarial profession and it was initially quite a steep learning curve – there was a lot to learn! However, GAD is a very supportive place to work and there is a large emphasis on learning and development. As a new joiner I received a variety of training, ranging from basic Excel skills to more specialist topics such as how State Pensions operate and the UK Social Security System.
One of the most challenging aspects of being an actuarial trainee is finding the time to study alongside work, especially when client deadlines fall within exam time.  I’ve found the study support at GAD to be very generous – as well as getting a competitive package of study days and materials every trainee at GAD has a designated study mentor who offers advice on which exams to take, which products are helpful and how to best plan your studying.
I’ve found GAD to be a really friendly environment to work in and have met some great people since working here. There are plenty of activities to get involved in (sporting activities have ranged from badminton to dodgeball), regular team socials and usually a fair few people up for going for a drink at the end of the week as well.