My degree
My degree in Mathematics opened my eyes to just how many different career paths were available to me. I always knew that my strength was with the application of numbers to real life scenarios. Until my second year of university, I didn’t know what an actuary was, never mind what the job role entailed, but as soon as I researched more about it, and met various employers at careers fairs, I knew it was the perfect career choice for me.
Choosing XPS Pensions Group
I knew XPS Pensions Group (formerly Xafinity Consulting) was the company I wanted to work for as soon as I attended the assessment centre. It was different to any others I had attended, and was so personable; I knew it was a company I could see myself fitting in with from the start. The tasks included in the assessment centre were challenging, whilst also retaining your interest, most of which made you think outside the box and work as part of a team in order to reach a conclusion.
I particularly enjoyed the fact I got to meet some of the current actuarial assistants at the assessment centre – making my first day slightly easier in knowing some familiar faces. After attending the assessment centre I knew that XPS Pensions Group was the company I wanted to work for.
My job
As clichéd as it may sound, I have genuinely learnt something new every day during the two years I have been at XPS Pensions Group. Right from the start, I have always been given a wide range of tasks, and been involved in client team discussions, enabling me to communicate with senior members of staff from the outset. Being involved in a scheme valuation not long after joining gave me in-depth knowledge of the specifics of that client, as well as skills I could transfer across when working on other clients.

Professional development at XPS Pensions Group
Training is a key part of my life at XPS Pensions Group. There are always opportunities to attend internal training sessions on various topics, including ‘hot topics’ currently being reported in the news.

The study package with XPS Pensions Group is excellent. It is very flexible to allow you to manage your time effectively, and enable you to progress at your own pace through the exams. Study mentors are assigned to offer advice on the exams, and provide support throughout your studies.

There are always people within the team who are responsible for the development of current processes and ensuring we are providing a service to our clients that is as efficient as possible – there is always the opportunity to have input in the way these are developed, as these processes need testing with the feedback relayed to the rest of the team.

Life at XPS Pensions Group
Ever since I joined XPS Pensions Group I have felt part of a welcoming team. There is support in every area, including the initial pressures of balancing work and study time. To help balance this out, there are always a variety of social events; more recent events include wine tasting, pool evenings and playing foot-golf. I’m looking forward to developing my career at XPS Pensions Group with the knowledge that I am being supported all the way – I would highly recommend working at XPS Pensions Group to anyone wanting to start their career as an Actuary.