Investment Analyst Review
at Aon
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Finance
London
Review Submitted: April 2021
Overall Rating
3.8 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
2.5/5
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
3.8/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
3/5
My job title is an investment analyst. Due to the current working environment, I am working from home so most of the communications are done via email or through Webex Teams. I would check my emails and respond to queries from clients or other associated parties. My role involves a lot of producing reports and completing requests (usually filling out spreadsheets) from various departments internally and externally.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
2/5
I think this programme is very intense and certainly not as "easy" as I thought it would be. It involves working on a computer 5 days a week (usually) from 9am to 5.15pm (sometimes even later). My team treats me as a mature colleague rather than someone who has just finished A-Levels so it is a very demanding job. Sometimes, the work and the revision gets quite stressful so my overall answer to this question is that I am enjoying the programme for what I can get out of it but it's certainly not as stress-free as I 'd like it to be.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
Yes. I have enhanced my communications skills especially how to write emails based on our (the client teams') advice. I have learnt how to communicate in a clear and professional manner. In addition, I have developed analytical skills through producing graphs and spreadsheets then describing them in relation to other factors.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
Very very organised. My training provider - FitchLearning - has everything in place to get me through this apprenticeship. I have a personal Fitch tutor who regularly checks in with me and we discuss timelines and objectives to ensure I get everything done effectively and on time. The projects or parts of the apprenticeship I need to do are explained to me very clearly so I know what I need to do and when.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
3/5
The short answer is "enough". There isn't a huge lot my manager can do to help me with this apprenticeship. They usually just check what I have written for "evidencing" and provide feedback. For my apprenticeship, I just need more time to do all the apprenticeship things but due to the nature of my job, it gets difficult to balance work and apprenticeship.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
My training provider has provided everything I need to study for the exams. For example, my personal Fitch tutor checks in with me regularly to see how my revision is going. I have the exam textbooks and Fitch tutorials I can watch as well as chapter/mock exam questions. There are also plenty of helplines available if I don't understand something, I can ask them.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
To be very honest, I don't feel like the things I am doing for the apprenticeship like "evidencing" and "personal development plans" are very related to my role especially because I haven't really settled in my role yet and don't really know what areas I need to work on. But the things I am leaning for the exams are a huge help because I am learning things that I encounter in my role.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
No. Due to the current working conditions, I haven't even been able to meet my colleagues face to face let alone any socials. But I have heard there are usually (pre-pandemic) many networking events and social activities around the celebrations time (like Christmas...). The problem with that is there are people who don't celebrate the holiday due to personal beliefs so aren't able to join. That being said, there are a lot of other events to get involved in so everyone is being included.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Aon to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Aon is a huge global company and Aon has offices all over the world. There are so many opportunities and career development opportunities to apply for, and not to mention that people in Aon are very nice and very experienced. You don't realise how big Aon is until you've joined the company because it does many things like investment, insurance, cyber...
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Aon?
Apply early and stand out. Aon is a very sociable company and what I mean by that is that we like to socialise and include people so we like people who talk and share their ideas. Another tip is that don't expect apprenticeships to be easy, it requires a lot of work but what you'd get out of it is much more. So be prepared to work in a professional environment.
