Andrew Rowlandson, Aviva

Andrew Rowlandson is a business management graduate trainee at Aviva, who has a BA in geography from the University of Sheffield. He tells us about what it’s like to be on an insurance graduate scheme.

Why did you choose to get a graduate job in insurance?

Insurance may not seem the most glamorous area to work in, but in fact there are a huge range of roles on offer. I’d previously completed work experience with another organisation where I’d rotated around different departments and I knew a graduate job with a similar amount of variety would suit me.

Insurance brought together what I wanted from my career: along with building upon the business and management skills I’d already begun to develop, I felt that I’d see my contributions making a real difference. This is really brought home to me as I watched the aftermath of natural disasters in this country and abroad in the news: insurance is about giving people peace of mind at times of great need.

What do you do on your graduate scheme?

My role on the business management graduate scheme includes four six-month placements, each of which exposes me to a different part of the business and focuses on different skills. On a day-to-day level I’ve received far more responsibility than I expected, including managing supplier relationships and delivering business performance reports to senior directors. Working with 27 web managers from around the world to produce the company’s first-ever global online performance pack was a real highlight for me – receiving positive feedback from managers in Spain, Singapore and Canada, for example, was greatly encouraging.

'Insurance is about giving people peace of mind at times of great need.'

I am also currently working towards a certificate in business administration with the Open University and my Chartered Institute of Insurance (CII) qualifications, both of which are fully funded by my employer. Juggling my job and academic work is challenging at times but will be worth it.

Any tips for graduates about succeeding on a business graduate scheme?

At first the corporate workplace can be pretty intimidating. However, I was reassured by my managers who told me, ‘If you don’t make a mistake, you’re clearly not stepping out of your comfort zone’. Graduate schemes are all about personal development and you should expect to get things wrong – it’s how you learn from your mistakes that’s most important.