Aon |

What stood out to you about Aon?

Aon stood out to me due to its global reputation in risk management and insurance solutions. Also, the company's commitment to innovation and providing comprehensive data analytics to address complex risks was particularly appealing. I was drawn to the opportunity to work with industry leaders and utilise my background in seismic risk to contribute towards meaningful projects.

Describe your role at Aon

My role involves analysing data related to natural disasters, with a focus on earthquakes. I develop and evaluate models to predict potential impacts and work closely with the team to provide insights that help clients mitigate risks. My work includes conducting research and staying updated with the latest science in my field.

What do you find most interesting about your industry?

It’s dynamic nature! The continuous evolution of risks due to climate change and other factors means there's always something new to learn and analyse. Additionally, the application of cutting-edge technology and data analytics to predict and mitigate these risks is incredibly fascinating.

What skills are useful in your role?

Data analysis, probabilistic modelling and a strong understanding of natural disasters. Attention to detail, problem-solving and proficiency in programming languages like R or Python are also essential.

What training have you received?

I’ve received specialised training in insurance by obtaining a Certificate in Insurance from the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), as well as ongoing professional development to stay current with industry trends. Additionally, I received support from Aon to obtain a Certified Extreme Event Modeler (CEEM) accreditation from Verisk.

What do you find most rewarding and most challenging about your role?

The most rewarding part of my role is knowing that the work I do helps protect communities and businesses from the devastating impacts of natural disasters. The most challenging aspect is the complexity of accurately predicting these events and the pressure to provide precise and actionable insights.

What three top tips would you give to students wanting to follow in your footsteps?

1. Develop strong analytical and statistical skills – these are crucial in catastrophe research and risk management.
2. Stay curious and keep learning – the field is always evolving, and continuous education is key to staying ahead.
3. Gain practical experience through internships or projects – hands-on experience is invaluable and helps to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios.

What stood out to you about Aon?

The size of the organisation, its reputation in the market and the quality of the graduate development programme.

Describe your role at Aon

As an analyst I support various client teams to help meet their targets. For corporate clients, this often involves working on accounting projects and for Trustee clients, I help calculate the value of their members benefits, or the factors used to help calculate them.

What do you find most interesting about your industry?

It’s really interesting to see the creative ways in which colleagues continue to deliver value for their clients and their members. I’m also interested by the product lines developing off the back of pensions, such as Pensions Captives.

What training have you received?

On the Actuarial Consulting Graduate Programme, we receive 40 study days a year to help prepare us for the actuarial exams. Aon also provides resources such as books and tutorials. There are weekly webinars which cover topics inside and outside of your role, and as an Aon graduate, I receive soft skills and technical training.

What do you find most rewarding and most challenging about your role?

I find the learning most rewarding, progressively seeing yourself improve and being able to provide value to your team is a strong motivator. The most challenging aspect of my role is probably balancing working and studying with my personal life.

What three top tips would you give to students wanting to follow in your footsteps?

1. Be interested and curious.
2. Hone your communication and presentation skills.
3. Make sure you enjoy studying!

What stood out to you about Aon?

The key reason Aon stood out to me in comparison to other investment consulting firms is because Aon advocates for diversity within their business.

Describe your role at Aon

My main responsibility is to deal with the routine tasks for each client I work on, and any other tasks delegated by senior members of the client team. Examples include completing asset valuations, drafting papers for client meetings and preparing asset transitions. Analysts typically complete the first draft of pieces of work, which is then reviewed and updated by senior members of the client team. This is a great way to learn from more experienced consultants.

What skills are useful in your role?

Within the Investment Consulting Graduate Programme, I work with various client teams made up of different colleagues, therefore communication and collaboration are vital for my role. You must also have good time management skills, as you could be working on various pieces of work for different clients due around the same time.

You need to be able to prioritise important tasks and delegate less urgent tasks. IT proficiency is also favourable, (although Aon provides a wide range of IT training), particularly confidence in using Excel which we use for monitoring and reporting.

What training have you received?

The training I received during my Induction set me up for my day-to-day role and gave me confidence. Aon’s in-house training has been a great way to learn about the different areas of the business and has enhanced my knowledge of specific topics within investment. I’ve also received asset class training with different asset managers providing insights into their funds and underlying assets. This not only helps me to understand client portfolios but is also a great opportunity to network with other investment colleagues.

What stood out to you about Aon?

The culture! Aon’s graduate programme works hard to invest in their new hires. They understand this is a totally new environment for many, so they surround you with help and resources and encourage you to socialise with all different types of people.

Outside of your day-to-day role, are you involved in any extracurricular activities at Aon?

I came up with the idea to introduce a women’s full contact rugby team for the industries Rugby 7’s tournament. With Aon’s help, I was able to find the best people to help me produce two industry wide teams for an inaugural game in front of thousands of people, which was a huge success!

What three top tips would you give to students wanting to follow in your footsteps?

1. Be yourself throughout the application process.
2. Do your research on the company, learn how they operate and what they look for.
3. Branch out, there are so many roles and areas to try, expand your ideas past just what you think you can do.

What stood out to you about Aon?

When applying for jobs, Aon’s graduate programme stood out as it provided an unparalleled opportunity for continuous learning, personal growth, and professional development within my role and more broadly. I also wanted to work for an organisation which puts people at the core of its success, and it was always my impression that Aon does this exceptionally well.

Describe your role at Aon

I sit within the Assessment Solutions Team in the Human Capital Sector. In my role, I support on the design elements and project implementation of online assessments for our clients. This involves conducting job analysis, project management and aligning with best practices standards.

What do you find most interesting about your industry?

HR is an extremely complex and a very important industry, leading clients to face unique situations which require our support. This certainly creates an ever-changing landscape for the world of assessments, as we look to continue to adapt and drive insights that can have an impact on individuals, organisations, and communities.

What skills are useful in your role?

Time management, interpersonal skills, project management and organisation skills are key.

What do you find most rewarding and most challenging about your role?

I find it rewarding to see the impact we have on a candidate’s experience and a client’s process – especially from a diversity and inclusion standpoint. Every day is certainly very different from the last which has its challenges, but I have learnt to be adaptable and flexible in my work.

What three top tips would you give to students wanting to follow in your footsteps?

1. Be yourself when applying for jobs.
2. Don’t stress about lacking certain qualifications when applying for a role.
3. Ask lots of questions and don’t be afraid to be curious.

Describe your role at Aon

My role involves liaising with insurers and clients/retail teams, handling administrative tasks, assessing risks, linking new clients with insurance companies……the list goes on!

What skills are useful in your role?

Written and verbal communication, the way you say things and what you say is very important as it can be interpretated by others differently. Knowing how to be clear is key, even if you don’t understand, communicate that!

Outside of your day-to-day role, are you involved in any extracurricular activities at Aon?

I play for Aon’s netball team and support with different networking events.

What three top tips would you give your fellow Bright Network members wanting to follow in your footsteps?

1. Be yourself, be kind and be personable.
2. You don’t have to know everything about insurance, but you need a willingness to learn. And transferrable skills are valuable.
3. Enjoy the process, that’s something I can say I did! It helps you not to feel so tense about your failures or setbacks and to see everything as an opportunity to learn.