National Apprenticeship Week 2024: meet the iprism apprentices

Sam's Story

Tell us a bit about yourself Sam!

I achieved my A-Levels in 2023 and found myself asking, ‘What next?’ I was unsure what career I wanted to pursue, but after talking to family and friends about their careers, I came across the insurance industry. Almost instantly, I knew this would be a great career path for me.

Outside of my education, I’ve always enjoyed sports, particularly football and kung fu. I regularly play in football matches and I’ve also earned my brown belt in kung fu!

What appealed to you about doing an apprenticeship?

I believe learning on the job is so effective as you have the chance to deal with real-life situations, I also think that on-the-job experience is so valuable, and hope it will help to propel my career forward. So, although most of my friends were applying to universities, I knew an apprenticeship would suit me better.

What has been your highlight so far?

I have met loads of people who are pursuing the same career that I would like to. This has helped me to gain an insight into which area of the insurance market I would like to focus on. It helps that iprism is a really sociable company, and there are regular social events for the team which I find so enjoyable.

What was your perception of the insurance industry before – has that changed?

Though I knew people in the industry, I hadn’t heard very much about what it was like to work in it and I certainly didn’t know about the huge range of careers and opportunities that are available! Now I’ve realised that the opportunities are endless, and I can’t believe how many different career pathways you can take within the industry.

What advice would you give someone else considering an insurance apprenticeship?

I definitely recommend an insurance apprenticeship as I believe it is a great career path, there are a wide variety of markets and different toles, so it’s easy to find something that suits you and your interests.

My advice is to research the industry as well and try to imagine which part of the market you could see yourself in, for instance, underwriting, broking or finance etc.

Diamant's Story

Diamant, tell us a bit about yourself!

I’m a 23-year-old graduate with a degree in History, and A Levels in Economics, History, and Maths. I’m probably a bit on the older side in terms of starting an apprenticeship but am someone who always wants to learn and develop my skills in things that I enjoy. In my spare time, I do a lot of volunteering work for my church, including teaching Sunday school, leading youth groups, and other miscellaneous tasks. I also try to stay active by playing sports whenever possible.

What appealed to you about doing an apprenticeship? 

After I graduated from university, I realised I wanted to take the jump into insurance and become an underwriter. I saw this apprenticeship at iprism as the perfect place to do this, a place where young people are given a chance to flourish and hone their skills.

What has been your highlight so far?

The highlight of my apprenticeship so far has been the atmosphere at iprism. When I first applied for the apprenticeship, I saw it as a perfect fit for a young graduate like me ready to take his first steps in insurance. A place where I could not only look to grow but also help the company grow in whatever way possible.

What was your perception of the insurance industry before – has that changed?

Like many other young people, throughout my late teens and early adulthood, I struggled to decide what career I wanted to do in the future, but I always thought insurance could be an option. Through my apprenticeship, my worries about what to do with my future career have changed and I’ve moved from worry to certainty. Certainty that I want to become an underwriter in the future.

What advice would you give someone else considering an insurance apprenticeship?

One of the many things I learned after completing my degree was that university isn’t for everyone. It isn’t always the best choice after you finish your A Levels and certainly doesn’t suit everyone. If you have even the slightest interest in the insurance industry but find it daunting, then an apprenticeship is a great option to consider.

Charlie's Story

Tell us a bit about yourself Charlie!

I'm 18 and I’m an Apprentice Underwriting Assistant here at iprism, my first role in full-time employment after leaving sixth form where I studied Maths, Economics and Physics. I was proud to achieve a BBD in my final exams.

I’m particularly interested in working with numbers and the financial world from my time studying maths and economics, which is why a role in insurance hugely appealed to me.

Aside from school and work, I am a big fan of most sports, I’ve played football all my life and although I don’t get to play as much now, I still play in a 5-a-side league with my mates every Tuesday. I’m also a big Man United fan… although I have to keep quite quiet about it at the moment…

What appealed to you about doing an apprenticeship?

It was a bit of a no-brainer for me. I loved the idea of getting a qualification whilst also gaining real experience working within the insurance field alongside insurance professionals.

Most schools push you to apply and look to go down the university route, however, I felt that choosing an apprenticeship would put me in a far greater position in my career than leaving university after a 4-year course for example.

I already had a clear idea that I wanted to work within insurance, so managing to land a role offering the necessary qualifications to progress was perfect for me, helping me achieve my goals.

I feel this kind of experience in insurance at my age is invaluable.

What has been your highlight so far?

Although I’ve only been in the role for a couple of months, I can say how fortunate I was to start with two people similar in age and experience to me. We’ve bonded so quickly, and helped each other gain more confidence in our roles, this has been a real highlight.

A more personal one for me would be how quickly I feel I have adapted to my role and become more comfortable and independent with the work. There are so many aspects to insurance that I am eager to learn about.

Finally, I’ve enjoyed meeting and talking to the Wiser Academy team, who are leading my studies. They’ve made it engaging and easy to understand, as well as helping us create clear plans of how we will improve and put our minds at ease about any exams coming up.

What were your perceptions of the Industry before? Have they changed?

Although I knew insurance was what I wanted to get into, I still had doubts about working in the City. I always was cautious that as an apprentice, I would be working alongside people who have been working for many years, so I was worried I might not be able to connect or form relationships with them, leaving me feeling a bit isolated.

That has definitely changed since starting at iprism, where there is a wide range of ages and levels of experience. Everyone is happy to offer advice, and willing to help me with any problems I may have. This really put me at ease and is why I feel I have been able to progress so quickly.

What advice would you give to people considering an apprenticeship?

Although I’ve only been an apprentice for 3 months, I already have nothing but amazing things to say. Just from my own experience, if you have a plan of what you want to achieve, an opportunity to be exposed to working environments and work alongside highly experienced professionals within that field is the best thing you can do. You will learn so much so quickly, which maybe you can't with a university course for example, and if you have the opportunity to study alongside your apprenticeship you are putting yourself in the best position possible.

I can't recommend the decision enough, as you gain the independence working within your desired industry.