#ScotAppWeek22 Financial Services Apprentice.

Profile #2 | David Scott, Aviva

David Scott is a finalist for Apprentice Ambassador at this year's Scottish Apprenticeship Awards. This is what he had to tell us about his apprenticeship experience. 

What is your apprenticeship and why did you choose it? 

I’m doing an apprenticeship in Software Engineering with Aviva. I’m in my fourth year now and have been working alongside my degree at West of Scotland University. I have had opportunities to work in various teams including commercial insurance, IT platforms, and in payment platforms which is a front-facing development role.

I chose Aviva’s graduate apprenticeship programme after doing a modern apprenticeship with XX local council for a year and a half. I got a lot out of my first apprenticeship and knew it was something I could build on, but I was interested in being part of something bigger.

What do you enjoy most about your apprenticeship and why?

The networking aspect is amazing. There are so  many opportunities to network with senior people and make a profile within financial services, which then helps you to land even bigger opportunities.

You also get the chance to be part of different networks that are affecting positive change within the organisation and in society. For me that is being part of the pride community and the work that we do with Aviva and with other organisations. As an apprentice I didn’t expect to be able to influence the culture of a large organisation, but I’ve actually found that there are loads of opportunities to achieve this. The work I’ve done by educating people and being a role model for other apprentices is something I really enjoy and value.

Describe something that surprised you about your apprenticeship?

One surprise for me was the sheer scale of the organisation.  Aviva has streamlined a lot in recent years, focusing more on the domestic market in the UK, but coming from a smaller organisation into a big corporate with so many teams and departments does take you by surprise.

But the biggest surprise was how many people are willing to help you along in your journey. So many different people within the organisation have taken the time to offer me genuine support. People sometimes have a preconception that apprenticeships are a secondary option compared to university. Any preconception I had has been shattered by my experience, which has shown me just how much organisations like Aviva value apprentices.

Describe something you learned about yourself doing your apprenticeship?

I learned that I have a strong social purpose for doing things to help other people and the ability to show leadership on the things that I care about. I’ve been able to be a voice for positive change when it comes to workplace inclusion and improving the culture.

But also, relating to my career path as a software engineer, I’ve learned about the ways in which we can make a difference to customers, and the ways in which we can make services more accessible, through better digital application.

My goal now to keep challenging myself to be a leader when it comes to these issues which I feel passionate about. Soon I will be doing the Aviva Graduate Leadership Programme which will help me achieve these goals.

Do you have any advice for anyone who might be thinking about doing an apprenticeship?

I think you have to try and break through the noise and figure out what is best for you. There are often a lot of voices telling you that university is the best choice – and that may be the case! – but you should think really hard about whether or not am apprenticeship could be a more suitable alternative. 

The opportunities and learning provided to you as an apprentice are amazing. You will learn about yourself and what you excel at. You will work across different teams and cultures and get a real rounding of skills and experiences that help you be a stronger worker. You learn by applying yourself to your surrounding and get a real sense of what the big challenges and opportunities are inside the organisation and the sector you are in. And you will get the opportunity to build your network from day one. Its been life-changing for me and I really couldn’t recommend it enough.

Find out more about Scottish Apprenticeship Week here, and find out about new Providing Financial Services Apprenticeship here.