COVER STORY
The Apprentice
PADDY POWER , WRIGHT INSURANCE BROKERS , WAS ONE OF OUR FIRST EVER APPRENTICES AND IS A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR THE SCHEME . WE HEAR WHY HE FEELS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD THINK ABOUT INSURANCE AS A CAREER AND HOW IT ' S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TO WHAT PEOPLE THINK IT IS .
WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU GOT YOUR APPRENTICESHIP ? I was working in hospitality and had been for 15 years . I was good at it and enjoyed it . But after I got married and we had our first child , the 12-hour shifts and weekend work began to take their toll . I knew it was time to change and I felt that the apprenticeship gave me the perfect opportunity to have a job that would be more structured and allow me to spend time with my family .
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WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE APPRENTICESHIP ? When I saw the role advertised , the first thing that struck me was that it said no experience necessary , but they wanted someone with people skills , which was perfect for me . As a career changer , I accepted that I ' d have to take a drop in salary , but the fact it was an ' earn-as-you-learn ' programme , leading to a BA ( Hons ) degree in Insurance Practice after three years , I knew that this was for me !
WHAT ARE THE MAIN BENEFITS OF DOING THIS APPRENTICESHIP FOR YOU ? I ' m getting on-the-job experience combined with college tuition , and with the 9-to-5 structure , I can actually plan family activities four to five weeks in advance , something I couldn ' t consider in my last job . The great thing though for me is that I know , in the long term , when I get my degree , I ' ll earn at least the same as I did working all the hours in hospitality , if not more .
Paddy Power
Wright Insurance Brokers
YOU HAVE
TO HAVE A WILLINGNESS TO LEARN AND TO START AT THE BOTTOM
AND WORK YOUR WAY UP
Issue 7 • September 2018 • The Insider