Actuaries

Working in partnership with The Actuarial Profession, Inside Careers brings you the official and only career guide to focus on the actuarial profession

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Trainee Profile

A career at Friends Life
After completing my degree I was determined to work in an area where my mathematical and analytical skills would be used. This is what originally drew me towards a career as an actuary.

I chose to work at Friends Life (or Friends Provident as it was then) because of its excellent reputation and the opportunities available to develop my career through its graduate rotation scheme. This scheme allows actuarial trainees to move teams every 18 to 24 months which gives me the ability to gain experience in a number of areas. Another great quality about Friends Life is the friendly and sociable company culture which was evident when I attended the interview and started work.

The work
Within the finance department I work in the Prophet team. Prophet is a piece of computer software used industry wide to give actuarial valuations of policyholder liabilities. The data output from Prophet is passed onto other teams to analyse and forms the basis of the calculation of company reserves and profitability of different product lines.

This role within finance allows me to interact with much of the finance department which gives me the opportunity to work with a wide variety of people, from students to qualified actuaries. It can be a demanding role which often involves working to tight deadlines, but one that I greatly enjoy.

The studying
The study support that I receive at Friends Life is second to none. I have dedicated one to one sessions with an assigned mentor who is willing to give me guidance at every stage of my progress. This, coupled with study days and tutorials, puts me in the best possible position to pass exams quickly and efficiently.

The social life
Socially, Friends Life is well equipped. Our Dorking office has its own sports and social building, which includes a gym, sports hall and field, squash courts, tennis courts, a pitch and putt course and a bar.