I am a FinTech apprentice at Funds Axis and have been working at the company for just over a year now. I started the company in the Technical Operations team but have now transitioned to the Automation and Enterprise Data Management team. I originally applied to the FinTech degree as I had an interest in maths and business but wanted to apply it to an IT area due to how massively this industry has taken over the past 20 years. I came onto the course straight out of A Levels having gained my qualifications in Maths, Physics and Business studies.
Why an Apprenticeship?
I preferred the idea of work rather than full time study which made the apprenticeship a perfect choice for me. I also liked having coursework rather than exams, it has resulted in less stress as I have more time to work on my projects and provides a perfect balance with working at the same time.
My Apprenticeship in three words
Rewarding, Informative, Supportive
Why I choose the FinTech Degree Apprenticeship
I liked the mix of math, business and computing and this course offers modules in all these areas plus much more. It also gives you exposure to other areas in FinTech that you never thought would be apart of it and allows you to integrate this into your work as well. The FinTech industry is also vastly growing in recent years which drew me to pursuing a career in this area.
The best thing about being an apprentice
The best thing is how much more you learn day-to-day that equips you with skills and knowledge in so many areas of the business. Getting to rotate role every year means I am exposed to all business operations and provides a further understanding of the company’s operations. We are also offered the choice to work from home or go to the office any time during the week and being in university in person offers a nice change of scenery as well.
A day in the life of an apprentice
Within our company I mainly work with databases and the transfer/movement of client’s data to meet client deadlines. I use software to transform data and automate projects that reduces hours of manual work. I also participate in large projects and get to see the progression from start to finish, but also create my own smaller projects to help improve the efficiency of the business.
My plans for the future
I hope that after I gain my qualification in Financial Technology I can also get a postgraduate degree in data science which Ulster University also provides. This is just where I have a specific interest in and having been exposed to it in the workplace, it has solidified that this is where I want to pursue a career in the future.
Words of advice
My advice when applying to apprenticeships is to show an external interest to this subject outside of just school and work. Participate in code camps, hackathons, IT camps or complete work experience with a FinTech company.
Another thing would be to have an understanding of certain events or milestones within the FinTech industry - this is especially useful for your personal statement or interview if applying to an apprenticeship and shows you have a passion for the subject.
When applying to companies I would advise to just be yourself, companies look for more than just academic grades. It’s also about your attitude to work, willingness to learn and your ability to work as a team as well as many other things.
If you're interested in becoming an apprentice, check out the range of Degree Apprenticeship programmes available at Ulster University.