University attended: University of Birmingham
Office location: Head Office Tiddington (Stratford upon Avon)
Department, team or function: HR Department
Why did you choose the NFU Mutual Graduate Scheme?
I chose the NFU Mutual Graduate Scheme because I was enthused by the company’s three strategic pillars of being a Great Place to Work, and Great Place to do Business with, and achieving Sustainable Profitable Growth. When looking specifically at the HR scheme, I knew I wanted to work in HR, but I wasn’t sure which area I wanted to specialise in. When I saw that NFU Mutual offered a 3-year rotational graduate scheme with the opportunity to try out several different HR teams, I thought this looked very appealing. I also saw that NFU Mutual provided the opportunity to study for professional qualifications alongside the roles such as the CIPD Level 5, which I knew would be invaluable for my career.
What qualifications are you studying on the scheme?
In my first few months, I achieved my CII Level 3 certificate, which involved three weeks of learning and three exams. I am now currently studying for my Level 5 CIPD apprenticeship, which I am about halfway through.
How would you describe the virtual onboarding experience?
I found the virtual onboarding experience was very helpful and really settled me into the company. Of course, it was a shame that the onboarding couldn’t happen in person, but there was a significant effort from the Talent team to ensure we still had all the relevant information and felt welcomed into the company. We had talks from each of the Directors across the company with the opportunity for Q&A; we had talks from various different PT’s currently on scheme to hear about their experience so far and ask any questions; we had breakout rooms with social activities to get to know the other PTs; and we were given all the relevant information, for example with regards to pensions, our rewards and benefits etc, to ensure we knew what to expect when we started. Overall, I felt very ready to get started in my role by the end of the week.
Has NFU Mutual done anything support you in your job, your work/life balance or your life outside of work?
NFU Mutual has been incredibly helpful to support me throughout my time so far. I have regular catch ups with both my placement manager, my role manager, and the talent team to discuss my progress and everything I can do to get the most out of the scheme. I have always found NFU Mutual to be flexible with working hours if ever I have needed it, and very understanding of any personal circumstances that may have an impact on my day-to-day work.
What advice would you give to somebody else thinking about joining our Graduate Scheme?
Go for it! Be yourself throughout the application process, do your research about the company, and really think about how you can demonstrate the skills you have which make you a great leader.
Take a look at our current opportunities or email talent_development@nfumutual.co.uk.