Aviva

Company profile

Aviva is the only composite insurer in the UK offering general insurance, life insurance, pensions, health and investment products. With great office locations, generous remuneration packages, the organisation has also been voted as one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2019. 

The purpose of Aviva’s accountancy graduate scheme is to train high calibre individuals who develop financial and commercial acumen and become well rounded leaders of the future, alongside achieving a globally recognised professional qualification. Aviva has long been aware of the benefits of finance training within the organisation, and, with five students currently studying to become ICAEW Chartered Accountants, and another six having joined in September 2019, the organisation has seamlessly incorporated ACA training into the business and is building a solid pipeline of future leaders. 

Adding value with flexible training options

Training well-rounded professionals

Aviva offers a three-year graduate scheme through the Level 7 Accountancy Professional Apprenticeship. This has allowed the organisation to fund the programme by utilising the apprenticeship levy, making ACA training more cost-effective for the business. 

What makes Aviva stand out is its rotational graduate scheme, which is made up of three placements. Not only does this provide students with a better understanding of the organisation as a whole - it also means that they don’t end up doing the same thing for the entire duration of the programme. 

With the ACA covering a broad range of technical topics and with a long list of training areas to choose from, Aviva has the flexibility to decide where to place students depending on which areas of the business need support at any given point. Their current programme, which started in 2018, will see students train mainly in the finance function, which covers a large area of the business.

When deciding on where to place the students, Aviva looks to combine their development with the business’s needs. That way the students get great exposure throughout the scheme, and the skills they gain on the job tie in well with the ACA exams.

Structured skills development

Ensuring that students on the scheme develop their skills, along with their technical knowledge, has always been a priority for the organisation. The Level 7 Apprenticeship has enabled Aviva to get even more out of their students, as they get a far more structured skills development programme. This has been one of the biggest advantages of offering the apprenticeship thus far.

Through the 20% off-the-job training, students improve their communication and time management skills, and learn how to deal with conflict. The further they are into the qualification, the more they develop their analytical skills and their judgement. Towards the end of their training, students also learn how to write reports – a crucial skill in their job. At the end of the scheme, having acquired a wide range of skills and work experience, the students are in a great position to make informed business decisions. 

Planning for the future

While the current apprentices are still in their first year of the programme, it’s evident that they are already in great demand within the organisation, as they go on to achieve the highly-respected professional qualification, the ACA.