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Aon’s award-winning work experience programme provides Bristol students with valuable career insight

Year 12 and 13 students from across the city and wider region take part in Aon’s award-winning work experience programme, the Work Insights Programme

13/03/2025

Aon plc, a leading global professional services firm, has welcomed over 20 year 12 and 13 students from Bristol and the surrounding area to its office on Redcliff Street in the city centre. This is part of its commitment to improving the access that young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds have to careers within financial and professional services.

Since its launch in 2023, Aon’s Work Insights Programme has won the Institute of Student Employers Award for Best Work Experience, Internship or Placement Programme (2024), and the 2024 Insurance Times Award for Diversity and Inclusion Excellence. The programme has grown yearly, with 1400 students participating in the first two years.

Students attending the event in Bristol had the opportunity to meet with Aon colleagues and participate in real workplace challenges, speed networking, CV and interview skills workshops, and panel discussions on career pathways. The programme’s alignment to the Gatsby Benchmarks (a framework for good career guidance provision in schools and colleges) also enabled them to engage with current Aon apprentices and graduates.

Natalie Few, senior consultant at Aon, said:

“Now in its third year, our Work Insights Programme is a proven means by which we can reach more students from disadvantaged backgrounds and provide them with insight into careers within professional and financial services. Last year, 24 percent of all new Aon apprentices were alumni from our Work Insights Programme, proving this is a pipeline of exceptional talent to fuel our future growth. Our aim is to double this over the coming years. The students we welcomed in Bristol showed genuine interest and participated enthusiastically in all activities. It’s a credit to their schools and we hope to see some of them return to join us as apprentices or graduates in the future.”

Zahra Syed from Winterbourne Academy, who participated in the three-day Work Insights Programme, said:

“The Work Insights Programme at Aon was extremely insightful. The opportunity to talk to former apprentices and employees who work as actuaries has been beneficial. They were all easy to talk to, approachable and kind.”

 

Schools that participated in the initiative included Bristol Free School; Cabot Learning Federation; Pates Grammar School; South Gloucester and Stroud College; St Brendan’s Sixth Form College; St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School Sixth Form; and Winterbourne Academy.

Find out more about Aon’s Work Insights Programme here.

 

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