Sam Cloke, PPF Actuarial Consultant at Broadstone, has been working in the PPF team in the Redditch office since March 2022. Sam graduated from the University of Nottingham with a BSc in Mathematics in 2020.
Read Sam’s insights below into what life is like working at Broadstone.
I have been with the company for about 8 months and have been working in the Redditch office as a Pension Protection Fund (“PPF”) Actuarial Consultant during this time. I studied Mathematics at university and graduated in 2020. Having not worked in the industry before it was a bit overwhelming when I first started, there were a lot of new things to learn, but the team did an excellent job of welcoming me and teaching me the ins and outs of the role. One thing I was nervous about going into the job was that, because I’d had no experience in the world of pensions before, I wouldn’t understand what I was doing and wouldn’t enjoy it. The lack of experience definitely hasn’t held me back though. The company has been excellent at organising training on each of the areas I’ve struggled with, and everyone is happy to answer questions if you need help.
Working with the PPF Actuarial team in Redditch, my job helps to protect peoples’ pensions when their employer becomes insolvent. The work I do helps to ensure employees receive the money they are owed, which I find very fulfilling because it is nice to know that the work I’m doing is improving peoples’ lives. Most of my work involves pension calculations and valuations, often using Excel, however there are also lots of opportunities to attend client meetings, discuss business opportunities, and present reports to trustees. This means that there is real variety on a day-to-day basis, and if you’re interested in working independently, working as part of a larger team, or interacting with clients there is something for you.
As well as the individual assistance that I’ve had from my colleagues, the company has several helpful initiatives to support graduates including a generous study package, which has allowed me to take paid time off work to revise for professional exams. Broadstone has recently introduced a new Graduate Development Programme which has been a fantastic way to learn about the different areas of the business, all the distinct opportunities the company offers, as well as make connections with graduates throughout the other offices. This is supplemented by the Mentor Scheme, which allows me to ask a more senior member of the company for advice and help surrounding exams, work, or career goals in general. I’ve found this to be particularly useful and has really helped me outline some professional objectives.
Another thing that Broadstone does well is their culture around feedback. I feel that my voice matters and that my line manager and directors are not only eager for feedback but care about improving my work environment, workload, and well-being. On top of this they are good at giving feedback too, always happy to talk through work I’ve completed, noting areas for improvement, and explaining what could be done differently. All these things combined have improved the initial feeling of unpreparedness and have really helped me to settle into my new role.
Sam Cloke – Actuarial Consultant
