Prudential Apprenticeship

Programme 2016
Candidate Information

The Prudential Apprenticeship Programme is designed with you Apprentices receive a mixture of formal training, on-the-job
in mind. Apprentices recruited into this programme will spend learning, mentoring, as well as gaining broader employability
13 months gaining real business experience with Prudential. skills such as CV development and interviewing skills,
In addition we will give you the opportunity to achieve a communication and presentation skills, and other business skills.
vocational qualification and give you employability skills that
will help you in your future careers. Each apprentices learning is set and assessed by an assessor, who
will visit once a month to monitor and observe progress, and liaise
Throughout our 168 year history weve always taken a with each manager on their respective apprentices progress.
long-term interest in the well-being of the communities
Together with invaluable commercial and professional
in which we operate. This continues today in many ways,
experience, an apprentice will gain a nationally recognised
including through our Apprenticeship Programme which vocational qualification in Business Administration, Providing
offers professional training and career opportunities in Financial Services or IT (at level 2 or level 3) and be given the
the Financial Services sector for young people. For option to gain an additional professional qualification, as well
Prudential, the Apprenticeship Programme is about a lot as a competitive salary.
more than just creating full time roles in the company.
Some of the young people who join the programme will What we are looking for
only be with us for 13 months but during that time we aim Apprenticeships can be demanding, but very rewarding. It helps
if you are focused enough to know what you want to do (know
to set them up with life-skills and a qualification to help
your career path) before you apply. More importantly you need
them pursue a successful career, wherever they choose.
to bring a positive attitude and the commitment to complete
Cathy Lewis, Executive Director, Corporate Services the programme.
About Prudential The perfect candidate will have many qualities such as:
Established in 1848 in London, Prudential plc is an international
financial services group with significant operations in Asia, the
US and the UK. In the UK Prudential is a leading life and pensions
provider with approximately 7 million customers and offices in
ability to learn
London, Reading and Stirling. people skills integrity
About the programme
Our Apprenticeship programme provides 40 vocational training dedication communication
positions across a range of business areas and across all three
UK locations. motivation
Its an opportunity for apprentices to learn general business skills
relevant to the world of work, as well as specialist technical skills
related to a specific role and business area. Provision of We are looking for committed, enthusiastic individuals with a
interesting and varied work is the cornerstone of the programme. good standard of education, good communication skills, who are
able to work with others, and want to work in a challenging and
Typically an Apprenticeship framework has three main strands: changing environment.
a competence based element; a technical element; and a skills
element. These three strands have respective additional As well as providing a high quality learning programme we, of
qualifications to give the most relevant skills and knowledge course, hope that each apprentice makes a useful and valuable
required for each particular job role. contribution to the success of our business.
Apprenticeship placements You can also apply via the following link:
We have a variety of apprentice opportunities across different www.getmyfirstjob.co.uk
business areas and different locations. These may include:
The applications window will be open throughout March 2016.
Group Head Office (GHO)
Our application process has been created so you can impress us
GHO provide an array of overarching services to the Prudential
with the best of your skills, expertise and personality. We want
group of companies (including Prudential Corporation Asia,
you to be prepared and confident, and ready for a successful
Jackson National Life Insurance Company, Prudential UK and
Apprenticeship with Prudential.
M&G) in the functions of risk management, finance, administrative
and legal matters, human resources, IT and other businesses that The placements will have targeted adverts that will outline generic
support the group strategy. and specific recruitment criteria (as applicable to each specific job
role) so think about and research your preferred option. We will
Operations IT
give you the opportunity to state your preference. Our recruitment
Our IT department provides the IT service and technology systems
team will then establish the best fit between your aspirations and
that hold and process the essential data for customers and the
abilities and our business needs. The candidates with the highest
essential data to run the company. They build and support the
ability scores will get the first choices of their preferred options.
software and systems that allows Prudential to run its business.
In order to help and guide you through the recruitment process,
Finance
we'll provide you with support and guidance at every stage. If
The Finance Department manages the money of the business.
you have any questions or would like to receive a phone call from
They calculate the profits and the amounts that must be set aside
our recruiter please email apprenticeship@prudential.co.uk
now to cover any payments that must be made to our customers
in the future. Online application form
Once you have decided which placement you would like to apply
Customer Services
for, you will be required to fill in a relevant application form.
In Customer Services (CS) there is one main goal to ensure all
of our customers are given an excellent level of service. This Please read the application form carefully and make sure you
means dealing with all enquiries in a timely and accurate manner have supplied us with full and accurate information, or we may
we want our customers to say we are easy to deal with and feel not be able to progress your application.
we really care about them.
Assuming that your application form meets the initial qualifying
PruChange criteria, you will be invited to the next stage of the process which
PruChange helps Prudential colleagues to change the way they will allow us to assess your initial suitability for working at Prudential.
do things so the business continues to improve and provide great
service to our customers. They manage change on a project basis Online aptitude test
everything needs to be done in the right order and on time with You will be asked to complete numerical and verbal reasoning
careful planning and management. tests. These are likely to be quite different to the kinds of tests
you will have done before, so we would strongly recommend
Retail & Distribution doing some practice.
This area of the business plans, develops, markets and then
sells savings, investment and retirement products through a Try some sample questions plus tips on the best way to prepare
range of distribution channels e.g., directly over the phone and at: www.shldirect.com or www.savilleconsulting.com. The
via financial advisers. There is a high focus on customer service ability tests will be timed and you should work as quickly and
and building and maintaining relationships with current or accurately through the questions you're presented with. Ensure
potential clients. you read each question carefully and that you understand what's
required before committing yourself to an answer, especially
Marketing where multiple choice answers appear similar. You will have the
This area of the business is responsible for the creation of marketing option to practise the ability tests once only before you take
literature and communications as well as marketing of Prudential your full assessments. Your practice test questions will not be the
products through a variety of distribution channels and promotion same as your full test questions but they are equivalent to and
of our brand. This business area also manages marketing campaigns will assess your aptitude at the same level.
and launches within various sales distribution channels.
Following completion of your assessment, we will be provided
How to apply & timetable with your personal report. Results of your aptitude tests will be
Apprentice vacancies will be advertised throughout March on the used for further selection of candidates through to the next stage.
following websites:
We might ask you to sit the tests again at the Assessment Centre
National Apprenticeship Service Day under supervision so doing them online is a good preparation.
www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship (in England)

Apprenticeships in Scotland website

www.Apprenticeshipsinscotland.com (in Scotland)
Telephone Interview Remember that your interest and awareness of business will
Candidates who have passed the initial application screening will also be assessed at interview, so its important to have a few
be invited to a 30 minute telephone interview. business stories that interest you and that you are comfortable
talking about. We want to see candidates considering different
We recommend that you research and prepare for your interview. opinions and then being able to provide their own viewpoint on
The following websites might be useful for your preparation: a situation. You will need to demonstrate an understanding of
the business areas, as well as your reasons for applying to your
www.totaljobs.com and www.targetjobs.co.uk
chosen location, business area and programme. Make sure that
Assessment Centre Day you have also researched what Apprenticeships in financial
Following a telephone interview (screening), a shortlist of successful services are about as well as what is a likely commitment from
candidates will be invited to attend Assessment Centres in Stirling, you as a prospective apprentice.
London and Reading likely to be held from the middle to the end
It's important to us that you are adequately informed about the
of April.
format and competencies against which you will be assessed in
Preparation is the key. There will be other candidates present on your interview. This will allow you to perform to the best of your
the day, all passionate about joining us, so make sure you stand ability. The essential apprentice competencies we are looking for
out. You can do this by having an impressive knowledge of who will be described in the apprentices job vacancies (adverts) so
we are and what we are looking for. make sure you are aware of these and are able to articulate how
your own experiences may demonstrate each competency.
You will be taking part in a group exercise, so think about the
questions we may ask you and the answers you could give that Dont be afraid to ask us questions.
demonstrate the qualities we are after.
Receiving an offer
We are likely to ask you to undertake either another short aptitude After these interviews, offers will be made to the successful
test (verbal and numerical reasoning) or a short written exercise candidates to join our Apprenticeship programme.
that will assess your reasoning and writing skills as well as
Pass our checks
attention to detail.
Once you accept an offer, our Recruitment Team will verify the
Final Interview academic and employment history you outlined on your
Finally, we want to get to know you personally, so our business application. This makes it absolutely essential that you complete
managers will conduct a face to face final interview during your your application form accurately and truthfully, including all dates
Assessment Centre Day. This will be a one-to-one competency and grades achieved. All of the information you provide will be
based interview with a senior member of staff from the business checked rigorously.
area youve applied to, which is an opportunity to demonstrate
Whats next
your passion and enthusiasm for our business and your
Before your start date, we will be in touch with all of the information
understanding of the importance of putting the customers at the
you need. You may find it useful to come in for an informal visit.
heart of the business. We are looking for you to provide us with
This will allow you to have a more personalised, informal chat about
evidence of the skills we are seeking as well as reassuring us that
what to expect once you join, take a look round the office where
you've thought carefully about your career choice. You need to be
you will be based and meet some of your new colleagues.
able to demonstrate that you have a clear interest in the business
world and Prudential. Interviews will last between 30-45 minutes. We will also invite you to attend a preview event where you can
meet fellow new apprentices and learn more information about
We recommend you start to prepare for your interview well in
your forthcoming induction.
advance. A good place to start would be to understand the topics
which might be discussed in your interview and have a think Before starting in a business area, each apprentice will attend a
about how your experiences and skills relate to these. specifically designed training workshop called LaunchPad to
help prepare them for working at Prudential. This is likely to
During your interview we encourage you to:
take place from the middle of August. The attendance for this
> Listen carefully to what the interviewer is asking you induction is mandatory.

> Take time to consider your answer if necessary Apprentices will join our business from the middle of August 2016.

> Express yourself clearly and concisely Contact Details

> General enquiries about the Prudential Apprenticeship
> Be as specific as you can Programme, as well as recruitment queries, can be sent to
apprenticeshipapplications@bpp.com or call 0203 131 5165.
> Ask considered questions about the business area BPP is our Recruitment partner in this process. Alternatively, you
you applying to can contact Prudential at apprenticeship@prudential.co.uk

> For more information on the Programme, visit

www.pru.co.uk/careers-at-pru/prudential-apprenticeship-
programme/
GENA11756 03/2016

www.pru.co.uk