AMY KIRBY Previous Apprentice, Investment Management London

 

 

What attracted you to Rathbones and the Wealth
Management Industry?
At school I loved Maths and Economics, but I knew that I
didn’t want to go to university. I did know that I wanted a
career in Investment Management as I was really interested
in Investments and markets, but the normal route into this
industry was with a degree on a graduate scheme.


During 6th form I came to hear about the apprenticeship
scheme here at Rathbones. I was living in Liverpool and
Rathbones had a great reputation there where it was
founded. I am now based in London.


I felt very supported at Rathbones and worked and
studied my way from administration support to Assistant
Investment Manager to Investment Manager. There was
and still is a very clear promotion framework at Rathbones
which helps enormously in working out what you need to do
to achieve your goals.


During the apprenticeship I completed an NVQ in Business
Administration and the CISI Investment Operations
Certificate, before going on to do the Investment Advice
Diploma and the Level 7 Chartered Wealth Manager
qualification. I was told I was the youngest to ever achieve
Chartered status at the age
of 21!


Taking the apprenticeship route allowed me to gain 3 years
work experience ahead of my friends who were coming out
of university, and I had no student debt!
 

 

 

What is the most enjoyable part of your job?
The clients! I specialise in Personal Injury & Court of
Protection and working with these clients is the best part
of my job. I can see the difference we make to family lives.
They will have been battling through courts, sometimes
for over a decade to reach the settlement, so to be able to
come in at this point when they have the money to move on
in their lives is wonderful.

One of the most recent highlights was organising a Charity
event, taking some clients on a day trip on a specially
adapted boat down in Portsmouth. Seeing the faces of the
individuals light up is extremely rewarding and what makes
my job so special.


What does a typical day look like for you?
Every day is different. Some days when I’m in the office
I am looking at client portfolios and markets and trading
accordingly.
When I am out of the office I am travelling around the
country seeing clients in their homes which makes
everything far more real than on the computer screen.
Whilst I am there to discuss investment performance, more
often than not the conversation is more personal and about
the individual.


Apprenticeships give you that foot in the door with paid, on
the job learning. My advice to the younger generation would
be to drive your own development, be present andseen and
say yes to as much as you can.