Customer Service
SKILLS
FULL DESCRIPTION
This page features a story about a graduate, Leo Harland, who shares his experience with the [Employer hidden — view at passion-project.co.uk] graduate scheme. He discusses his placements, what he enjoys about his job, the support he receives, and advice for those starting out. The story highlights the company's values and the opportunities available within the graduate program.
Categories:
- Graduate
- People stories
- Sales
- Stratford-upon-Avon
Date:
24 September, 2025
See all Graduate jobs
See all Stratford-upon-Avon jobs
University attended: University of Bristol
Degree: English
Office location: Bristol/ field-based
Department, team or function: Customer Services
What first attracted you to [Employer hidden]?
Funnily enough, my previous job was based in the same building, so I was walking past [Employer hidden] every day. The visibility of the company and the brand was always there, so that initially led me to apply. As I progressed through the application stages, learning about the company and finally attending an in-person interview at Head Office, I felt that [Employer hidden] was going to be a great fit for me, a graduate with no prior experience in the insurance sector. It felt super welcoming and supportive, and that continuous development was encouraged. The values as a mutual appealed to me and I saw that the focus on supporting its members and employees was a top priority.
How does the graduate scheme work?
I’ve just started on my third and final year of the Customer Services graduate scheme and am on my fifth placement out of six. It all began with a year at the Bristol Regional Service Centre in Household Claims, where I got to grips with the insurance world, speaking first-hand to the policyholders of our personal line products. I was then able to tailor subsequent placements to follow my interest in claims and have now dealt with liability claims for our large corporate clients. So I’ve been fortunate to have encountered a wide range of our customers. Being exposed to various claims areas on this rotational scheme has allowed me to explore my strengths and have greater flexibility on my career path.
What do you like best about your job?
I would say being able to regularly step outside of my comfort zone. I’ve often found myself in a room with people who have decades more experience than me, but I’ve always felt able to contribute value from my knowledge of being part of several different teams. I’ve often prompted thoughts and discussions from this and played a part in a variety of successes, including settling large loss injury cases, and leading a review into the customer journey for our Mutual Direct customers.
How are you supported in your role?
Our dedicated Learning and Development team have helped to put on numerous workshops to help me grow in areas such as presentation skills and change management. Theses workshops not only allow you to connect with your graduate cohort but are also engaging and often very timely – they often relate to upcoming tasks or embed skills you can use in your day-to-day role.
What has been your proudest moment so far?
I had the opportunity to utilise the skills learned in the presentation skills workshop soon afterwards in the Graduate scheme end-of-year presentations. This was a great development opportunity, and being able to coherently convey what I had done over the past year to senior stakeholders was a lot more effective than if I had not had the workshop to practice.
What advice would you have for someone starting out?
It’s no secret that the graduate job market is tough. But there are definitely ways to ensure you can show what you’re all about. For [Employer hidden], learn what they value and what makes them stand out from other insurers. Align these with your own experiences, relevant to the sector or not, and proudly showcase them. Even the little things like learning about the Graduate scheme that you’re applying for; what experiences it will give you and what roles you could have. Show why you would be engaged and why the scheme interests you. This will give your interviewers a desire to get to know you further, which helps you progress to the next stage.
How did you find the onboarding experience?
It provided the foundation required for entering the workplace after university. It was a mixture of Q&As with key figures in the business, [Employer hidden] history, skill-building workshops and the time to connect with the rest of your graduate cohort. Spending a dedicated week with the other graduates before you move to respective areas can really help with the settling-in process, especially if you’ve moved to a new geographical area. Hearing from our DEI specialist and chatting to my new team’s mental health first-aider helped me to settle in and be reassured of an inclusive working environment, which is a just-as-important factor in onboarding alongside meeting so many people.
What is your current role?
I have just begun my placement with the Claims Inspectors, a field-based team that go out to see our policyholders and predominantly investigate personal injury claims to help assess liability. They’ve never had a Graduate rotate into their area, so it’s going to be a very exciting 6 months.
Interested in joining [Employer hidden]?
It feels like Isobel has found her place at [Employer hidden], what about you? Why not take a look at our current Early Careers opportunities or register for job alerts by email.