Added: 1 day ago by NFU Mutual
When you're choosing a graduate employer, one question matters more than almost any other: where could this opportunity take me?
We spoke to six colleagues who joined NFU Mutual through graduate schemes and have since progressed into management and leadership roles.
For many graduates, the first role is important. But what really matters is what happens next. Will you continue learning? Will people invest in you? Will there be opportunities to develop new skills, discover new interests and build a meaningful career?
At NFU Mutual, graduate schemes are designed with the future in mind. Across the business, today's managers, change leaders, product owners and business leaders are people who began their journeys as graduates themselves.
We spoke to six colleagues who joined NFU Mutual through graduate schemes and have since progressed into management and leadership roles. Their stories are different, but a common theme runs through every one of them: development never stands still.
For many graduates, insurance wasn't part of the original plan.
For Emily Watson, a Mathematics graduate interested in data, it was a recommendation from a friend that first introduced her to NFU Mutual. What convinced her to join was the experience of meeting people during the assessment process.
"I remember leaving the assessment centre thinking, I really hope they give me a job here. Everyone was friendly, welcoming and genuinely interested in getting to know you as a person."
Similarly, Kirsty Murrall, who studied Psychology, wasn't specifically looking for a career in insurance. She was searching for a people-focused graduate opportunity and was drawn to NFU Mutual's culture and reputation.
For Jack Waters, who had worked in hospitality before joining our graduate scheme, the attraction was different. He wanted to build a career in a stable industry where he could grow, develop and challenge himself.
Despite coming from different educational backgrounds, all six interviewees described something similar: a sense that NFU Mutual would invest in them for the long term.
A graduate scheme can teach technical skills. The best ones also help you discover what you're capable of.
Throughout their schemes, they each completed professional qualifications, worked in different teams, took on stretching projects and developed networks that still support them today.
For Dan Demmar, who joined the Risk Professional graduate scheme after working in the utilities sector, the rotational structure helped him understand different areas of the business while identifying where his strengths lay.
"You have real value as a graduate trainee, even at a very early point in your career," he reflected. "People are interested in your ideas and your perspective."
For Jack Baker, the scheme opened his eyes to opportunities he did not even know existed. After joining a technology-focused graduate scheme, he discovered that his strengths lay not in software development but in leadership, coaching and facilitating teams.
"It showed me there is a whole host of different roles available. You don't have to be a technical expert to build a successful career in technology."
Meanwhile, Kirsty Murrall's different placements exposed her to multiple areas of the business before she discovered a passion for change management and large transformation programmes. Working on strategic change projects helped shape the career she has today.
Every interviewee talked about support.
Not just formal training, qualifications and development programmes, but day-to-day coaching, encouragement and mentoring from colleagues, managers and peers.
Emily Watson described how managers helped build her confidence throughout her journey, particularly in the early years of her career. She credits that support with helping her progress into leadership roles far sooner than she ever imagined.
"I don't think I’d be where I am now without the support I’ve had. There's always been a cheerleader in my corner."
For Jack Strange, support came through coaching, personal development planning and mentors who encouraged him to focus on building skills rather than chasing job titles. That advice helped shape a career path that eventually led him into a senior business leadership position.
Jack Waters remembers the support beginning even before he joined the business, with regular contact throughout the recruitment process. Once on the scheme, managers continually invested time in his development and encouraged him to challenge himself. These stories demonstrate something important: development at NFU Mutual isn't something that happens only during a graduate scheme. The support continues throughout your career.
One of the strongest messages from all six stories is that there is no single route to success.
Some participants progressed rapidly into leadership roles. Others explored multiple business areas before finding the right fit. Some moved sideways into specialist opportunities before stepping up into management positions.
Six years after joining as a graduate Data Analyst, Emily Watson now leads a team supporting some of the organisation's most significant transformation programmes.
Jack Strange progressed through multiple rotations, quality development roles and strategic projects before moving into a senior business leadership position responsible for managing an agency operation and team.
Jack Waters moved from graduate trainee to senior leadership responsibilities in the regional sales network in little over three years, supporting agencies and leading graduate development himself.
What links these stories is not a predetermined career ladder. Instead, it is a culture that encourages people to explore, learn, take opportunities and continually develop.
When asked what advice they would give to graduates considering NFU Mutual, the responses were remarkably consistent.
As Kirsty Murrall puts it: "Say yes to everything. You're on the scheme for three years. Make the most of it and go and try different things."
Jack Strange offers similar advice: "Don't think about your next role. Think about where you want to be in ten years' time and work backwards from there."
And perhaps the strongest endorsement comes from the fact that every person we spoke to is still here, continuing to grow, learn and develop.
For graduates looking for a place where potential is recognised, where support is genuine and where progression is earned through opportunity and development, their message is clear: NFU Mutual isn't just somewhere to start your career. It's somewhere you can build one.
