Joining the Aon team in 2008, my first role consisted of general secretarial services; supporting my colleagues in pulling together meeting packs for trustee meetings and typing various letters to members. Prior to taking this role I had no experience of the pensions industry. Aon encouraged me to take the PMI exams to further my knowledge and personal development, and in 2010 my journey with the Pensions Management Institute began.

The Advanced Diploma in Retirement Provision (ADRP) consists of a series of core units followed by specialist tier exams, and a compulsory professionalism and governance exam. The syllabus of the PMI modules covers all the main areas of pensions and benefit provision. Once you have completed the core units, you are given the option to choose the modules of most interest, allowing you to complete the ADRP in a way that works best for you. The exams are held biannually which gave me sufficient time for a break in between each exam cycle to prepare for the next.

Aon have a flexible approach to personal development, and this allowed me to take the exams at my own pace. I was even allocated study days which enabled me to fit my studies around my work. My colleagues were always more than happy to help if I had any queries relating to any of the study material and were incredibly supportive. They also very generously shared their approach to the exams and their study techniques. I found this extremely helpful and tried many different study techniques before I found the perfect one that worked for me.

With each exam I passed, I could see a significant improvement in my technical ability allowing me to apply the knowledge and skills I had learnt to my daily work.

Since becoming PMI qualified (APMI) it has enabled me to take on more responsibility at work and I’ve also been able to mentor other colleagues who are starting on their qualification journey. Without taking these exams, this would not have been possible.

I think having professional qualifications is important when working in the pensions industry. It’s one way that employers and clients can spot if a professional in the industry has met a particular standard in skills, knowledge and ethics set out by a recognised professional body (in this case, the Pensions Management Institute). This is partly the reason I choose to take the ADRP. Additionally, it helps open the door to more opportunities. In my case, I feel much more confident in terms of my technical knowledge and very proud to be an Associate member of the PMI. I believe undertaking the ADRP will help me to progress my role further within the pensions industry and I am excited to see where the next few years will take me.

My advice to anyone considering taking the ADRP would be to go for it. I actually wish I had started taking the exams as soon as I started at Aon as I believe this would have helped me to progress quicker, giving me a sound foundation of pension knowledge. It is a big commitment in terms of time management but the benefits of completing the ADRP far outweigh the sacrifices in this area. Employers also really value these qualifications so if you are looking for a job in the pensions industry then completing the ADRP will definitely make a good impression on your CV.