Modern Apprenticeships.
Learn on the job.

For me, going on to university felt like going back to school, and I wanted to work or go into a trade. I had done a Higher in Accounting and really enjoyed the practical aspects of that. So, I applied for a few different positions, but the apprenticeship at Baillie Gifford really stood out as an opportunity to further myself. From day one, I’ve been treated like a proper member of the team and not talked down to. There’s lots of support and the chance to learn from people who’ve done a similar role before.

As part of the apprenticeship, I’m working towards AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) qualifications. It’s great to know that these qualifications mean I’ll be at the same level as accountancy graduates leaving university. I have a study day on Wednesdays when I complete all my online learning. Each section starts by introducing you to a topic then, if you need more detail, I can refer to the textbooks Baillie Gifford has provided. I can also call an external trainer if I need anything.

I try to go into the office every Tuesday and Thursday. Before starting I’d never been in that kind of environment before, but I love Baillie Gifford’s offices. I’m on one of the top floors and you can see right across Edinburgh. I work in the Finance department within Financial Reporting. This involves reviewing the expenses claims that come through, making sure the payment run is all fine and running transaction reports. I get to deal with lots of people across all the departments and at all levels in the firm.

There’s lots of places I could go at Baillie Gifford and it is in my hands to drive. There are so many different departments where I could progress – Finance, Dealing, Trading or Investments. Everyone working here is happy to talk you through what they’re doing, so you get a good feel for each area of the business. There’s a strong culture of ‘we’re all in this together’ and that makes me want to push myself and achieve more. For people thinking about applying, I’d say you have to be happy to listen to others, to want to learn and never be afraid to ask questions!

After school, there wasn’t a university course that jumped out at me, so I took a year out and worked in a local café. That’s when I discovered the apprenticeship at Baillie Gifford and decided to apply. My interview was in two parts – first I met my current Team Leader and Team Manager who asked me some formal questions about why I wanted the role. After that, I got to meet the team I’d be working with and the current apprentices for a more informal chat. It was great that I’d already met most of the team before I started.

I’m one of two apprentices on this training programme, and we really enjoy working together and bouncing ideas off each other. When we have a task, we’ll always try and work it out together before asking for help. As we’re being trained by previous apprentices who did our role, they really understand what it’s like to be in our position and take time to explain some of the more technical language. Our Modern Apprenticeship will take two years to complete, and we’re also working towards an SQCF Level 6 in providing Financial Services which should take about ten months.

I work in the Governance team within the Client Administration Department. Most of our tasks involve generating reports and data that the Client Administration teams need to do their work. When I first joined, we shadowed the previous apprentices, but now we’re trusted to do the work ourselves. They always check it afterwards, and if something isn’t right, it’ll always be picked up and explained clearly, so you learn quickly. As there’s less daily and weekly tasks on Friday, I put time aside for study. There are seven modules to complete for the SQCF, but most of the qualification is gained on the job.

The culture at Baillie Gifford is super friendly. When we first joined and were working from home, our team members were always messaging us to make sure we were okay. Since I’ve been in the office, people from other teams have come over and introduced themselves. So far, one of the highlights for me has been giving a speech to the entire Client Administration department (CAD) about joining the team. I’ve also helped to organise lunches for everyone in the department to meet the new head of CAD. It’s been busy and fun.

By the end of school, I realised that university wasn’t for me, so I started researching positions in sales and business where I could learn on the job. Unlike some other companies, Baillie Gifford’s application process was simple. I was very nervous before my interview, but the people were so lovely that it felt more like a relaxed conversation. Making the jump between school and work was daunting, but I’ve had loads of support and been able to take things slowly – it’s never felt rushed.

When we first joined, there was a lot of training on professional skills and the firm. We did ten soft skills courses in total, covering topics like communication, how to speak to clients, networking and assertiveness. We also learnt about the company and investment management. It took me a bit longer to fully understand the financial training, but the people here were always happy to sit down with me and explain things. All the apprentices complete the training courses together. There are six of us in the current intake, and we were put in touch with the previous apprentices too.

My daily role involves on-boarding any new banks and brokers that the Trading team work with and generating reports. The team has 15 people in Edinburgh and two in Hong Kong, but we have a morning meeting every day where we get to see everyone. I’ve been assigned two ‘buddies’, who were promoted to Traders last year and have been handing their tasks over to me. I try to make sure I’m in the office when they are, so I can learn as much as possible from them.

Everyone here is so friendly and it’s very social too. We’ve had team nights out and there was a drinks event for the whole company at the National Museum, where I got to meet some of the graduate trainees. In December I attended a Burns Supper and in May the company will have its annual dinner dance.

I’m part of Cyber Security Operations Centre - a 24-hour response team that prevents, detects, analyses and reports any security incidents. While helping with various day-to-day activities, like monitoring the phishing inbox to assess threats, I’m also learning various coding languages so I can begin dealing with alerts myself. Recently, I worked on a project to test our honeypot traps – decoys designed to lure in hackers. A teammate and I were tasked with triggering these traps in every way possible. We started in a virtual environment, but soon worked on the real thing, documenting as we went and learning how to investigate each alert. It was a lot of fun!

I hadn't heard of Baillie Gifford before I applied for the apprenticeship, but after reading through their website I thought they looked like a great company. Strangely, after I applied, the name kept popping up! In the months before I started, lots of people told me about someone they know at Baillie Gifford who says it’s an amazing place to work. Now that I’m part of the company, I completely agree!

I’ve met a lot of amazing people, from fellow apprentices and team members to managers – making real bonds with people from all over Scotland. The Christmas party was a great event for that. After dinner with the team in a local restaurant, we came to one of the offices to find it decked out with Christmas lights and trees. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was amazing. Throughout the night, I met so many new people and got to know my team members much better. Seeing them outside of work hours really helped make it a great experience.

The application process was much more straightforward than you might expect. My interview was done over a video call, with my manager and team leader. They asked a series of questions to find out more about me, and to see how much I already knew about cyber security. Throughout it, they were both very friendly and chatty, which helped take the pressure off and make me feel less nervous. Coincidentally, I’d met my manager before, when Baillie Gifford visited my school to promote a summer internship with Code Clan!

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I left school in early 2020, so I ended up on the traditional route to university. But I found the early stages of the pandemic disruptive to the whole experience, and after an uncertain year, I decided to leave. I knew I wanted to continue learning, so I researched apprenticeships and found Baillie Gifford. I thought my short time at university might hinder my career options, but the firm was more interested in me than my past education, which was so refreshing!

When I joined, I had little to no knowledge of finance. But all the apprentices took part in a training programme within the first four months, which guided us through all the basics of investment management and finance industry terms. We also had various training sessions to give us an insight into how Baillie Gifford operates – covering everything from our clients and funds to Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG), and investment approaches.

I work on the Transitions team, which is the central point of contact between clients moving to or from the firm and our colleagues across the organisation involved in the process. My role is to provide operational and administrative support – from monitoring a mailbox and dealing with all sorts of client queries to updating client information, taking minutes, and a range of other admin tasks. Right now, I’m working on a project to decommission an old application we used to monitor client transitions. It’s been a good way to expand my knowledge of the wider department, meet new colleagues and work with some of our graduate trainees.

After six months I feel like I’m already paving my future within the company. Coming into a big firm like this could feel daunting, but nobody here expects you to know everything. There are lots of training opportunities and people to guide you through the programme – everyone wants you to succeed and is more than happy to share their knowledge. It’s a friendly place where you’re treated as an equal, even at all the social events. I’ve just been to the annual dinner dance, which was an amazing evening! If you’re thinking of applying, my advice is to be open to challenge, be willing to learn and ask lots of questions.

The Settlements Department is made up of 5 specialised teams who work together to ensure that all investment transactions are fully completed within agreed timeframes. My apprenticeship includes secondments in each of the five teams. So far, I’ve completed time in the Equity & Bonds Team and the Derivatives Team. Right now, I’m working in the Cash and FX Team, where I’ve been involved in the winding down of the current Sterling Cash Management Process and learning about what the future process may look like.

As I go through each of these rotations, I’m learning a lot about how each team functions as well as how to successfully execute key processes. In addition, I’ve had the chance to complete various training courses with the rest of the Modern Apprentices in my year group. The courses have covered different aspects of the business and given me a broader understanding of the financial services industry and where Baillie Gifford fits within it all.

For me, one of the best things about the apprenticeship is the chance to meet so many people across the firm. I recently attended an Operations away day at Carlowrie Castle, which was a great opportunity to connect with all sorts of people across the whole business and learn about some of the key things happening in the year ahead. There are also lots of different employee networks and clubs where you can socialise, learn and meet people. I’m involved in the Graduate & Modern Apprenticeship Network, as well as my department’s Stats Group, and Haymarket Group which is helping to plan the move to our new Edinburgh office. There’s even a BG 5-a-side football team and a range of other social groups unrelated to work.

Baillie Gifford is a company that feels a lot like a community. From the interview and application process, through to the different secondments I’ve done, everyone has been supportive and friendly. There are just so many opportunities for you to develop, as a person and within the business – it’s a place where learning and growing is encouraged throughout. I believe this is a great place to begin your career. I genuinely feel privileged to be a part of it.