"We’re introducing a new generation to Financial Services and the career opportunities that exist across the sector."
- John Underwood, Director of Technology at Cirencester Friendly
Born in Leytonstone, East London, Evric Davis grew up in the ‘Wanstead Flats’ & ‘Cathall’ council estates. In 2010, Evric was expelled from school and not offered the opportunity to sit his General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams, but, thanks to a business administration apprenticeship, he was still able to develop skills in customer service and to an extent, sales.
Three years later, Evric secured his first job with a payday loan company in the collections department – quickly becoming one of the best collection agents in the business. After a couple of years, he got his first break doing sales full-time at a recruitment agency in Croydon.
At the age of 23, Evric began his career as an adviser at a brokerage on Liverpool Street. Since then, he’s gained experience at LifeSearch, Insured-Life, Alexander Hall, and, most recently, London & Country (L&C) Mortgages. Evric's career highlights the importance of cultivating new talent and providing diverse pathways into Financial Services.
According to the latest data analysed by gov.uk, apprenticeship starts were up by 0.7% in 2023 – rising from 337,140 to 339,580. Notably, 78,930 apprenticeships were started by those aged 19 or younger. Despite these positive figures, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has said there’s been a "slower pace in driving forward apprenticeships" in Financial Services.
In 2022, the ABI pledged to double the number of apprenticeships across the sector by 2025; "Apprenticeships play a vital role in boosting socio-economic diversity, and efforts to hit this target will be a key priority in the year ahead. We’ll continue to work closely with our members to understand the barriers firms are facing."
Earlier this year, Cirencester Friendly launched an apprenticeship scheme with local agency, The Apprenticeship Partner (TAP), offering a two-year course for eight participants to take on both customer-facing and technical roles. The society hopes candidates with stay with the society to build their careers once the course is completed, further bolstering its talent pool.
READ MORE: Cirencester Friendly partners with local agency to launch apprenticeship scheme
Speaking with Protection Reporter, John Underwood, Director of Technology at Cirencester Friendly, said the scheme was about "fostering local talent, so we were keen to work with an agency based in Gloucestershire. Cirencester has worked successfully with TAP before, so we view this as a long-term relationship. People are at the heart of everything we do. Cirencester was founded to support the local community, and we see the scheme as an extension of this."
"Helping to nurture new talent, supporting them in their career ambitions in a local organisation means we can help the area thrive, as well as Cirencester Friendly."
Discussing the importance of the apprenticeship scheme, John said it was "hugely important […] We’re introducing a new generation to Financial Services and the career opportunities that exist across the sector. It helps to embed Cirencester into the local community and demonstrate our desire to create a positive & supportive workplace, where people want to work."
"Attracting talent can be a challenge as the protection industry is still relatively unknown to many."
John believes attracting talent to the protection industry can be a challenge, "which is why building an enticing employer brand is so important to us. We have spent a great deal of time working with our employees to understand what support we can offer them so they can maximise their potential."
Zoe Odusina, Chief People Officer at Reassured, also believes that "Attracting talent to our industry can be challenging, however, we find that once prospective employees understand the rewarding nature of the work we do, they’re keen to join."
She told Protection Reporter that apprenticeships are a "great way to plug the talent gap because reward propositions have become competitive and not many businesses in the sector offer this type of on-the-job learning.
"Since we don’t offer apprentice positions, employees would need to pass probation before applying for our apprenticeships. We believe it’s still a great opportunity for our employees to get the chance to learn."
"Apprenticeships empower our employees to grow."
Unlike Cirencester's scheme, Reassured offer apprenticeships to employees looking to strengthen skills and progress in their careers. "Our dedicated team provide bespoke journeys suited to each apprentice to ensure that they’re supported throughout their studies," she explained. Reassured offers various apprenticeships, starting at entry level.
Zoe highlighted the scheme’s infancy but hopes it will become a "vital component of our talent development strategy. We aim to nurture and develop the next generation of talent.
"To invest in our future workforce, ensuring we have a pipeline of skilled professionals who are well-versed in our values & standards is paramount," she concluded.
