Aviva has again hosted a Technology Work Placement for year 10 and 11 students, based in its Wellington Row site.
The week-long placement in July encouraged them to fully immerse themselves in working life at Aviva, exploring various roles across the technology department in areas such as cyber, risk and claims, and learning valuable transferable skills in communication and teamwork.
Students also engaged in project work and took part in a variety of workshops designed to help equip them with the skills they need to get ready for their future careers.
These included CV writing, interview preparation, and applying for graduate schemes and apprenticeship roles, alongside more holistic seminars such as protecting health and well-being at work.
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Elsie, a student on the Aviva placement in York, said: “So far, my Aviva experience has been very positive, the project we are working on has been extremely enjoyable and interesting. It has been amazing to experience a corporate environment.”
While MJ, said: “Aviva’s a wonderful company to be experiencing! This week’s been really helpful for giving me a better idea of the apprenticeships here, and I’m definitely going to apply after year 13. The staff are amazing.”
Oliver added: “I have loved how this week has allowed me to develop my teamwork skills as well as independence under the cultivating guidance of the organisers and Aviva team I have worked with so far”.
For Aviva employees who took on the role of site leads as part of their own volunteering efforts, the placement week provided the opportunity to share their time, knowledge, and experience with students from their local communities, while also benefiting from the dynamism, energy, and fresh perspectives that young people bring to a company.
Louise Clark, frontline service desk lead, at Aviva, and York site lead, said: “Having doubled our intake since last year, we were ready for an energetic week. The students have been fantastic and engaged in every activity.
"They stepped into the unknown on Monday, and have since embraced every new person, challenge, and technology that they have encountered. So brave, curious, and capable! It has been a privilege to host!”
Tiffany Bain, IT Care Operational lead at Aviva and Technology Work Placement lead, added: “It’s crucial that employers encourage and empower young people from their local communities to prepare for and navigate life beyond school, and providing opportunities for work experience is key to equipping students with the essential skills needed to get ready for their future careers.
“The technology work placement is not just for students with a background in technology, and at Aviva, we are proud to offer inclusive and accessible opportunities to people from all walks of life.
"Throughout the programme, we witnessed incredible growth in our participants, and their hands-on experience will not only hone their technical abilities, but also foster invaluable soft skills like team-working, problem solving and relationship building.”
The Technology Work Placement is supported through Aviva technology department’s, diversity, equity, and inclusion fund.
This year the scheme focused on not only increasing the number of places available, but also increasing gender diversity among participants, increasing participation of students from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds, and ensuring the scheme was disability inclusive.
To apply for 2025, students aged 14-16 should go to the Aviva website.
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