Success Story: from Royal Navy to UBS
Category: Success Stories
Publish date: 07/01/2020
Former Royal Navy Officer Matthew Raeside tells the CTP his transition story and how he decided on his new career.
Leaving the Royal Navy at the six-year point and moving to the City had always been part of my 'master plan'. What I hadn't accounted for was how quickly the five-year point would come around; at which stage I still hadn't a clue what my next career would or even could be. In a sea of Insight Days one really stood out when, in January 2019, UBS held their first Armed Forces Insight Day. I was impressed by their professionalism, enthusiasm for ex-forces recruitment and a position on offer termed as 'Front Office' (read: client facing).
UBS' Ex-Forces Associate Programme (EFAP) appeared to tick all of my boxes. The role on offer was fast-paced, dynamic and looked to provide a real opportunity to showcase my military talent. Not only this, but the transition programme promised to provide a solid foundation in Financial Services (FS), opportunity to achieve key qualifications and unparalleled access to networking opportunities. All of this with the added benefit of a permanent position (which seemed hard to come by in the world of FS).
The scheme to-date has been just as fast-paced and exciting as I expected. I've received first-class training across a spectrum of subjects and I've been surprised by the warmth and generosity of the team. Despite this being the first recognised Ex-Forces programme at UBS, there is a rich Veteran's Network already in place- as evidenced by this year's Poppy Appeal where UBS, once again, came out as the highest contributing corporate firm in London.
Aside from learning the intricacies of trading and the financial markets I have been able to conduct a wide array of outreach opportunities during my first few months. These have ranged from coaching disadvantaged young-adults to attending a breakfast club at a local primary school. A business is only as strong as its culture, and my advice would be to make this a high priority when selecting your future employer.
My top tips for optimising your transition:
- Explore a broad range of career options and attend as many Insight Days as possible
- Identify your key skills and the aspects of your current role that you enjoy the most
- Utilise the selection of Webinars on the OA's Youtube Channel
- Thoroughly research companies prior to interview and don't be afraid to ask questions
- Dream big and don't be intimidated by competitive career paths
The next UBS Armed Forces Insight Day is taking place on Friday 31st January 2020. For more information & to register your interest, follow this link.