Energus Finance, Audit and Risk Development Programme – Bethany Collier
‘Initially, I wasn’t sure on the career path I wanted to take after I graduated from my mathematics degree. After extensive research, eventually I decided on the accounting and finance route. This led me to the Energus Finance, Audit and Risk graduate scheme. Initially, I had not heard about the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, however, the job post provoked me to research, in depth, the public body and the nuclear industry in general. The NDA’s mission to clean up nuclear waste collaborated with Energus’ dedication to developing young people’s skillsets made this graduate scheme stand out from the rest.
I applied for the scheme in January 2021, the process was straight forward and the next steps involved completing online tests, a video interview and an assessment day. Despite obviously being nervous for these stages, I really enjoyed them – especially the assessment day! The assessors were keen to make all of us feel comfortable and were more than happy to answer any questions, it was well organised, and we met an array of people within the company, including the CFO. I think this helped get a consensus on the type of people that work for Energus and the NDA and assisted me when I was thinking about if I felt like it was the job for me. It also provided a chance to meet the other graduates that had also reached this stage. After talking to the other applicants on the call I learnt we were all like-minded and I felt if I was successful in the role, none of us would have an issue getting on and settling in. I came away from the assessment day feeling very positive.
After receiving the call offering me a place on the graduate scheme, I really didn’t need to think too long about it! I accepted the offer within a few days and emailed across my preferred secondment locations. A couple of weeks after I accepted the offer, I received the news I would be located at NDA HQ in West Cumbria. Before starting our primary secondments, myself and the other graduates on the scheme went to Energus for a two-week induction. The two weeks were spent completing training and getting to know one another. I think this was a perfect way to start our new adventure, as now we are all friends and all in the same position, it made the initial couple of weeks a lot less daunting.
I was extremely nervous to be moving over two hours away from home to start my new job, but my colleagues at the NDA have made me feel more welcomed than I have ever felt before. I am currently just over a month into my first secondment and I am already assisting with management accounts for one of the subsidiaries and hope to be doing it on my own next month. The FAR graduate scheme is already pushing me to be my best and I can’t wait to see where it takes me!’
Bethany Collier
Energus Finance Graduate on secondment at Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
