Meet Alex, a Risk Manager at PTSB

Tell us about your current role, educational background, and work experiences to date?

I graduated from University College Cork in 2019 with an Economics degree. I joined PTSB the same year enrolling on the Risk Graduate Programme. After 18 months of the Graduate Programme, I became a Senior Analyst on the Financial Risk team. I am now a Risk Manager on the same team.

What are some of the key things you enjoy about your job and working in PTSB?

The people are great here in PTSB. It’s a friendly and open environment, where people can be themselves. In relation to my job, within the Financial Risk team, I enjoy the variety of work the team is involved in. I like to be challenged and consistently learn new subject matter. If you are willing to put yourself out there, take initiative and work hard there are plenty of opportunities here to progress your career.

Tell us about one of the key achievements from your time in the Graduate Talent Programme?

My key achievement was securing a full-time job as a result of participating in the Graduate Programme.

How did the Graduate Talent Programme in PTSB shape your career so far?

The biggest advantage to a Graduate Talent Programme, from the employee’s perspective, is that you get a number of rotations within different teams in the organisation. I completed three rotations, and this really helped me decide what I wanted to do moving forward with my career. Furthermore, and this is an important point, you come into PTSB with a cohort of graduates. Straightaway from day one you have a network where you can discuss your different experiences. The experiences from my rotations and discussions with my network really helped me.

What advice would you give to your younger self if you were starting the Graduate Talent Programme again?

There is not a lot I would have done differently. I would probably ask more questions during the interview process if I had my chance again. It’s important for you as a graduate to build up an image of how the organisation and industry operates. I’d ask about the structure of the department depending on what Graduate Talent Programme you are applying for in PTSB. For instance, for the Risk Graduate Programme in PTSB, there are several different teams within the Risk department and the work can be rather different depending on the team. You can help yourself by reading Annual Reports and other externally published material before the interview process. Make sure to thoroughly read the prospectus and role profile for the Graduate Talent Programme which will list the different departments and teams. If you can get a better understanding of what the structure is in the department and what work the various teams do, then you can align your educational experience, skills, and general interests to a team that best suits!

Any tips for students or graduates interested in applying for PTSB’s Graduate Talent Programme?

Research the company and the industry in which PTSB operates in. Students have many resources at their disposal. Some of which I would utilise are the free newspapers and journals available through student libraries. Some Universities also have subscriptions to financial database platforms so use these if available in your research. I also advise all students to take advantage of the career council services which can provide guidance on CVs and interviews. I found this service very helpful in my university days. And lastly check to see if PTSB is attending your local graduate career fair, this is a great opportunity to gain some extra insight that is otherwise difficult to find through the internet.