Tech Degree Apprentice -> Corporate Finance?

Hey guys just wanted to explain my current position and if my aspirations are really worth chasing, all advice and honesty will be appreciated.
 

Currently I am a degree apprentice in tech in London, for those who may not be familiar with a degree apprenticeship. It is a program where you're working full time with a firm whilst also pursuing a degree, and the firm covers your tuition fees. 

Whilst it isn't a conventional route into finance I'd say there's definitely a heap of advantages to this program. My aspirations are to get into corporate finance, whether external or within my company. 

My current rotation is in AI/Innovation, there's definitely elements of finance to this current role, a quarter of this rotation is reviewing spreadsheets, costs, P&Ls etc and ensuring costs, budgets, and projections are all being met. This a 3 year program and I have the opportunity to rotate in Commercial teams next year (IE Finance teams), and Customer (IE Sales) the year after. 

I'm looking for some advice as to what specific rotations I should pursue in order to potentially set up a finance grad job at this firm or externally. I was thinking Internal M&A, corporate development, or corporate finance generally, as these are the roles my firm offers. Any specific recommendations?
 

I think I have a fairly strong background for my age (19), I interned in Investment Banking this summer with a start up/education provider, it was a hybrid programme so online and in person, I learned how to do valuations and all things IB theory. Additionally, I was enrolled at a university (SOAS Studying Economics and Law) for 6 months before I dropped out for my current programme, during my time at university I secured a spring insight day at Janus Henderson asset management firm. I did work experience at HSBC in Sales & Trading last summer (1 week), Social Business Mobility Business Partnership (Legal focused - 1 week), Fitch Ratings (Credit Risk Ratings), and many insight days at investment banks and finance firms (EG: Bank of Montreal, Peel hunt, and more). Additionally, I have done many online courses/internships via things like Forage, AmplifyME, and City Investment Training - EG: DCF Modelling bootcamps, LBO Modelling bootcamps, JPM Investment Banking Online Internship, Fidelity Wealth Management Online Internship, AmplifyME Trading competition simulations etc. I have also been trading and investing for around 3 years (primarily forex, commodities, and ETFs), I do have evidence for my successes within this endeavour. 

My A-levels weren't the best sadly, I secured AAC (Economics, Sociology, History). Regarding things like Maths, I got a grade A at GCSEs, and am currently doing a course on Statistics, mechanics etc to try and build those essential maths skills potentially required for finance/high finance.

Do I have a shot at finance (IE IB, AM, IR etc) or should I change my future aspirations?

 

1 Comments
 

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