Equity (structured) volatility trading?

I think I understand what it is generally (equity options), and that the counterparties can be anyone ranging from hedge funds to corporate clients with sales generated by banking. Anyone have a sense of the kind of work at these desks and how they help you develop and the opportunities they can lead to? Seems very specific and given how much they hedge, a bit distant from the market activities that many other traders are engaged in. Yet also seems very intellectually interesting (although I'm no quant).

Thanks for any help!