Since leaving RGS, I completed a degree apprenticeship at UBS Investment Bank within the EMEA M&A team. Over the four years, I learned a huge amount and worked alongside some of the best bankers in the industry. UBS is a great company, and I was lucky to be part of such a strong team - it’s an experience I’ll always be grateful for. I was always interested in the energy and infrastructure side of banking, and Vitol had been on my radar for a while, although its lean structure means it doesn’t have a formal graduate scheme like other places. I think those four years of experience made a real difference to my CV and helped me get my foot in the door at Vitol.

I was always more interested in going straight into work rather than university, as I felt it would be more of a challenge and benefit me more in the long run - which so far it has. I was keen to start working, learning, and earning as quickly as possible. The degree apprenticeship pushed me to work hard and juggle multiple streams of work at once, which is a great skill to have in any workplace. It’s also given me experience that very few people have at a young age; it’s something you can’t really teach or learn without spending time in the workplace.

That said, it was tricky to manage the workload while keeping in touch with friends and making sure I had fun with all my mates who went to university. However, where there’s a will there’s a way, and I always made sure to say yes to as much as possible, fitting the university work around both working and socialising.

I was first introduced to Vitol through a chance meeting with someone who already worked there. I already knew the company, as it’s a big name in an industry dominated by just a few players. After that meeting I was hooked and wanted to learn as much as possible. Fortunately, the stars aligned, and I was able to join relatively quickly after an interview process. I was grateful that RGS Foundation Director, Jonny Hylton (RGS 1992-1999), put me in touch with Ben Jones (RGS 1987-1994) a former trader at Vitol. Speaking to Ben throughout the interview process was invaluable. Having Ben as a sounding board was extremely helpful, and it also meant that during my interviews I could say I’d spoken to someone from the company - which impressed those interviewing me and went a long way. The appeal of Vitol is endless, but mainly it’s the combination of being a smaller, private company with a truly global presence that stood out to me.

The culture is amazing; it’s very flat, meaning you have genuine autonomy to shape your role and own your projects - which, in my view, is harder to achieve in a big bank like UBS. New joiners are exposed to the best in the industry straight away and are given real responsibility from day one. I think the opportunities at Vitol, and in the energy trading world more broadly, are limitless and not spoken about as often in grad circles as the banks or other energy majors. It’s the perfect place for anyone who’s driven and genuinely interested in what’s going on in the world around them.

Ultimately, I’d love to become a trader, but there’s a lot to learn and a long journey before that happens. I hope to work all around the world and live abroad for a period too. I think degree apprenticeships are already becoming more popular and will only continue to grow as university becomes more expensive and less appealing for many young people. Employers are also starting to see the real benefits of training people up from an early stage.

Jack's Top Tip

My top tip would be to back yourself and not be afraid to take a slightly different route to others. Whether that’s going straight into work, starting your own business, or going to university, as long as you’re working hard and learning, things will fall into place. Sometimes opportunities fall into your lap at unexpected times, but it’s up to you to be persistent, use your network, and stay resilient to make sure you get the most out of every opportunity. I’d also say make the most of the global, Reigatian network. The Reigatian community is full of people who genuinely want to help, and you never know where one conversation might lead.