JUMP TO CONTENT

Why Dan chose a project management apprenticeship over university

Posting date: 08 Feb 2024

Are you weighing up the option of apprenticeship versus university? You’re not alone.

Dan Molloy was in this exact position. He knew he wanted a qualification, but he was stuck wondering which route would be better for his career long-term.

Fast-forward to the latter part of 2023 and Dan had made the leap. He moved to Cardiff to begin his first corporate role and start an apprenticeship in project management.

We caught up with Dan to find out about his experience so far and what joining Legal & General at 18 years old was like.

What attracted you to do an apprenticeship at Legal & General?

Moving down to Cardiff for the apprenticeship was a big step for me at the age of 18. I’d made a big decision to not go down the university route and it was time to see whether this was the right move. And since I've been at Legal & General, it's been really reassuring to know I have the support of my colleagues. They don't just care about how I'm performing at work, but they really do care about my personal well-being too, which is great.

What has your experience been like so far?

My time here so far has been massively diverse, and I’ve worked on different projects across multiple different business areas. We were able to collaborate and deliver great change for the business and for our customers, which has been a real highlight for me.

I continue to look at developing my project management skills and broaden my knowledge of Legal & General’s end-to-end lifecycle to understand the processes which would be implemented in project management across different organisations.

But further to that, Legal & General have given me the opportunity to develop my professional skills. That's done on a regular basis with professional essential skills training, which is fantastic.

Why should others consider exploring an apprenticeship at Legal & General?

My colleagues and the leadership team come from all walks of life, and they have started their career at many different points. A lot of them are at really successful places now because of their hard work and ambition, and I suppose that spurs me on to try and be like them. It feels like everyone champions the apprenticeship schemes and they really want us to succeed.

I’ve already worked on some big projects during my time here and I’m looking forward to gaining even more skills along the way.

What would you advise others looking to pursue the apprenticeship route?

I think one of the most important things is just being real and honest about who you are. It's tempting when you get into interviews or assessment days with an organisation, to try and be what you think they're looking for.

Just be yourself and be honest with yourself.

Explore your career opportunities at Legal & General

Legal & General offers apprentice programmes across Data, Technology, Accounting, Customer Service, Project Management, Business Analysis and Financial Crime. 

Attracting career changers as well as school and college leavers, new apprentices join Legal & General teams in London, Cardiff or Hove, as part of an enterprise-wide community. The combination of studying industry-recognised qualifications, on-the-job training and a supportive environment creates an excellent foundation for long-term careers. 

For further information or to register your interest in an apprentice programme at Legal & General, explore our future talent opportunities.

List #1

Our latest roles

View all
List #1

Related posts

image of two colleagues sitting on sofa and talking
Adaptable leadership: Why flexibility is the future of leadership styles

Teaser

Executive Leadership

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

04/25/2025

Summary

The traditional top-down leadership model is becoming increasingly obsolete. In today’s complex, fast-paced world, the most effective leaders are collaborative, emotionally intelligent, and, most i

Teaser

At Legal & General, we’re moving towards a more agile leadership model, one where open communication, feedback, and flexibility drive better outcomes.

Read more

by

Enrique Rodriguez

by

Enrique Rodriguez

image of actuary smiling around a meeting table with other team members
The new actuarial skill set: What L&G’s Senior Actuaries need to thrive in a data-driven world

Teaser

Finance & Actuary

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

04/24/2025

Summary

In an era where data drives decision-making across every industry, the role of the actuary is evolving at an unprecedented pace. At Legal & General, we recognise that the traditional actuarial

Teaser

Explore the key skills that are shaping the future of actuarial roles at L&G and how our professionals are adapting to the data-driven world.

Read more

by

Enrique Rodriguez

by

Enrique Rodriguez

image of IT professionals surrounding a computer and smiling
Adapting to digital transformation: Key trends every IT professional should know

Teaser

Technology, Digital & Data

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

04/24/2025

Summary

Digital transformation is no longer a future ambition; it’s a present-day imperative. As organisations accelerate their adoption of emerging technologies, the role of IT professionals has

Teaser

Learn about the most critical developments in digital transformation and why they matter for technology professionals looking to grow their impact and their careers at L&G.

Read more

by

Enrique Rodriguez

by

Enrique Rodriguez

View all

Job search

What we do?

There’s so much more to us than meets the eye. We’re insurers, investors, builders, city-regenerators and green technology champions.

And whatever the future holds, our people’s knowledge, skill and passion will mean we’re placed to make a real difference to society.

Click here to join us
Search for jobs