Josh from London completed the Career Ready programme in 2023. His internship with our partners Flood Re led on to a job opportunity. This is his story.
Josh was a student at Woolwich Polytechnic School when he first heard about Career Ready.
“Before Career Ready, I didn’t know which path I wanted to take to break into the working world,” he says. “The programme allowed me to investigate for myself by talking to people.
“It made me more aware and determined to pursue finance for the future. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and Career Ready has really allowed me to have a solid foundation and make me unique among my peers through the mentoring and internship.”
Learning about the world of finance
Josh had an internship with Flood Re and a mentor at SMBC, which helped him learn about different aspects of the financial sector.
“During my internship, I learned how to get along and fit into a corporate environment,” he says. “I enjoyed being able to work on projects that held real value to Flood Re – it wasn’t just busy work. That helped to boost my confidence within the setting I was working in.
“Meanwhile, having a mentor allowed me to get a foot into the door of my chosen industry. I was able to learn about roles within finance and how to structure my CV in a more suitable way.
“I was also able to establish a wider network, meeting members of their team and asking about their journey into the industry.
“At the end of the programme, I had a much clearer understanding of the path I wanted to take. I overcame the initial stage of imposter syndrome – I felt comfortable talking to other people within the office and was able to ask more questions.”
First steps into the industry
After his internship in 2023, Flood Re asked Josh to come back the next summer, to meet the next round of Career Ready interns and share some of his experience.
That led to a role as a Risk Communications Analyst with Flood Re, which he started in October 2024.
“I’ve been working there part time since and will continue to work at Flood Re through university,” Josh says.
“So far, it’s been amazing. I have real ownership over systems and processes. It’s allowing me to get real experience as an analyst and network with other members of the industry at events.”
Supporting Career Ready interns
Over summer 2025, Josh was able to help welcome a new group of Career Ready interns to Flood Re.
“Seeing the interns come in this year was a bizarre feeling,” he says. “It made me reflect on my journey, my time during the internship, and how I used that time to build up my skills within work.
“I gave tips where I could and directly supported the intern that was placed in our team. I also held a lunch and learn session for all the interns, sharing my own journey and giving some insight to how they could make the most of their internships.”
A plan for the future
“My next steps consist of going to university to study accounting next year, while working with Flood Re,” Josh adds.
“I can continue to build my experience both with technical elements like data gathering and analysis while also going to work-related events, further building my soft skills and meeting more people within the industry.”
