Episode Guest
Sam Walley
Sam is a Commercial Graduate at Compare the Market, currently rotating through teams as part of the company’s graduate scheme. He’s passionate about taking opportunities outside his comfort zone and building a successful career in the commercial world.
Kelly Howes
Kelly is a Software Engineer Apprentice at Compare the Market, having transitioned into tech through coding bootcamps and hands-on learning. She’s passionate about inclusive workplaces, lifelong learning, and building software that makes a real impact.
George Owens
George is a Risk and Compliance Apprentice at Compare the Market, where he works across the business supporting governance, risk, and regulatory understanding. He enjoys the variety of the role and developing confidence by getting involved from day one.
Episode Timestamps:
0:00 Meet the apprentices and graduates at Compare the Market
0:28 First impressions of the interview process
1:27 Advice for young people applying for apprenticeships and grad roles
1:53 Welcome to My Duvet Flip with Sam, Kelly and George
2:06 Sam’s background and education journey
2:48 Stepping outside your comfort zone at university
3:38 Growing up on a dairy farm and learning hard work
4:29 Discovering commercial work and internships
5:43 Finding the Compare the Market graduate scheme
6:26 What the commercial graduate scheme looks like
6:38 Life two months into the grad role
7:23 Preparing properly for interviews
7:33 Skills learned so far and financial confidence
8:15 Sam’s first week at Compare the Market
8:52 Company-wide events and culture
11:42 Kelly’s non-traditional career journey
13:12 Running a dance school and learning leadership
14:47 Discovering coding during the pandemic
15:53 Applying for the software engineering apprenticeship
16:56 Feeling welcomed during the interview process
17:26 What a software engineer apprenticeship involves
18:46 Learning while working in a real tech team
19:23 Why apprenticeships are a powerful route into tech
19:39 Supportive and inclusive culture at Compare the Market
20:18 Kelly’s advice for future apprentices
21:04 George’s university experience and career thinking
22:14 Adapting to change during COVID
22:36 Finding the risk and compliance apprenticeship
23:16 What risk and compliance work really looks like
24:16 Surprises in the workplace and flat hierarchy
25:26 Learning by being trusted early
26:19 Personal development and the Talent Academy
26:44 Advice for anyone applying to Compare the Market
27:36 What gets Sam, Kelly and George out of bed each morning
28:34 Final thanks and closing thoughts
Episode Partners
📊 Compare the Market
Discover how you can make a difference at Compare the Market, the company behind one of the UK’s most popular comparison sites. From tech and data to marketing and operations, they’re on a mission to simplify decisions for millions.
https://bit.ly/4i53Svj
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