Aviva

One of the UK's biggest insurers, with a graduate programme that offers permanent jobs from day one.

About Aviva

Aviva is one of the UK's biggest insurance, savings and retirement companies. In plain terms, people and businesses pay it for protection, such as cover for their home, car or business, and for ways to save and invest for later life, such as pensions. Its early careers site shows graduate pathways in accountancy, actuarial work, AI and machine learning, business management, data and analytics, pricing, and technology and change delivery.

Aviva's roots go back to 1696, when Hand in Hand was formed, described as the very first fire insurance company. It was a mutual, owned by its members, and even ran its own fire-fighting brigade. The Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society followed in 1797, and Norwich Union stopped being a mutual and listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1997. The Aviva name itself dates from 2002, after the merger of CGU and Norwich Union, and the Aviva Group Archive, set up in 2000, is based at Surrey House in Norwich. Norwich remains one of the places where graduates can work.

Aviva's graduate page headline is "We see your spark". It says it is "building for the future" and wants people to help shape it, working on real business challenges that help deliver better experiences for millions of customers. We did not find a longer formal mission statement in the pages read.

Its products include general insurance for people and businesses and the pensions and long-term savings side of the business, and the Norwich Union name is still strongly linked with the group. In practice, graduates work on pricing and underwriting (deciding what cover should cost), actuarial work (using maths to measure risk), data and AI, technology and finance. For example, actuarial graduates forecast claim numbers and costs, support bulk annuity work and model how long people live.

Aviva describes a supportive community of graduates and apprentices, with a leader, a buddy and an Early Careers team, and a three-day in-person induction (company claims). Graduates join on permanent contracts and follow a two-year Early Careers Development Programme. The 2027 actuarial pathway lists a salary of £35,200 plus rises as exams are passed, a four to five year programme, rotations roughly every 18 months, study leave and exam fees paid, and locations in Bristol, Norwich or York with about three office days a week. It asks for a degree in any subject by summer 2027 and at least a grade B in A Level Maths, and does not offer visa sponsorship. Aviva says most pathways do not need a finance or STEM degree. Technology apprenticeships (as at the 2025 intake, now closed) paid £25,100 and offered Level 4 to Level 6 routes in Bristol, Norwich, York and Perth, needing five GCSEs including English and maths and three A Levels or equivalent.

What they do

• {'desc': 'General insurance for people and businesses in the UK, including the Norwich Union brand.', 'title': 'Insurance'}
• {'desc': 'Pensions, investments and long-term savings.', 'title': 'Savings and retirement'}
• {'desc': 'Seven pathways from actuarial to technology, with permanent contracts.', 'title': 'Graduate pathways'}
• {'desc': 'Level 4 to Level 6 routes in data, testing, software and automation (2025 intake).', 'title': 'Technology apprenticeships'}

Key facts

• Traces back to Hand in Hand, formed in 1696; the Aviva name dates from 2002
• 2027 actuarial pathway: £35,200 plus exam-linked rises, Bristol, Norwich or York
• 2025 technology apprenticeships paid £25,100 (closed)
• Seven graduate pathways; permanent contracts from day one
• Graduate community includes a leader, buddy and Early Careers team (company claim)

Website: www.aviva.com