What key skills or experiences do you think are most important for standing out when applying for an apprenticeship in banking and finance?

Hi, I think one of the most important qualities you can showcase is the eagerness to learn. Employers are hiring you for an apprenticeship in which you are going to be working with many experienced professionals who have a vast amount of knowledge. Therefore, you need to be able to showcase that you are willing to work with them and learn from them. Another really important quality is confidence, you need to be able to speak your mind and ask questions because that’s the only way you’ll learn. Employers are looking to hire people from a variety backgrounds in hope that you can offer value to the organisation in the form of new ideas, so please don’t be afraid to offer any ideas you might have no matter how new you are.

Hi, Undertaking work experience in the financial sector is useful because it shows hiring managers that you are serious about working in Finance. I personally didn't undertake any financial work experience, but I did spend my gap year working in retail and hospitality, as well as having previous experience  working in an office, which I really enjoyed! 
I think improving your interpersonal skills is really important in preparing for the interview process, because throughout this process you will be communicating with lots of different people, whether that is with peers in the assessment centre, hiring managers in interviews or networking with current employees. In an assessment centre you will need to be able to collaborate and work well alongside other applicants, and in an interview, you will want to communicate confidently and effectively with the hiring [link removed]; Even when you gain your apprenticeship, you will be constantly communicating with colleagues, managers etc so improving your interpersonal skills will help you later in your career!