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Over several days doing work experience at Oakley Capital in London, Olympia, Year 13, learned about private equity, investment relations, and venture capital through meetings and tasks set by professionals at the firm.
She explored financial models, investment opportunities, and company structures, and gained insights into the founding of Oakley and its strategic planning for the future.
Olympia shared with us some of the key takeaways from her experience:
What did you learn?
As we were involved in many meetings with various staff members who informed us about their positions, I learned so much from working through tasks and exchanging thoughts with colleagues. Within private equity firms like Oakley Capital, each person has a role to play. It is highly structured which is key to how the firm functions as a whole.
I also discovered that private equity is very different from what I was expecting. I thought my background in Economics and Mathematics alone would support me. However, other critical thinking skills also came into play. There are many subdivisions in the world of finance so knowing my specific interests was crucial.
What experience did you most value?
I thought shadowing staff members was very helpful and allowed me to fully understand the logistics of their positions. I also enjoyed working in an office environment, watching team meetings take place and hearing many languages spoken including Italian and German.
What skills did you obtain?
I learned how to absorb information quickly and be able to sell ideas within a few minutes when limited to ‘elevator time.’ I also acquired new tech skills including how to approach financial models on Excel and how they work. Lastly, I further developed my skills of evaluation using the PEEL technique (Point, Evidence, Explain, and Link) which is a concept I was not familiar with before participating in this opportunity.