Hi, I’m Oscar, a consulting degree apprentice at RSM UK. I work within the firm’s Risk and Governance solution, specialising in Financial Services Risk. My role gives me the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse range of clients - from banks and investment platforms to sovereign wealth funds. I help organisations strengthen their risk management frameworks by evaluating internal controls and governance structures, ensuring they meet regulatory requirements and align with industry best practice.

Did I ever imagine I’d be doing a degree apprenticeship at one of the world’s largest professional services firms when I was choosing my post-16 and 18 options? Absolutely not.

Would I change the fact that I’m now doing a degree apprenticeship? Absolutely not.

I moved away from the UK when I was three and spent most of my childhood living in the Netherlands and Ireland. When I returned to the UK in Year 10 to start my GCSEs, I thought it would be a smooth transition - but I was quickly proven wrong.

The biggest challenge wasn’t the move itself, but the assumptions people made. Teachers expected me to already know GCSE content because I’d lived in Ireland, an English speaking country, but the reality was very different. The education system there taught subjects in a completely different way, and I struggled to adapt.

I failed my Maths mocks and barely scraped a pass in English. It wasn’t because I wasn’t capable - I simply hadn’t been taught in the same way. Meanwhile, the pressure was rising: I was expected to choose my post-16 path while still trying to find my footing in a new school system. It was a tough time, but it taught me early on how quickly things can change and how important it is to adapt.

I always dreamt of going to the best universities, mostly because I thought I’d end up following in my mum’s footsteps. Not because my parents pressured me, but because I wanted to make them proud. My school was also big on university, and after chatting with a few teachers, they pretty much said an apprenticeship wasn’t really “me”. They thought I’d miss out on the social side, since I was always quite social at school. But even with all those opinions, I still looked at other options. I didn’t rule university out, but I wanted to see what else was out there.

Results day came, and thankfully, with the all the support of the people around me, I achieved grades I was really proud of. They were more than enough for me to get into the sixth form I wanted. Around that time, I also started warming up to the idea of doing a degree apprenticeship - a consulting degree apprenticeship to be precise. 

I started sixth form in a place that couldn’t have supported me better - it gave me the freedom to explore all my options. I quickly got serious about a degree apprenticeship. Year 12 was full-on: I was working hard for strong grades, leading our Young Enterprise team as Managing Director, researching apprenticeships, and preparing university applications.

Then in May, I got the news I’d made the Finland U21 squad for the European Hockey Championships. It was an incredible moment and a reminder that hard work can really pay off.

The summer disappeared in a blur. I made my international debut, worked nonstop, and then Year 13 hit. I was buried in apprenticeship and university applications, while hockey took up nearly every day. 

I was writing cover letters, completing video interviews, and attending first-stage assessment centres. But the responses were brutal. Every email seemed to start with “unfortunately,” and it was hard not to feel demotivated. I saw people on LinkedIn receiving offers left, right and centre while I kept getting rejections.

Then, finally, the first offer came through - and the dopamine hit was unreal. All the long hours and sacrifices suddenly felt worth it. After that, two more offers followed, including one unconditional offer, which was a huge relief.

I had these offers by January - just in time, as I was focused on making my senior international debut at the Men’s European Championships. Getting the offers allowed me to fully focus on hockey and my A-levels. I was motivated, not by the pressure, but by the proof that it was all possible.

But the work didn’t stop there. I still needed to hit the grades to secure the apprenticeship I’d been aiming for. The grind was real, but with the support of my family, sixth form, friends, and aspiring apprentice communities, I pushed through and finished my A-levels exceeding the requirements.

I’d done it - and I also made the starting XI on my senior international debut in July 2025.

2025 was a year of ups, downs, and huge growth.

I faced constant rejection from apprenticeships, then went on to receive three offers from reputable firms - and ultimately joined RSM, one of the largest professional services firms in the world. I achieved AAB in my A-levels and represented Finland on the international hockey stage.

My biggest takeaways for any young professionals entering the corporate workplace for the first time:

1.) Be Personable - Technical skills can be taught, but attitude and interpersonal habits are much harder to change. How you communicate, collaborate, and engage in real teams matters far more than grades or the work experience programmes you have attended. 

💡 An excellent opportunity to showcase your personality early on is during video interviews.  This is your chance to demonstrate that you are a positive, curious, and approachable individual - qualities that employers truly value.

2.) Apply Your Transferable Skills - A lot of applicants feel they don’t have the “right” experience, but employers know they’re young people who may have not had previous corporate experience. Use things like sports, volunteering, or part-time jobs to show the skills you’ve already developed.

💡 Example: Playing team sports shows communication, teamwork, resilience, and leadership - all skills employers value.

Oscar Lahtinen-Kalsi

Financial Services Risk Consulting @ RSM | Degree Apprentice | BSc Business and Management Student | International Hockey Player | OuterCircle Ambassador - Lead

You can find out more and connect with Oscar on LinkedIn.