Graduating in BSc (Hons) Mathematics in 2015
UCLan Mathematics graduate, Simon McCormick, has climbed the ladder of success to become Senior Pricing Analyst at Co-op Insurance.
From a young age, Simon has always loved maths and been interested in its many applications. He chose the course at UCLan because it offered a good mix of pure and applied mathematics and gave him broad knowledge of how maths can be used in different industries.
Following graduation in 2015, Simon worked in marketing analytics in London before moving to a mathematical modelling role at Co-op Insurance working on the motor and home insurance pricing models.
Climbing the career ladder
Most recently, Simon was promoted to the role of Senior Pricing Analyst at Co-op Insurance, which he cites as one of his greatest achievements to date. His job involves the upkeep of pricing and risk models using historical claims and market data, allowing the company to price insurance in a profitable and fair way for the customers as well as the business. Simon also oversees the work of Junior Analysts and makes recommendations on pricing in specific markets.
According to Simon, what brought him to his current position was his interest in the predictive power of maths including how certain events and behaviours can be brought down to algorithms and trends.
Building up experience on from university
Looking back on his experience at UCLan, Simon said: “The people I met and the time spent in and around Preston were my favourite times. It was my first time living away from Northern Ireland and I really felt at home at the University.” Simon added: “My degree offered me a foot into analytics.”
When asked what advice to give to those wanting to take up similar study, Simon stated: “Maths opens so many doors in terms of career options. Even if you’re not sure what you want to do after graduating, the varied topics of the course can offer a great insight in to the many things you can move on to with maths. Data is becoming bigger than ever and most employers offer training to apply your maths knowledge to data science.”