Happy New Year!

It's the dawn of 2025, and you’ve probably spent the year so far making improbable resolutions, nursing a hefty hangover, or, most likely - celebrating the three-month anniversary of my arrival into the world of pensions.

Yes, I know - it's flown by. It feels like only yesterday I sat down with the Pensions Age team for the first time, wide-eyed and ready to learn everything there was to know about an industry of which I knew nothing. So, what have I learned?

The first thing I quickly realised was just how much there was to know. The weird and wonderful world of pensions is packed with terminology, jargon, quirks, and unspoken rules that even the industry's veterans have yet to fully master.

But I wasn’t about to give up. If you cut through the noise and pull back the layers, a fascinating underbelly lurks in the pensions world. Pensions, I discovered, do not solely impact the little (or big) pot of money a pensioner has saved up through their working life. Their influence extends to all industries, ages and types of people.

Many of the stories I've covered so far have focused on the politics of pensions. The inclusion of pension funds in IHT, the Chancellor's Mansion House speech and the Pensions Review are just a few examples of the busy and ever-changing overlap between the two fields.

I've written two feature articles for Pensions Age magazine. The first focused on pensions' online learning resources, particularly their accessibility for young savers. The second aimed to highlight the housing crisis and the role of pension funds in helping to address it.

Covering such a wide range of topics has undoubtedly been challenging, and I've quickly had to familiarise myself with the opportunities and obstacles different sectors face in the current climate.

However, it has opened my eyes to the significance of pensions in multiple industries and the importance of early retirement savings.

As a young (ish) person, I am now convinced a rounded pension education is crucial for anyone entering the world of work. My friends are already sick of me lecturing them on the importance of a pension at every opportunity.

Finally, I have been taken aback by the warmth and patience with which the pensions world has embraced me.

From my incredible team at Pensions Age, who went above and beyond to support me as I found my feet, to industry experts, PRs, firms and associations, it is a wonderful community filled with knowledgeable, helpful and kind people - who also enjoy a good booze-up. That is perhaps what has surprised me the most!

So, as I curled up in the darkness of my room on January 1st, with only a pounding headache and fuzzy memories of the night before for company, I found myself taking comfort in reflecting on a fulfilling first three months in the world of pensions, as a reporter for Pensions Age.

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