Degree Apprentice Review

My first placement is within the savings team where I am a product assistant within everyday banking. This involves me helping to track our balances and competitors movements using tools such as Excel to facilitate this. Alongside this I also complete my apprenticeship studies with Kaplan and complete my degree with the LIBF.

One skill I have learnt within my first 6 months in stakeholder management and how important that is especially when trying to manage different expectations for people across the bank. Another skill that I continue to develop are my Excel skills as the majority of our daily tasks revolve around using the platform. This knowledge is also transferable across the business so it's vital I continue to improve and learn.

The programme has been really enjoyable so far as I have managed to learn a lot in a short space of time. All of the teams within HSBC have been really helpful, making that transition from school to the world of work a lot easier. Moving forward I am excited to continue my learning with HSBC.

My programme is structured so that as a degree apprentice we are able to have Tuesday every week as a study day allowing us to attend our lectures and complete any necessary apprenticeship work. This helps us to organise our weeks and prioritise any study related assignments.

We receive a wide range of support from HSBC whether that be well-being, financial help or study related support. There is a dedicated early careers team at our disposal that can help us with any queries we may have which is beneficial. Alongside this we also have our dedicated buddies who are experienced degree apprentices on hand to help us with assignments or general enquiries.

Between our apprenticeship and university provider there is lots of support on hand to help us towards our qualifications. This includes regular check ins with our talent coaches who keep track of our apprenticeship progress alongside offering support of how to obtain the best grade.

The qualification through the training providers helps me to perform better within my role because the learning I complete is directly transferable. This gives me a greater understanding of the subject matters and allows me to put what I learn into practice. It also relates to my Kaplan learning because I can evidence what I complete to my talent coach.

There are employee resource groups that you can join and be an active member in. They host events thought the year and offer socials that you can join in with after work. Professional networking events are also offered throughout the year where guest speakers and networking opportunities are offered for us to be able to get involved with.

Yes

The working environment is brilliant and as a degree apprentice I have been offered lots of opportunities in order to further myself and my career.

I would make sure to do some thorough research about the business so you know what it offers and the values that it stands by. Make sure you know the skills that you bring to the table and how HSBC can benefit from it, thinking outside the box within interviews.