Wealth and Personal Banking Degree Apprentice Review

As a HSBC Degree Apprentice I will complete 4 separate placements. The roles have varied greatly which has allowed for me to develop a wide range of skills and experience. For example: project management which involved bringing stakeholders together to collaborate and creating new ideas. A customer facing role where I spoke to customers over the phone dealing with their queries. A people leader role where I am leading a team within the branch network.

I learnt many new skills and built upon existing ones. For example: time management. All roles require time management but in different ways. One could be leading a project delivery whereas another will be making sure we serve customers efficiently, this has improved my adaptability across different business contexts.

I'm really enjoying the apprenticeship programme. The placements I do have been challenging and rewarding in the skills and experiences I've gained. As well as simultaneously pursuing my degree in financial services from the Walbrook Institute, I've been able to apply my learnings into my role. Most importantly there is a very strong support network, from my placement line managers, the emerging talent team, Kaplan and fellow Early Career's community members.

The apprenticeship gives the opportunity to experience 4 different areas of the bank within WPB so naturally the structure of learning is strong. There are regular events for DA's, Grads, IP's to meet and learn more too. The study day is set for me every Tuesday with the lectures being well organised. Kaplan support with the overarching aim of the apprenticeship which is to acquire Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours. This adds guidance and routine to the developmental aspect of the apprenticeship.

I've received a lot of support regarding all aspects of the apprenticeship by my employer. Development support, wellbeing support, career guidance etc. Have always felt very supported.

A lot of support again, always there to help and get things resolved. Very responsive to contact and a great amount of check ins etc. A real focus on development and a lot of useful feedback is given. Only thing that could be improved is the communication between the training provider and the Degree Team. Sometimes, there seems a lack of alignment around apprenticeship processes.

It has helped me identify strengths, weaknesses and knowledge gaps. This has allowed me to tailor my learning and focus on specific areas which has lead to gaining such skills and experience.

There is always a lot to be involved in, such as projects or positions where you can support the apprenticeship programme or be involved in employee resource groups. There are a lot of networking events available to degree apprentices which are a great opportunity to connect with new people.

Yes

HSBC has a real focus on development and helping you grow in terms of skills and experience. With the apprenticeship programme this is made even stronger by the fact you experience diverse parts of the bank alongside a Degree Qualification and plentiful support.

Research about HSBC and HSBC job roles that interest you, why do they interest you and what are you curious about? Think about what skills you have already and what skills you would like to gain. When you are applying think about how you can evidence the skills you have and are working on.