Test Analyst Review

I am a Test Analyst in the Digital Portfolio within IT. This means that i have to test all the different systems that Boots want to implement into the organisation, and test to make sure that there are no bugs or defects in the software. This involves me talking to a lot of Boots' external stakeholders and organisations which are employed by Boots. It also means that i have regular conversations with the off shore teams in India to try and solve problems. This is a day to day task on all of the projects that i am involved within. I have to make sure that all of the work i am doing is tracked, as well as helping with finding a solution.

I am working on a Level 4 National Diploma in Business and Administrative Management. This occurs every Thursday morning for me, and I return to work in the afternoon. This allows me to develop my knowledge and skills about an organisation and how they function, as well as develop my leadership skills for the future. This will benefit me as i hope to one day manage my own team, but i need to make sure that i have the correct leadership skills in order to keep my team motivated, as well as being supportive. I have also gained a qualification that is recognised worldwide by all major IT organisations, the ISTQB Testing Qualification. This was a great opportunity for me, as i am able to show people that i have taken part in such a massive qualification and passed it. The tutor even mentioned that i was one of the youngest people he had every taught, as the average age for someone the take the qualification to be 25. I have also been able to take part in other training courses which help me to understand the organisations processes, as well as learning things that contractors have to bring in to the organisation. With learning this, i am able to keep it within the organisation, a benefit to Boots as contractors come and go. I have become a lot more confident in myself, which will benefit me as i start to develop my career further in the near future.

I really enjoy the programme. The work load is good. It can often become a bit stressful as there are deadlines that have to be met for projects, and there can be massive dependencies if these are not met. But other than that, i really enjoy what i do. My team is amazing, and they have been since day one. I have worked with another apprentice that is on the same scheme as me, so we have experienced a lot of things together, which has helped me to become a bit more confident in making people aware what i want to get out of the scheme. The organisation is a great one to work in. It is currently going worldwide which excites me because i know that i will be able to experience that with the organisation. I have also met some great people whilst i have been here. I have met major directors and leaders in the organisation which has helped me to understand what career path i want, as well as being given great opportunities to help me also pursue it.

I am finally starting to feel valued at Boots. I think that it took me a while to settle into my role, which is something i worried about when i did first start in the Support Office. I often get recognition from others on the work that i have taken part in, and it is a really good feeling when this comes through. It may only be in the format of an email, but it is great to see other people recognising the work that i am doing. Feedback helps a lot towards the end of year consistency forums, which can determine how well you do for the year, so feedback is a really important factor within Boots. I am starting to feel that i am the person that people are coming to for me to solve their problems, i may not always be the right person, but i am developing the knowledge and skills to help with pointing people in the right direction, or giving them information to help them with their problems.

Our apprenticeship programme has been structured really well. The HR team have set up a site called iCan, which has an itinery of what we are doing through the programme. This involves all of the workshops that we will be attending, also away days and other activities we are able to take part in. A lot of the training has been specific to our areas, so it may be that an apprentice in another area may have had more training than me, but it is specific to your role. Our college is very well structured, we are able to go to college every Thursday morning and we have support with our studying from our managers. A lot of the work we get has to be delegated, as the levels above us are so heavily involved with a lot of different projects, i sometimes have to complete their work. But this isn’t always a bad thing, it can help me develop and delve a bit deeper into projects that i may not normally be involved in.

Our college tutor is amazing, she really does help us with all the work we receive. She is always at the end of the computer or the phone to help us with any problems that we have. She is always there to help whether it is rain or shine. She works so hard to mark all of our assignments on time, which then helps us to try and achieve the best grades we can. She is truly amazing, and i couldn’t have asked for a better tutor.

I receive support from my employer. I have regular 1:1's with my manager to discuss work as well as my development. I don’t always feel that my manager full understands the extent of the apprenticeship and what the outcomes are, as i just seem to be another resource. To be able to develop, i feel i need to see other areas of IT, but my manager often seems worried about an overload of work that he will not be able to handle if i wasn’t here. Although this may be the case, i am an apprentice and i have come to develop myself in all aspects of the business. The HR team have been amazing, they are always there when you need them, and are always presenting opportunities to you to see other areas of the organisation, or just another area in general. They provide you with support all of the time putting in quarterly meetings so that we can discuss what is coming up as well as any problems that there is.

The salary meets my needs as much as i need it too. I am able to support my parents at home with living costs, so i am able to contribute to the household. The wage has also allowed me to buy my own car and run it myself, which gives me a sense of growing up as i have something rather important that i have to look after. I also get to see a lot of my friends and get to go out with them as i have the money. It also allows me to save a lot of money because i am able to go on holidays and treat myself to things i wouldn’t normally be able to buy.

There are so many opportunities outside of work. I am able to get involved in charity events and CSR events which help me see different cultures outside of work. I get to help with the local community, but Boots are fully behind that and support anybody that wants to take part. It is great to be able to get to see other people in different environments, but also know that i am making a difference that will benefit them, and they will also remember Boots helped them.

Yes

Boots has so many development opportunities for everybody that comes into the organisation. They always help you to develop yourself in all different areas, and will also invest in you where it is needed. The atmosphere in the office is always great, and it is amazing to know that you always have a team behind you, which is what you need in a massive organisation. As the organisation has managed to go worldwide and is forever expanding, it is exciting to know that i am going to be part of that.

The application process is rather long. So i made sure that at every stage of the programme i was ready for everything i was going to get thrown at me. I made sure that i did all the research possible in order to show the organisation that i really wanted to work for them. It is important to be passionate about Boots as they are passionate about so many things. Boots wants to be a market leader, and everybody needs to share that same passion. I had a passion in retail, but being able to work behind the scenes and see the things i work on out in store is truly an amazing feeling.