Apprentice Global IT Maintenance Project Manager Review

I work in our Globbal IT infrastructure teams. On a day to day basis I could be tasked with organising downtime or outage periods and project managing various different jobs with team located all around the world. I get to interact with my team both locally and my team who are based overseas. My job is great and is also varied as one of my requirements is to help with the Unilever Apprenticeships social media outreach. This is great as it lets me diversify my role from the standard day-to-day.

Whilst working with Unilever on my Apprenticeship I've been able to learn lots of on the job experience not only from hands on experience but also from being able to learn and take account from my mentors and others in the workforce who have many years of knowledge in the industry. I've also been able to attend many courses both onsite and off. Being able to take part in these courses has helped me gain my First Aid defibrillation certificate, PRINCE and I am working on my AGILE course too. I have been able to really home in on my existing IT skills and put them to some good use in this role and I know I will be able to transfer what I have learned to other aspects of my life and other roles should I choose to.

Working at Unilever on the apprenticeship scheme is great. I wouldn't wish to work anywhere else as I enjoy coming into the office to work and collaborate with teams who can all work together regardless of geography, ability or status. The company works hard to keep all of our employees and contractors in a good mind. with free confectionary on offer and cheap access to gymnasiums and recreational activities. There is something which Unilever can offer all and appeal to most. Coming to work for Unilever surprised me as in other jobs I had not had any of the same opportunities.

I feel extremely appreciated by Unilever not only just by my own division of work but also by the Apprenticeship Delivery Team. With b being able to be enrolled onto the Apprentice Ambassador scheme I feel valued and powered by my local team. My manager recognises my achievements and I feel personally valued when I'm able to make a difference in my team.

The structure of the programme is excellent with the exception of one fault. For those taking the higher scheme, the training provider is with The Open University. the OU requires multiple courses to be completed at any one time alongside ordinary job and personal requirements. it is often easy to get caught out if work isn't prepped and planned on time. If an apprentice were to consider with OU it would have to be taken with a lot of effort and personal time to complete. Saying this however my manager does allow me time out of my working day to dedicate to my studies and work with the OU and our BTEC learning provider.

With our training provider I feel as though at current there is less support provided than needed. in terms of the tutor being accessible this is fine, our tutor is providing guidance to us on a weekly basis and is also in the midst of curating an apprentice guide to completing on time. There is no general attitude problems however with so many apprentices dedicated to one tutor I do feel like it be better with more than one.

From my employer I couldn't ask for more support. My manager ensures that we sit down together each work and discuss any concerns I may have or questions as to where my scheme is headed. My HR team has changed considerably but is expected in a company such a big as Unilever. I have a personal Unilever mentor who is able to also answer any questions I may have during the week or on an Ad-Hoc basis. this person is also available when either of us are working Agile. I feel extremely supported by my employer.

My Salary meets my costs well. I currently still live at home with my parents however with the wage I receive I'm able to save towards a deposit for a mortgage. I work in the Port Sunlight office which is very accessible by train, car or bus. Travel is cheap and traffic is relatively low. Onsite costs for food and drink is somewhat higher but the quality of the food is considerably better.

There are many opportunities outside of work to collaborate with my team and others. we aim to make a date each month in which we meet up outside of work for social pleasure and to enjoy each others time. The company offers away days and our apprenticeship scheme also takes part in the Brathay Apprentice Challenge in which our apprentices take part in helping our the local community in various ways.

Yes

Because of the experience I have had, I'm more than happy to recommend to any of my friends.

Ensure that you learn the ins and outs of its current affairs. follow the @UnilevrUKApps twitter and facebook pages to find out events which the apprentices will be attending to learn more about the scheme. Otherwise general knowledge is a must and being confident is essential but the apprentice must not be cocksure or exaggerate their capabilities.