Cross Functional Apprentice Review

In the apprenticeship we get to rotate around the many different areas and departments of the business. We get to shape our own career by getting involved in the actions of the departments.

I have learnt a lot so far and i have also increased understanding of current knowledge. For the most part, it is up to you to learn how much you want to learn. I have engaged with a lot of people in my departments to find out what they do, their background, how they got there and much more. This has increased my understanding of how all the "cogs" fit together!

I really enjoy working at Cisco. There is a lot to do and a lot of help available. My team both in my rotation and as an apprentice team are great and will offer help if they can. The company is very good as it allows a lot of freedom compared to other jobs.

A lot of people have shown me how much value i bring to the company. I feel like i am a proper part of the team and that i bring value to deals with customers. I work on large scale projects and can end up being responsible for important parts of these projects.

We have regular external training with QA and this is beneficial to our learning. We also do regular assignments which we can use evidence from our rotations to complete. There is a good balance between work and training/assignments.

There are regular catch up sessions and we can easily email our tutor or trainers at any time we need help. There is also "background support" such as learner services at QA however they can sometimes take longer to reply.

I recieve a lot of support if i need it. I know that i can approach my managers at any time with a problem and know that they will help to find a solution. There is also a large support network i can call upon both within my team members and others in the apprenticeship.

The salary is pretty good. There are loads of benefits to choose from as well. My office is only down the road from home so it is easy to get to and does not cost much. My salary covers all the costs i have at the moment and i am able to save a bit for the future. I still live at home but others do have their own flat.

There are loads of activities and opportunities outside of the normal working day and within the working day. Everything from Triathlons to school visits to Internet of Things workshops over lunch times! You have to be careful to say no sometimes as you could easily not do any work but still be doing stuff all the time!!

Yes

It is a great company to work for and there are many opportunities to grow and develop both your career and you as a person. Everyone will offer a helping hand if you need it (and you get to play around with awesome tech!)

The application process is quite long but well worth it. The apprenticeship programme is very popular and so there is a lot of competition. Just do your best at each stage! There is a normal application form and then a visit to one of the offices of an evening. There is then a telephone interview and if successful a assesment day at one of the offices and then hopefully a job offer!! Good Luck!