Civil Servant Review

My job roles involves looking for improvements which can be made within HMRC processes which would result in cost savings to the business and our customers. My daily tasks involve interacting with the relevant stakeholders in order to implement continuous improvements, gathering data to support the implementation of solutions and carrying out benefits calculations of the improvements in processes which have been made.

At the end of my apprenticeship I will have gained a level 4 qualification in Business Administration. Throughout my time working within HMRC, I have improved upon my communication skills, as I work within a geographically split team, the only way we can ensure that we work in an efficient manner is by ensuring that our communications are carried out effectively. This is done through a variety of methods such as telephone, F2F and email. I have also had the opportunity to attend various courses, for example I recently attended a Diversity and Equality course within HMRC.

I find the programme challenging, which I enjoy as I know that it is making me think and using my experience and skills in order to complete my HNC/NVQ assignments. I am feeling particularly stressed about the NVQ side of things at the moment, due to our NVQ coach leaving December, we haven't had an NVQ coach to guide us for the past 4 months and our deadline is looming. To be honest, I find it completely unacceptable that we have been left this long with no support and I can't believe that there was no contingency plan in place to allow for this. Due to this I'm not enjoying the experience and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone as I feel that we have been poorly managed in regards to this.

I don't feel particularly valued by HMRC. Since starting in October 2015, we have had 5 managers - therefore there has been a lack of stability for us throughout our apprenticeship, which makes getting the balance of work/study correct. I feel that the team that I am working in within HMRC, isn't widely known throughout the organisation, therefore the team as a whole doesn't get the recognition, despite being involved in some high profile projects. I was also unhappy when I first started within HMRC, as I was continuously referred to as "The Apprentice" which I felt was completely degrading and disrespectful.

I feel that the apprenticeship side of things was well organised - the HNC classes are organised a month in advance and the classes I find particularly useful - my HNC tutor, [This section of the comment has been removed by a member of the RateMyApprenticeship Team because it did not meet our site terms and conditions] is brilliant and always offer support when needed, even outwith the classroom. Before my NVQ coach left, we had monthly meetings to discuss progress and offer support which I found suitable, however there was no contingency plan in place for when she left and I felt that this was poorly managed as we were left for 4 months without a coach.

My HNC tutor, [This section of the comment has been removed by a member of the RateMyApprenticeship Team because it did not meet our site terms and conditions] Jordan is extremely supportive and I always enjoy going to his classes. I find that the activities which we complete during our classroom session are relevant to our assignment and make completing the assignment easier, as I have a better understanding of the subject. [This section of the comment has been removed by a member of the RateMyApprenticeship Team because it did not meet our site terms and conditions] is always available to offer support and advice if needed and he is an extremely approachable tutor.

My manager is happy for me to carry out my 2 days monthly study, however other than this, they do not have much dealings with my apprenticeship. I'm not sure if this is because we have had so many management changes in the past 15 months, or whether they are happy for us to get on with it and trust that we will put in the work required in order to pass.

I think my salary is adequate, particularly as I work locally, therefore my travel costs are relatively low. This will all change when we make the move into the regional centre, my travel costs will increase dramatically, therefore at this point I don't think my salary will be sufficient, after you take into consideration my mortgage payments, council tax, bills and now increased travel costs.

I've not really looked at opportunities outside of my work, however I think that I could use this qualification if I wanted to pursue a career in teaching, as this is something which I have looked at in the past. I think that there would be companies within the private sector who may view this qualification as an advantage, however I haven't really looked into it that much to be honest as there are so many opportunities for promotion within HMRC and I have been more focusing on progressing in that way.

Yes

Despite my negative experiences I do feel that HMRC is a good employer to work for. The benefits which you receive, such as a competitively priced salary and flexible working is really desirable to people as employees. There are also lots of opportunities for promotion, so there are good prospects within the organisation.

I think the Fast Track Apprenticeship is a good way for people to get their foot in the door in a good paying role within HMRC. Although it can be difficult to work and study at the same time, if you put the effort in it's completely achievable. The organisation offers good benefits and after the apprenticeship is finished there are many routes for promotion which you can take if you're ambitious enough.