Apprentice Review

I work in business support and facilities management teams here at Arup Leeds Office. My role includes: Booking train, hire car, accommodation, taxis, internal room bookings, Leeds Car park spaces, lunch booking orders. I can order Business Cards, organise mailshots, couriers among other general administrative duties. I'm involved in North West and Yorkshire office moves and refurbishments; this includes building desks, ensuring all desks have fully working IT equipment. I manage Archiving and contractors all for the Leeds office. I'm currently working on Google Sketch Up designing office plans for all NWY offices. I'm responsible for Credit 360 for Leeds and York, PPE ordering and issuing among other AMS duties.

I've successfully completed NVQ Level 2 in Business Administration within the first 6 months at Arup, I've since enrolled in Level 3 which is due for completetion this month. Besides other qualifications in which I've gained, I've also gained a wide knowledge within a working envirnment. This has only happened due to Arup giving me the oppertunity to work within different teams. They offer any training relevent to my role: I'm a first aider and soon to be qualified in IOSHH which will enable me to progress within Arup.

I enjoy most things that Arup offer me from their programme to the team I work with. I think my time at Arup has been great due to having support and encouragement from the team. It's gone above and beyond my expectations again, because of the support I've had from more experienced colleagues.

I do feel valued from my manager and team and this is recognised from a simple 'thank you' to pay rises which I'm grateful for. I think my next step in to feeling as though I'm making a difference is for me to progress onto the grading system post L3 completetion.

My training is reviewed every month where I'm set tasks to complete for the following. My course is set for self-motiviation and organisation which I think has developed my time keeping. My manager also has input in each monthly review and completes Witness Testimony's for my competencey.

I've had the same training provider for both L2 and L3 and I think they've been great as a company and Andi as a tutor. He's given guidence and tips in completing. I believe that I wouldn't have completed in half the recommended time if it wasn't for my tutor.

My manager wants me continue gaining as many qualifications that are both relevent and will stratch me to be able to benefit from them. The team are now seeing my knowledge has improved since 2015 from studying business administration and I'm now becoming a point of contact to solve problems that occur.

I think the salary is great as I'm still classed as an Apprentice and is much higher than the minimum wage of an apprentice. I think it's great that Arup are a private company therefore we're still entitled to profit share. The travel is an easy comminute which ever mode of transport I take as we're in a good location. My living costs are lower than most due to living at home but my hobbies of motorsport probably even that out.

We're open to any events within the organisation as well as being a part of the IAM and the PA hub. There are also discounts availble for various activities included the gym, socials etc.

Yes

I think Arup is a great place to start to gain qualifications and a huge range of business knoweldge. I also thing the oppertunities that Arup offer wouldn't be found anywhere else, due to the size of the company and our values we have.

I think it's improtant to be honest as well as professional. You need to have a serious interest in what you're applying for at Arup as we value interest. Like all companies you need to know what we do and projects we've studied.