Finance and Commercial Academy Student Review

The Siemens Finance and Commercial Academy involves joining teams within Siemens business's for 6 to 12 months and taking responsibilities equivalent to a permanent member of that team. Daily tasks depend on the placement you are in. One of the great things about the scheme is that you get to see lots of different parts of the business giving you a lot of experience and knowledge when it comes to getting a full-time role. General taks including having meetings, financial reporting, month end processes.

During the scheme we also study for CIMA, we are given dedicated time away from work to study for this, Siemens take the qualification seriously and genuinely want you to succeed in what you do. You also get a lot of experience and skills in your daily tasks, as you are concidered another member of the team and have the same responsibilities, giving you a real experience of the full-time role. There are also additional training courses arranged by the academy.

I have had a great time on the academy so far, I have been given large responsibilities which makes the placements much more relevant and helpful to my experience. There are also other people from the Academy with different experiences willing to help each other at any point.

The placements I have been in so far have been extremely helpful. The team recognises you as another member of the team and not just an apprentice. You are given just as much responsibility as other members of the team which gives you much more experience and a feeling of self worth.

There is structure in place to give everyone as much experience as possible before moving into a full-time role. The academy leader makes sure your placements allow you to see different parts of the business, without moving on before getting everything you can from that placement. Studying for CIMA is very well organised with set days away from work to study and flexibilty with booking the date for your exam. There are also plenty of people you can go to if you have any concerns.

Our training provider for the CIMA qualification are regularly available to help with any problems or guidance you need at any time in the run up to an exam. They are contactable by email or you can go and see them if prefered as they are happy to help in anyway they can.

The academy has a buddy scheme to support you as you progress through the scheme. These buddys are from the academy and are happy to assist you where they can. Other senior members of Siemens are involved with the scheme and are very approachable to become mentors to guide you through your career and this extends after you have left the Academy scheme. You are encouraged to talk to someone if you are ever feeling uncomfortable or unhappy with what you are doing.

There are plenty of Siemens offices, especially where I am located in Newcastle. Meaning you are never far from a site. The company is also very helpful with relocation costs if you choose to, or are required to move a significant distance for work.

There are plenty of events that you are encouraged to get involved in. Withing the Academy things such as talks to schools and sixth form colleges are something that all the academy students get involved in. This is to promote the academy and give something back.

Yes

I have had a fantastic experience so far whilst working for Siemens and look forward to my time on the academy going forward. I think it is a great alternative to going to university and gives much more useful experience.

Make sure you research the company well before hand and prepare thoroughly for the assessment day. The Academy scheme has been fantastic for me so far, but the process to get onto the Academy is thorough as there is a lot of competition for places.