Project Controller Review

I am in charge of monitoring and controlling labour and non-labour spend, risk and opportunities for a contract team. I have to interact with various different teams across the site internally whilst also engaging with external stakeholders on a weekly basis. I am also in charge of providing monthly updates for a contract review pack which is presented to senior managers across the business.

I have learnt a lot of new skills whilst being in this role. I have learnt how to use the risk and change database so I can now competently drawdown/ add risks and make changes to the project baseline. I have also attended various training courses such as one to extend my knowledge on how to be an effective project controller and one on how to be a super user in workspace.

I very much enjoy my programme, I learn so much in each placement I go in. Gaining a degree at the same time as working is a fantastic opportunity as it allows me to put in practise what I learn at university into my job role. The experiences I get are brilliant and I get a lot of exposure to senior people within the business which is good for my career development.

I feel very valued within BAE Systems, the team that look after us are very caring and always have our best interest at heart. They are very focused on ensuring apprentices get a variety of experience whilst on their apprenticeships. There is always action out of the surveys that we complete as a business and they do their best to try and ensure that everyone is happy.

My scheme is very well organised, it is made clear at the beginning of the programme the structure of the 5 year course and how often we will rotate in placements. If any changes take place these are communicated to us early, to give us plenty of warning. Additionally, our placements are communicated to us 2 months before we are due to move so we have plenty of time to plan a handover.

We receive a lot of support from our training provider in terms of help for assignments and exams. They ensure they provide us with a set timetable at the beginning of the year so we are clear on what is expected of us, and what topics we will be learning. Additionally, they make it clear what type of assessments whether reports or debates we will be expected the complete so we have some advanced notice.

I receive a lot of support from BAE, they have been fantastic in ensuring our workload is not unachievable when we impending an assignment or exam deadline. They have also supported us in allowing us to take our college day of to study for assignments when university lectures are not on.

My salary/package is fantastic, it definitely meets my expectations. They have ensured that there is a fair and clear criteria for how maximum pay rises are achieved. They reward you for trying hard and succeeding in your degree which is a big incentive. Additionally, we are still entitled to financial benefits which are given to all professional staff within the company such as the bonus scheme and free shares.

There are endless opportunities outside of work. I am part of the STEM ambassador network in which we go into schools, colleges and other educational establishments to advertise the various schemes that BAE Systems offer and promoting STEM subjects to young people. Additionally, there are many opportunities to attend various conferences across the country to expand in their knowledge in various functions.

Yes

I would definitely recommend BAE Systems to a friend as I feel it is a fantastic company to work for. They are very supportive of us and ensure we have the maximum amount of opportunities available to help with our career development. They are many opportunities for travelling both within the UK and worldwide. The pay/package is fantastic and we get our degree paid for which is a big incentive.

Make sure you research into the company and ensure an apprenticeship is definitely what you want to do. Ensure that you get someone to check over your application process to make sure it makes sense and that there are no grammatical errors. Additionally, make sure you prepare for the assessment day and have various examples of why you would be a good candidate for the role, what makes you different and why you want to work specifically for BAE Systems.