Business Apprentice Review

My job title is currently business apprentice, however within the scheme you have the opportunity to rotate departments every 6 months to learn different skills and about different departments within the business. I am currently a buyer, therefore I raise orders, liaise with suppliers and attend multiple meetings. Through emails, phone calls and travelling to meet them at their site, I interact with many different suppliers and people on a day-to-day basis.

I have developed my existing academia skills through university. Although I am only half way through the first year of my degree, I have learnt a lot and have found it very useful as I can apply it to my day job. I will complete a life skills course in July, as an training course provided by MBDA. I have learnt skills within my department surrounding purchasing as a job role, such as running reports and raising orders. I believe that my communication skills have also developed massively as my confidence has grown since working at MBDA and networking with different people.

I enjoy work as I believe that this scheme is a great opportunity to develop into my career. I enjoy specific opportunities I get such as travelling to suppliers abroad and in the UK and also volunteering for apprentice related opportunities, such as visiting parliament. My department have really made me feel welcome and I enjoy working as a team. In all honestly, I enjoy my job a lot more than I expected too which is obviously a great bonus.

I feel much appreciated by my manager as they are constantly recognise my hard work and praise me for me for the quality of my work. MBDA do host recognition awards, so once I have been at the company for longer I may be able to achieve one of these awards, and if I did I would feel extremely valued. I have also been asked to get involved in different projects outside of my department which has also made me feel valued.

I honestly believe that the scheme/programme I am on is brilliant. We had an in-depth induction week when I first joined, which I found very useful as it gave me a better scope of the business and day-to-day operations. A few weeks later we had an interaction week which provided the opportunity to network and learn new skills in which we could apply to our new role. The support provided is great. If we need extra time to focus on uni work if it becomes stressful, we are entitled to 5 extra days. We also have regularly review meetings where we have the chance to ask for any extra support needed. They is also an optional 'mentor' system you can apply for. The scheme is full of opportunities and has an organised structure where we can rotate around the business and pick up new skills and experience along the way.

Our advisor at university is very organised and has structure our degree very well and precisely to fit in well with our day job. They are very supportive as if we need guidance on anything uni related they get back to us very quickly. They are also very open to altering parts of the course or set dates for us, when we need it to fit better around our job. They are clearly very passionate about the course and their role as our course leader, therefore have a positive attitude towards supporting us.

My employer is very supportive when it comes to any problems we encounter or any training or development we wish to request. We were assigned 'buddies' when we first started, who we could go to for guidance and to generally have a friendly face to feel comfortable talking to as we entered the daunting world of full time employment. Our HR advisor is brilliant when it comes to support and they are open to any phone calls when extra help/guidance is required. We have regularly reviews, and training course and chances for development are always available.

My salary meets my living, travel and daily costs, leaving me with disposable income to enjoy each month. Our starting salary is set at very reasonable rate, however we have the chance to gain a large pay rise for every year we are on the scheme. This pay rise is based on our performance both at work and at university. Therefore, we have a great incentive to work to our full potential and work towards a very healthy salary.

The company host many different events that we are invited to get involved in, majority being charitable events. We are also given the opportunity to organise and host our own events. We constantly receive emails asking for volunteers for different activities and events, which open up great opportunities. There is also a sports and social club available to join, which can be great with meeting new people and enjoying different types of events. There is also a gym onsite!

Yes

I think it is a very good company to work for as the benefits that come with the job are phenomenal, such as the training courses available and the award ceremonies hosted. Also, the salaries are very competitive and you feel a great sense of job satisfaction due to the overall friendly atmosphere within the business. The opportunities to travel abroad are also a great bonus and team away days enable you to really feel part of the MBDA team.

Take your time with your online application and review it before you submit. Maybe get someone to proof read it for you as well. Ask lots of questions on the assessment day and seem keen. I would also recommend having a good understanding of the business, what they do and what is important to them! Dress smart for the interview and try your best to appear confident (but not arrogant). Think about what you might say about yourself before hand, and try to remember impressive things you have already achieved. I would have liked to have been told that the interview is not as formal as you think! Try to make it into an interesting conversation with the interviewer, rather than a structured, repetitive Q and A.