Accessibility and Digital Inclusion Review

During day to day activities, my main role focuses on reviewing websites for their accessibility features and how well they conform to certain guidelines as set out. Some other tasks include Correspondence with clients, report writing and aiding team members in other areas relating to accessibility. Some tasks I have been given is admin work for things such as group mailing and responding to internal queries regarding accessibility document and applications used internally.

Throughout the apprenticeship, I have gained many useful skills and increased my knowledge in the world of accessibility. This has been done through team provided training and also through suggested courses by colleagues. Some useful knowledge I have gained has been to do with relevant guidelines such as WCAG 2.0 and how impaired users make use of web technologies. Other skills that have improved throughout the apprenticeship have been my grammar and punctuation, this has improved dramatically since the start of my apprenticeship as I now must write reports and send emails on a daily basis. Professional writing is something that currently is improving and will become better as time goes on through the apprenticeship.

I believe that my programme is interesting and engaging. I have found a great deal of enjoyment in learning about new and upcome accessibility features as well as using some of the accessible technologies that are used by the company. Using these technologies helps to give people like myself a deeper understanding for the difficulty some IT users face every day. I believe that through work provided by our training provider it has helped me to think in a more business based manner and has also allowed me to delve deeper into the ethos of the company as a whole.

I feel that the support and guidance that was given to all apprentices during our training and inductions was very beneficial and it felt to me that the company was investing valid money and effort into ensuring that we as apprentices could perform to our full potential. During the day to day work, i feel that within my immediate team that our input and work is valued. Within the larger Atos workplace, i feel that we may be lost slightly due to the sheer size of the company.

The structure of our scheme training was very intense training over eight weeks, this was very high intensity and was difficult to keep track of. due to the structure, our exams and other work are not been submitted or done until must later after the training. The issue with this has been that it has meant that some aspects are not properly ingrained in memory. However, this has been easily remedied by working on these concepts outside of work in spare time. During our time in the work environment, our support from our training providers and managers has been well organised through meetings and calls. Within our team, it has been vital to us to have others who have been through a similar experience who can assist with adjustment in this new environment.

Our learning provider has been very hands-on with us as a group of apprentices during our training stages, whereby all queries were replied to in a timely fashion and with accuracy to the reality of situations. Our skills coach that visits us every six weeks has been very helpful and responsive during our workplace by been available via email, telephone or texts. They have helped to guide our project work to shape it in the best way possible. I have enjoyed the work as set by our skills coach and have not found the work impacting upon my job role at all.

Within the specific team location where I am based, we have been assigned a 'buddy' this person is our guide to all things works related. they are our first point of contact for queries we may have about our work or to the company as a whole such as inputting company required documents such as filling in time sheets. The HR team are available for any requests should they so be required and it is not uncommon to receive emails from them regarding aids and helps that are on offer to apprentices. Managers are available at all times should they be needed through the use of video calls or telephone calls.

Compared with apprenticeships at the same levels within other companies and departments; I feel that the salary and benefits that I am offered more than meet the costs of my living arrangements, travel cost to work, daily cost that I have to endure such as meals and social costs that I take part in outside of work time. I feel that there are opportunities also to adopt different benefits that are available.

There are options to do things outside of work both self-organised and options to do things such as teams or holidays with groups set up within the company outside of work hours.

Yes

I have felt that through the apprenticeship that Atos as a company has invested money into my training that couldn't be offered by smaller companies. I feel that Atos has lots of opportunities that the company has to offer are different to other companies and they have a close relationship with training providers to provide a training schedule which is of a high standard. I feel that specifically about accessibility it is a unique field that is not offered in other areas of the IT industry and is a very niche market.

Before applying to the role ensure that you understand what the role will entail. It's important to be honest about achievements and knowledge thus far in your working and educational life. Don't lie about your understanding of concepts within the field, apprenticeships are as much about learning as working. Ensure that you have read up on the company for the interview process as there will be some basic questions on what you know or have heard about the company as a whole. An important and key bit of advice that I would have like to have been given is be yourself throughout the entire process. Not everything has to do with how qualified for a job you are it is also to do with the person you are.