Higher Business Apprentice Review

My apprenticeship scheme is rotational so I work around several 6-9 month placements. The core placements for my apprenticeship are Supply Chain, Procurement, Commercial and Business & Performance (Project Management). Currently, I am going a placement in MEP (Major Equipment Procurement). In this role, I am required to manage various supplier relationships, new and acquired. Some relevant tasks are drafting NDA's, drafting RFQ's, writing and amending contracts, negotiating T&C's as well as attending and chairing supplier progress meetings.

I have learnt a huge range of skills since working at MBDA. As part of my apprenticeship, I work towards a Degree in Business Studies. Some of my modules are Marketing, Accounting, Economics, Business Ethics etc. In the workplace, I do an NVQ Level 4 qualification in Business Administration where I am asked to attend several workshops and write assignments which involve me writing about my job and the roles and responsibilities I have. I have completed various training courses such as SAP training, Excel Analyst training, life skills training and I am due to go on three other courses - Intellectual Property Awareness, MOD Terms and Conditions and Missile Systems for beginners.

I thoroughly enjoy my apprenticeship scheme. We are given so many opportunities to learn and develop new skills. In our placements, we are treated like a normal staff member, therefore we are given a lot of responsibility which is rewarding. Managers are approachable and you are always made to feel like part of the team.

I do feel valued at MBDA. I constantly receive feedback from my manager, colleagues and peers which is helpful for my development. I have also received an Special Recognition Award for my efforts in one particular placement. Apprentices are made to feel like any normal staff member and generally, our views are respected and welcomed in all meetings and situations.

It is very well organised. The induction process was very well structured and I was given a "buddy" at the start of the process who I could ask any questions prior to once I had started the scheme. I am given plenty of advice from my managers, and I have been provided with many training opportunities. During my first 6 months, I had monthly probation meetings/reviews with my HR Manager which were extremely beneficial for me. MBDA also run a voluntary mentor system.

I receive a lot of support from my training provider. This is a team at MBDA specifically dedicated to this. As part of the apprenticeship scheme, we are put on a development programme and part of this we attend 2-week long courses which teach us various "life skills" and vital skills which we will need for our career. Training providers are always happy to help and provide a large range of courses which help me in my various placements.

I receive a lot of support from my placement manager. They are the first point of contact with regards to anything placement or project related. My HR manager is also very helpful and is always on hand to provide support and answers questions when required. Both managers are helpful when dealing with personal and work issues, and are always willing to support me along my scheme. There is a mentor scheme available at MBDA; although I am not currently part of this scheme, I expect to join it later in my career.

It generally covers my basic costs with some money left over for luxuries. I live about 15 miles away from work, and petrol costs are easily catered for with my salary. Considering the minimum apprentice salary is so low, we are very lucky to receive a good rate of pay as well as receiving great benefits, bonuses and annual pay rises of up to £4,000.

MBDA are involved in many careers events where they asked apprentices to go into schools and talk about their experiences. I have done this a couple of times, and once I went back to my old secondary school and spoke to them about the apprenticeship schemes MBDA has to offer. We also hold an annual charity dinner event where we invite many companies across the Aerospace and Defence industry to take part in a night of auctions and fundraising. apprentices are given the opportunity to help run and co-ordinate this event. Furthermore, there are many leisure activities to get involved in as part of the MBDA Sport and Social club, such as the football team, hockey, climbing, theatre trips etc.

Yes

MBDA is a great company to work for. The apprenticeship schemes are unbeatable. The fact that we are given the opportunity to work around various functions whilst building our contacts, study a sponsored degree, gain an NVQ Level 4 qualification and have access to many benefits and activities within the apprentice community is extremely unique.

MBDA do operate quite a vigorous application process to ensure that they employ people that are right for the job. The first stage was to complete an extensive application form which questioned my ability to work as part of a team and independently, and it also asked me to provide details of extra-curricular activities that I am involved in and any examples of working with others to achieve a common goal. After my application was accepted, I had to take an online test which assessed my verbal, numerical and diagrammatic knowledge. Finally, I was invited to an assessment day at MBDA which was divided into two parts; the morning session was a chance to sit in on several presentations from my current HR advisor which helped me to understand the company a bit more and what the apprenticeship scheme looks like. In the afternoon session I was required to work with 5 other candidates on a group task where we had to make a structure from marshmallows and spaghetti. The aim of this was to assess my team working skills. The next stage was the 2 on 1 interview stage. I was given an hours interview and in this time I was asked questions such as "what do you know about MBDA", "why do you want to apply for a position at MBDA" "can you describe a time when you used your initiative to solve a problem" and more.