Apprentice CSO Review

On a day-to-day basis I am on hand to reply to all security related queries on varying levels. I enjoy interaction with other members of the account and the exciting and agile working environment. The flexibility is something I really enjoy as company working policies are designed to enable staff to work in a way which suits them.

I attend regular external training courses provided as part of my scheme and also have access to many online courses within Atos. These courses provide a variety of skills then enable me to carry out my role and also broaden my knowledge in other areas. The GIA team also provide opportunities for learning.

The apprentice, graduate and intern schemes provide a great environment within the team, we provide support to each other while working on challenging tasks. The company culture is something I have always been keen to get involved, including charity fundraising within the office which is great fun for everyone involved.

Atos provides a large amount of responsibility across many roles, this enables employees to take on tasks and challenges within both a team environment and alone. I get heavily involved with different projects and working streams that I provide input to and gain knowledge from. External companies have a large visibility on what Atos do and I feel I have supported this.

The programme has regular meetings and tasks set by an external training company. This involves line manager input as well as work on my own to complete relevant modules to my role. I sit within the bottom of the team hierarchy however I have never been made to feel belittled or un-important because of this, support is always provided.

The external training provider we use is always contactable and there to provide support on our apprentice programme. We have an allocated point of contact that deals with our programme, this helps with any questions that may be raised or issues regarding the work arrangements set.

Line managers and mentors are always available for support, this may or may not be face to face as many of them are based remotely or work from home. This is something to consider, depending on your working style it may or may not suit individual requirements for employer support. There are many HR points of contact for more serious issues.

The salary and package for an apprenticeship is slightly above average, however I also would say that the responsibility given is much higher than a regular apprenticeship. This is definitely something to consider before taking on the role, for me personally I enjoy the responsibility given but it could be better recognised by salary. The benefit package however is relatively good and has a lot of choices.

We regularly go for lunch and meals with the other apprentices, however, I wouldn't say this is arranged by the company, simply ourselves. This may or may not work depending on the GIA dynamic within a working environment but for me personally I love spending time with my peers.

Yes

Atos provides a large selection of schemes that are likely to tailor to most peoples interests, there isn't a limited selection to chose from, the selection is broad. Atos enables me to work in a way that suits me and that is something I feel is relatively unique in this sector.

Ensure that you put as much effort and preparation in to interviews as possible, if you're keen to show your efforts here, managers are more likely to accept you'll work well within the team. Bare with the application process as sometimes things go a little quiet, this doesn't always mean you haven't got the role!