Foundation Business Admin Review

As a Foundation Business Administrator I lead the operations of the University Placement Scheme. My role covers a wide variety of task from very operational process (e.g. onboarding/offboarding) but also event management and project management. My daily tasks will differ everyday depending on what is going on with the scheme, giving me the freedom to learn and develop skills. I have had the opportunity to create and take on projects of my own (in and outside of my job role) which has helped me grow so much over this year. The role I am in is very much what you make of it and can be moulded very easily to fit you.

Over this year I have received online badges accredited through acclaim in topics I hadn't even heard of before joining IBM! The learning resources available to you as an employee is incredible and I have gained invaluable knowledge from these resources that I now feel confident to talk about in a professional environment. Foundation run Learn and Learn sessions to help develop soft skills and any IBMer you ask is more than willing to help you develop these further. I feel however I have learnt more through my job role and shadowing/observing the people around me. The skills I have developed over this year will stay with me throughout my professional career.

The Futures scheme I believe is an understated but one of the best schemes IBM offer. You aren't babied or treated like a child (which was a big worry of mine joining the scheme) instead you are given a real job role and are expected to fulfill it to the best of your ability. I have met people through this scheme which I would now consider some of my best friend. The whole culture of scheme is so inviting and accepting and surpassed any expectation I had at the start of the year.

I feel extremely valued by my team. The manager I work the closest with constantly gives me recognition for the work I do and spreads this amongst the team, even to the point where they brought me into their review with their manager to get recognition for the work I had done. Further a field from my team I have received recognition for work I have done personally from the general manager of IBM UKI, which I feel is very rare in a company of this size. Because of this it has given me so many opportunities within my role and outside of it.

Your year starts with a 3 day residential induction, which is a great experience to get to know your fellow Futures and helps you settle into the company. My experience was slightly different where I started earlier due to my role, but was included on an intern induction to start of my year and joined the Futures induction when the rest of my colleagues started. You have a review with your Early Professional Manager at the 3 month, 6 month and 12 month stage where you can show how you have developed over this time and discuss opportunities you can take in the future. On the Futures scheme you also have quarterly meetings which are run and organized my the Futures - this is the best part of the quarter as you get to get together with everyone.

For the scheme there isn't a learning provider as such as it is a years placement however support is available through your EPM for guidance with any issues you come to.

Everyone in IBM is willing to help you, most of the time you just need to pluck up the courage to ask. My manager has become a huge source of both personal and professional help. The team I work in supported my application as a degree apprentice and having such a huge support from them gave me a huge boost of confidence.

I feel like the anomaly in this question, as over this year I have still lived at home and commuted into work. At the start of the year I struggled to keep up with the cost of my commute, however when mentioning this to my manager we worked out an arrangement of my working pattern which kept my costs down but still meant I was able to complete my role fully.

I feel like this is very dependent on your location and is somewhere the scheme could improve. There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer and part take in events (internal and external)throughout the year, but the majority are based up in London.

Yes

I would if I felt they were the right fit for IBM and IBM was the right fit for them. I've enjoyed my time here and it's lead to so many opportunities for me.

Just be yourself - especially through your application process. If you aren't being genuine to yourself, assessors will spot it. I would say the main thing if you come into the company is try and do everything your best ability and take every opportunity that comes your way, because it's those opportunities that will lead on to more and more opportunities.