Cost & Schedule Integrator Review

Cost & Schedule Integrator - I am responsible for manintaining the schedules for two teams on the F35 Programme. On a daily basis I work very closely with the team leaders and other stakeholders including commercial and procurement. I ensure that the schedules are aligned with the programme and are an accurate reflection of what the team can actually do. Because I am an apprentice I spent a lot of time liasing with the more experienced members of the team.

I am working towards a Foundation Degree in Project Management at the same time as doing my apprenticeship, with the intention of doing an additional two years to gain a BA Honours in Project Management. Internal courses have included Project Management awareness and diversity awareness - two courses I have found extremely useful by aiding my understanding of what a Project Manager ay BAE Systems deals with and is expected to do, and also becoming more aware of any unconcious bias I may have, aiding my stakeholder management skills. I have developed my communication skills the most because I can now differentiate between who needs to know what level of detail and change the way I ask questions in a discussion in order to get the information I require.

I really enjoy the team, the job and the culture of the company. The job is challenging. The team are very supportinve and experienced. The culture of the company means that apprentices are well supported and receive the same benefits as the permanent employees. This really helps when trying to integrate into the new teams as a move placements, as you are treated like an experienced colleague and not the like the work experience boy as may be the case with other apprentices at other companies.

I feel very valued because I am treated like any other member of the team in terms of responsiblity and support. Because my placements are around 12 months in length, it gives me plenty of time to get involved in the projects and make an impact. I feel like a valued member of the team and my management make this clear to me.

The overarching PCFS scheme is very well established and as a result has a good structure to it. I received a good induction to the company and any support or training needs I have identifed are seen to in a timely manner. I receive support from the college, the scheme co-ordinators and the teams in which I work, and there is a clear process to follow should I have any issues or concerns I would like to raise. The Higher Apprenticeship programme is very new and initially had a few teething problems, but now they have found their feet and the programme is runnning really well and has struck the right balance allowing me to focus on my college studies, the daily work duties and completion of HA related activites.

The tutors are contactable via email both in term and out of term and are more than happy to set aside time on a college day to talk over any support requirements should I need them. Then there is a well structured support network at the college which is more independent, so should I have concerns I don't feel I could talk to one of my tutors about, I can always go somewhere else. Because I know there is a big support network available to me, I enjoy college and know that if there are ever any issues they will be dealt with swiftly.

I hold regular meetings with my management to ensure that my needs as a Higher Apprentice are being met, and that the daily duties are suitable for me to meet the needs of the HA programme's competency units. I have a mentor who has been through the scheme before, and I find him very useful when it comes to asking scheme related questions. However, I feel I need to have another mentor who is more experienced and senior in the business, in order to give me long-term career advice. Generally speaking I am well supported by the company and in the past when I have raised issues they have been dealt with very quickly and any support I feel I may need is always available.

We are paid very well and I can comfortably afford to cover my living costs, travel costs and have plenty left over at the end of the month to cover social costs and save for a deposit for a house. As an apprentice we are paid extremely well and have regular pay reviews to ensure we are being paid at a level that corresponds to the amount of job responsibility we have.

The company offer a number of voluntary initiatives for you to get involved in, and there are sports and social clubs to cater for almost any need. To date I have not used these but I am aware of them and know how to get involved. The company encourage you to live a healthy lifestyle and get involved with voluntary activities where possible in order to help make a difference in the local communities and develop yourself as a person.

Yes

It's a great place to work where apprentices are well paid and well supported. The benefits to working at a company like this are fantastic, and I feel that the scheme and the company have given me a great start to my working life.

Ensure that you sell yourself, don't play down your achievements. Try and get involved in as many activities and hobbies as you can in order to make yourself stand out from the crowd. Take advantage of opportunities that come your way like work experience, but actively seek your own opportunities, for example I sought my own work experience whilst at college.