Apprentice - GSS - Source to Pay Operations Review

I work under Global Finance and Business Management in a department called Global Supplier Services. Global Supplier Services (GSS) is responsible for JPMC’s supplier sourcing strategy, contracting, risk management, invoice/payment, transaction management, and analytics and reporting. My daily tasks include: •Support Project wide (global) communication, training and user resourcing needs. •Facilitate and nurture an effective change network. •Create, administrate, facilitate and deliver training courses and materials. •Create and update project web pages. •Bring a fresh and enthusiastic approach to change management. On a daily basis I am interacting both internally and externally. Most of my customers are internal, this requires me to communicate with staff of all levels of seniority on a daily basis both via email and call. In terms of external interactions, I deal heavily with our training provider BPP as I am the representative for JPMC apprentices in Bournemouth. Due to the nature of my role I work on lots of different projects at once, creating and updating training, communicating changes and updating webpages for many different arms of the bank.

I feel as though I have learned / developed lots of skills since working at JPMCB. In particular my communication skills have improved as a lot of change management (my role) is to do with effectively communicating a change to a large amount of people. I have also completed lots of internal training courses on topics such as health and safety, anti-money laundering and public speaking, these have all helped to develop relevant skills. In terms of professional skills I have developed an understanding of how to run a conference call and appropriately write emails.

I would say I thoroughly enjoy my programme. I think you are given great responsibility in the workplace which makes you feel valued as an apprentice. I also feel that the team I work with add to the enjoyment of the programme, as an apprentice, starting out with little knowledge things can often be intimidating but everyone around you is ALWAYS prepared to go out of their way to help you.

I would say I feel fairly valued by JPMC as an employer. I feel as though managers appreciate the effort I put into my work and regularly discuss this with me in 1:1s whereby they will comment on how I have performed the past week and where I can perhaps improve. Externally I receive recognition from my training provider for good pieces of coursework completed or useful feedback on their performance. I also feel valued within the workplace as I am involved in many different projects.

I would say my programme is extremely well structured. The programme began with a 2 week 'bootcamp' whereby all apprentices spent the time being introduced to the bank, completing training, receiving talks and participating in teamwork/icebreaker activities. This was a great start to the apprenticeship as it gave everyone a chance to integrate with each other and also gain some basic knowledge. In terms of support there are many different mechanisms in place for example the buddy system, pastoral care and occupational health - these are all available constantly for any issues that we may have. Overall on a week to week basis the programme is well structured in terms of time for work, lectures and study and I feel that the structure in place is sufficient for me to do well in my apprenticeship.

I think we receive a fair amount of support from our training provider. We have a forum online where we can post any queries question to both the programme team at BPP and our tutors. We also have their email addresses if we wish to contact them more personally about a query/issue. There is a great queries process in place with BPP whereby all apprentices know what procedure to follow should they come across an issue e.g. discrepancies in text books/notes etc. The training providers general attitude towards supporting us is good as they are always more than happy to help with any of our queries.

I feel as though I receive enough support from my employer. Although my manager is not based in the same office as me, I have weekly 1:1s with my him to discuss progress, work completed and any issues that I may have come across since our last point of contact. It has been made very clear that we can speak to JPMC's HR team / occupational health at any point to discuss any problems we have - I personally have had to contact HR since starting my apprenticeship and am happy with the support given. I feel as though there is lots of guidance with problems and people are always willing to guide you in the right direction.

I feel as though my salary sufficiently meets my costs. It allows me to pay rent, bills, gym, car, food etc. However I do find that it does not leave me with much money for going out ,saving or any 'treats'. We have however recently received a small pay rise which will help with this issue - the salary I would say is just sufficient to meet my costs.

There are a vast array of opportunities available to me outside of work. There are many company events such as security events, Round the Island and sporting events that I can choose to participate in. There are LOADS of chances to volunteer with various charities such as Brendoncare. JPMC also run lots of CSR activities which help improve the local surrounding community. There are also LOADS of sports clubs that you can be a part of e.g. football, netball, yoga and cycling - these are a great chance to meet people across different lines of business in the bank and also to unwind after work. JPMC also offers a discounted corporate rate at the local gym which is a great benefit and encourages staff to be active after work.

Yes

I would 100% recommend JPMC to a friend. I enjoy working in the Bournemouth offices and love the vibe in the new HPW's (high performance workspaces). I think the JP Apprentice programme in particular is something that I would recommend as it gives you a great chance to get your foot in the door at such a large, prestigious company. It allows you to learn and develop new skills, whilst studying for industry recognised qualification and getting paid.

In terms of the application process I would recommend exploring all of your apprenticeship options before applying. It is worthwhile doing your research to ensure that you're applying for the right programme for you e.g. do you want a financial services programme or a tech degree programme? The application process is lengthy but also fun! For the assessment days - these are your chance to show what you can do and also meet the recruiters for the first time so I would say first impressions count for a lot. The onboarding process is a long process but there is plenty of time between exam results day and your first day to get this done, so there is no need to worry about this. One thing I would like to have been told is that it will take at least 6 months for you to understand your role within the bank and for you to actually start to make your mark - these things take time but you WILL get there!