apprentice assistant project manager Review

i am a project manager within the PMO department of severn trent's capital programmes. this includes reporting on other teams' group's of projects and tracking them to make sure they're on target. I meet with programme managers monthly to discuss their progress and to see whether they have any projects off target- if so, we then discuss mitigation methods they have in place to keep the programme on track.

I have been able to develop my stakeholder management skills through communicating with people on different levels of the companies hierarchy, as well as broadened my knowledge on computer software sites such as excel. this has helped me to be able to track projects more effectively and spot correlations within the data that I am analysing.

currently I enjoy my role being within a programming team, however with the apprenticeship im in I would prefer to look at projects from a project perspective rather than from a programming point of view. it has expanded my knowledge by looking at the bigger picture- however to broaden my knowledge further within the project world I would prefer to experience some more hands on work by being put in charge of a project myself.

the company itself is well structured with your separate departments being clearly defined; however the PMO team is relatively new so currently the structure of that is still being figured out. this has left the team members being unsure on what their set roles are within the team which can sometimes slow the work down.

severn trent offer lots of support to apprentices by giving us set time in the week to make sure that our college work is completed during working hours-they are also flexible around us so we don't miss out on any BAU. as well as that they cover all expenses to go to the college provider- and if its far they will put us into a hotel for extra comfort which is ideal as it makes us more productive in the work that we carry out.

our training provider sets out meetings every couple of months to record our progress over the different workshops. they also book all of our training courses for us and give us pre work to complete so were familiar on what the course entails before we start it. as well as this they also appoint a skills coach to us for extra support if we need it.

my qualification covers mainly project management knowledge but is beneficial when being in a programme as I am able to transfer what I've learned when looking at a programme perspective as they all link. it has made me more aware on each individuals needs and influence they have on projects which has helped me with my communication skills. project management is also universal so what I've learned at college to do with the project lifecycle, im able to compare it to severn trent's current projects and programmes.

severn trent's apprenticeship scheme allows us to get involved with volunteering at local schools to promote the scheme, as well as doing a programme called 'community champions'. this is where we are able to take two days out of work a year to volunteer in local places to help clean up the area for a nicer environment. I have also taken part in a call centre for children in need whilst being at severntrent.

Yes

it is a good company to be a part of with fair benefits and a competitive pay. there is good levels of flexibility for you to be able to experience other parts of the company if you weren't happy with the current team you are in. they also have many different training courses you can go on to broaden your knowledge.

be honest, personality is an important part of the companies culture. also be open to any opportunity that may be on offer here whether that be volunteering or another working opportunity in a different team. make sure that the water industry is something of interest to you and be open to learning new ways of working.