Apprentice assistant project manager Review

My role is within a PMO (project management office) team, on a day to day basis I use excel and scheduling tools such as Primavera 6 to monitor projects within a programme. I collect reports from project managers and ensure that their projects are on track, and then I pull the information and data in to business reviews and dashboards and report it upwards to programme managers and business leads.

Before I started at Severn Trent I had minimal excel skills as I had never really have to use it before. But as it was part of my role to use it, I had to quickly pick it up. I also have learnt to use the specialist scheduling tool, Primavera 6. I have attended courses on mind safety too, which made me aware of first aid not just in terms of physical issues, but also those in the mind.

I do enjoy my programme, as it has taught me more about the water industry and how businesses work in general. Severn Trent is a good company to work for, as it has flexible working hours, they're considerate about me having to do college work as well and they have good pay and benefits such as the share scheme. However, the start has been a bit slow and unorganised, as I was put in a team that doesn't do project management how I expected it to be, and it has taken a while to change that, as its been down to my manager to sort that and not HR.

When I started Severn Trent, I had a two week induction which was very well planned and co-ordinated. And the college work I do is structured but that has been co-ordinated by QA. My actual programme has been unstructured and left down to my manager to decide what to do with me, but she's been great, finding me a new actual project team for me to move into in the next few months.

My manager offers me as much support as I can ask for, and so do all my colleagues. The culture of the company offers so much support and is really helpful with any thing I need. the company offers any training I need and are empathetic when it comes be balancing college work and Severn Trent work.

Our QA skills coach comes to visit me at my office and offers support in the form of: showing how up to date I am in forms of pre and post course work, quizzes me on what I learnt on the last course block, ensuring my manager is providing me enough support, helping me sort out the final portfolio, and making sure I am enjoying and understand the course blocks.

My current job role isn't to do with my what my college course is, and that is why I have asked to move teams. so at the moment the qualification isn't helping perform better in my role, but that can't really be helped by the training provider and is more to do with the company.

Volunteering is emphasised as Severn Trent, we get 2 volunteering days a year, where we can choose activities we want to do to take when we want. So I took one of mine doing some conservation at Carsington water. There is some sports teams, but mainly just mens football clubs. One really interesting thing we as a company take part on is utilising our call centre in Derby, and hosting Children in need phone donations, I was on the phones talking to people from around the UK taking donations through out the night for charity, it was such good fun, there was loads of food and games for the call takers, it was like a massive party whilst we were doing something really good and charitable.

Yes

It is just a generally good company to work for, they look after you really well, and don't cut corners with training or support. There are lots of opportunities to move around the company and get as much experience as you need. They have good working benefits, pension and salary.

You have to show your interest in the company, and actually understand the company culture. They are big on volunteering and looking after our customers. I'm not really technically minded and I though that as I was doing a project management apprenticeship they would need some one really good at the STEM subjects but my A levels were in Economics, business and geography. And don't be put off in your not really loud, in project management it doesn't matter if you're the loudest voice, you earn more respect from the knowledge you hold and how you work with other people, so don't be put off applying because you're not what you think they want, there are 3 project management apprentices in my year intake and we're all different, but they have placed us well together that our personalities really blend together perfectly.