Project Manager Review

As apart of the apprenticeship we move around different areas of the business which is good as it gives you exposure to different methods and allows you to learn more. My day to day work can include attending meetings, reporting on information, engaging with key stakeholders, gathering and presenting information and monitoring the progress of work. Attending meetings are useful as gives you wider knowledge about the company, processes and the progress being made. Gathering and presenting information is good because it gives you independence and responsibility.

I've learnt lots of new skills alongside developing existing ones. New skills include independence and responsibility. This is something I haven't experienced at a professional level where your accountable for producing work. The pressure is good but never too overwhelming. Existing skills I've developed are communication and confidence. Communicating with a wide range of stakeholders on a day to day basis improves this massively.

I enjoy my programme a lot. It can be demanding but the company understand that you're new and that you've just left school. They give you responsibility and pressure, but nothing that you cant handle. I go to work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. I go to college on a Thursday, college is good as it breaks up the week but can be demanding around exam periods. We are allowed flexi time making you able to structure work around you. We finish at 12 on a Friday which is good as it gives you a long weekend. The social side of the apprenticeship is good with many of us organising socials and nights out.

My apprenticeship is well structured. We move around different areas of the business every 3/4 months. This lets us make a wide range of contacts across the business as well as gaining experience in different areas. University is well structured, we know what we're learning, what we're going to learn, when our exams are etc. There is plenty of support both at uni and at work.

We receive a lot of support from our employer. There is a dedicated area for apprentices which is where our HR is based but it is also somewhere we can work. We have frequent meetings with our employers to provide any feedback about work/university and voice any concerns we may have.

We receive a lot of support and understanding that we also work full time. We always have ways of getting in contact with them whether at work or at uni. As we only go to university once a week, the day we go can be quite intense as there is a lot to learn but they understand this and try to teach it in an interesting and engaging way.

The content we learn during our time at university often crosses over into the things we do at work, making it easier to grasp concepts/methods that people do. However, sometimes this might not happen because our employer is quite niche and so sometimes, generic project management knowledge isn't easily translated back into the business. It can be harder to think of the things we learn in context to the business.

I thought the social side of an apprenticeship would be something I'd massively miss out on in comparison to university but it was been really good so far. People on our course frequently go out and we had a few Christmas parties. We also get the chance to take part in STRETCH which is work you do that is often unrelated to your apprenticeship, but helps you develop skills through doing community events etc.

Yes

They're a respectable company to work which after 5 years, you have a lot of valuable work experience and a free degree. The career progression is also promising as a lot of senior members of staff came from being an apprentice. There are lots of other benefits such as the wage which is really good for an 18 year old and also other things like the company share scheme.

Be yourself Get the basics right in your application such as spelling & grammar Try to learn some context around the company, who they're, what they do, who the directors and senior members of staff are, what the company's vision and values are. Try to have some kind of work experience on top of school, so this could be helping out at extra events or working part time.