Project Management Higher Apprentice Review

My role involves working with different teams in the project function throughout the business, changing placements every 4 months. Because of this, my daily tasks, responsibilities and objectives are constantly changing to align with the strategic aims of the different teams I work with. I have also been involved with various STRETCH assignments that involve liaising with internal and external stakeholders and interacting with the local community.

Even though I have only been here a little over 4 months, I have developed on skills such as communication, organisation and time management. I have also gained new skills through enhancing my knowledge on Project Management and the business environment. Being given a lead role in a small project has greatly built on my leadership skills which will be vital for me when exiting the scheme hopefully as a Senior Project Engineer.

I am really enjoying the programme so far, The teams I have worked with have done a great job in welcoming me into the business as well as early careers which have offered us a great support network. I have enjoyed the networking opportunities I have been given so far, liaising with people from different functions and attending meetings with senior managers.

I feel the programme is very well structured in terms of studying, reviews, objectives etc. Although it took me a while to get my head around the organisational structure I fit into within the business, I now know exactly who to go for regarding different things. The structure of alternating placements and moving around the business is great in giving me wider insight into the company and the work that is done within the company and the Project Management function in particular.

The support network offered by Early Careers is something that really stands out for me with the scheme, I know that if I ever needed support for anything there are dedicated people in place there to help, most of whom are only an email or a phone call away. I have also received a great amount of support from my placement point of contacts to ensure I am getting the most from the placement and constantly facing new challenges for my development.

The support from the University/College has been great, they have worked closely with my employer to ensure work and my degree align and work well alongside each other. They have assigned us mentors for any issues we have and the tutors give all the useful learning material to support us with our studies.

Doing my qualification definitely assists me in my role at work as so far it has taught me the fundamentals of Project Management that allows me to be able to understand the work given to me and the impact that it may have. The qualification has guided me with aspects such as stakeholder management and communication which is huge within the company.

STRETCH opportunities are offered to us which I have been involved in alongside work and studying, this is been great for my development and networking. We have also been given the chance to volunteer at events like open days and recruitment evenings which has given me the chance to network and get to know more about different aspects of the business and the surrounding community.

Yes

I feel that this apprenticeship scheme has provided me with the opportunity to work towards getting a degree in an area that I had hoped to pursue a career in, whilst gaining experience in the industry. Not only that, but having the chance to work in such a large complex business like BAE Systems has opened so many windows for me and enabled me to network with experts in the industry which I have learned a great deal from.

My advice to others applying to BAE systems would be to ensure you look at all possible scheme the company has to offer. The Early Careers community is made up of apprentices, higher apprentices and graduates from many different functions. I would advise researching into all the different schemes and functions available.