Commercial Assistant Review

I'm currently in the procurement process of my project, so I'm helping procure various packages. I have been creating pricing schedules and sending out packages, issuing addendum's, and carrying out tender return comparisons. I attend university one day a week, and also have lots of different training sessions/site visits within Mace along with the other apprentices.

I have developed on lots of existing skills such as communication, teamwork and confidence. I have learnt a lot of new skills however, such as analytical skills and how to be methodical about my work. There are lots of key skills required which I am constantly learning and developing on.

I thoroughly enjoy my programme. I feel I receive lots of opportunities and Mace support me throughout my apprenticeship programme and encourage me to voice my opinions. I am part of a large cohort of apprentices which really helped me settle in to such a new environment, and is also interesting to see the different job roles/responsibilities.

My programme is very well structured as I know well in advance when all of my training sessions and assessments are. I also have one set day of uni a year, so I always know where I'm meant to be, way in advance. This is really useful for personal time management.

Mace provide lots of support, whether it be through my team, my line manager or the emerging talent team. There is always someone to talk to of I have any problems or concerns, and job satisfaction is highly regarded within the company so you never feel like you cant speak up.

We have a VLE website called Moodle which is filled with resources and lecture power points to help me through my studies. There is also a large library which is a great resource to use. Additionally, some lecturers have time slots where you can go along and ask any questions you have, however these are often held on days where we have work, so isn't very useful.

When at work I am straight onto the job, learning as I go. I find it really beneficial to have the base knowledge that I learn at uni behind me, for example I found that learning Law became useful for when I am creating tender documents/contracts. All modules we learn can be applied at work.

There are lots of different opportunities within both project teams and the company as a whole, for social activities and networking events. There are always lots of events going on that you can get involved with, and many different social groups. We have a system that is almost like a social media page that is always advertising these different events. There are even events such as 'Breakfast with the Board' where a small group of you can sit with board directors over breakfast and ask them questions.

Yes

I feel Mace is everything it promises to be. It offers great benefits, there is constant support and great opportunities for career progression. Mace is also such a large company that there are lots of opportunities to work abroad or even in different areas of the UK. Also, as a woman in such a male dominated industry, I feel it is a great company to work for as equality is encouraged.

Read Maces core values and evaluate how you can apply these to yourself and help contribute towards them within your job role. There are also lots of different targets set such as sustainability goals and closing gender gaps. These may be a key point of interest and a great subject to talk about.