Section Manager Review

I work in a distribution centre in Swindon. My role as a section manager involves looking after a team of around 30 people on a daily basis and ensuring that that meet the 'picking' targets for that day. Picking is essentially the act of going to a slot and taking a set amount of stock out, the stock is then sent elsewhere in the warehouse ready to be despatched. I hold regular 1-2-1's with my colleagues in order to identify any issues they are having and how best to work around them. At the beginning of the shift I brief my team about the day's tasks and what we are expected to achieve, we then review how well we did the following day.

Going into the programme I never used to enjoy speaking in front of large groups of people. However, since starting my apprenticeship I have definitely become a more confident public speaker, the briefs I do at the start of each shift have massively helped me with my confidence and I'm now at the stage where I don't even think about it any more. I think my role has also helped me develop my communication skills as well. Whilst I never used to enjoy public speaking I always felt I was good at speaking to people on a one to one basis, and I think this apprenticeship has only further developed those skills.

The role I'm currently in is unlike anything I've ever experienced before. After coming straight out of college and having only worked part-time as a retail assistant this job was something completely new and exciting. I enjoy the interactions I have with my colleagues and the satisfaction of helping them improve. I also find it rewarding when we hit the day's target.

Overall the programme seems well structured. However, there seems to have been some break downs between my line manager and the apprenticeship team about what role I should be fulfilling. I don't think it has helped that my line manager has changed a few times but there was a little confusion as some points as to who was meant to complete my progress reviews etc.

DHL are very good at giving me my 20% 'off the job learning' time, which is essentially the time I am allocated to study towards my degree. I am given every Friday off as time to study and I usually spend this working through my coursework. DHL have also been very good at, both, giving me responsibility but also providing me with the necessary points of contact for when I feel unsure or need assistance. The DHL apprenticeship team have been very helpful and have made the start to this course an easy process. I keep in regular contact with them and they are more than happy to answer any questions we might have.

The Open University allocate each of us a tutor to help us with our study work, and a 'practice tutor' to contact if we need any assistance with the apprenticeship side of things. Our tutor marks our assignments, provides feedback and are more than happy to help us out with any questions. We also have their personal phone number and email address if we need something urgently. I do think it would be beneficial to have more face to face contact with our tutors as it can be a little unnerving to go from a college environment, where all teaching is done face to face, to the Open University, where there is little physical contact.

So far I have only been studying my course for 3 months so I'm still quite early on in terms of the modules. I think the first year is designed as an overview of what we will be studying in the coming years so I haven't been able to apply a great deal to my current role as of yet. Having said this I can definitely see areas where my learning could tie in with my role in the future.

So far I have encountered few extra-curricular events. I have been invited to attend a networking event in the coming months as well as appear at the National Apprenticeship Show, but other than these I can think of few examples in my immediate environment where extra-curricular events have been promoted.

Yes

I think the nature of Degree Apprenticeships in general is great, they allows us to study to a degree level (whilst paying no tuition fees) and to gain real world experience in an industry we are interested in. Even though I have only been with DHL for a few months I can already see a clear career path for myself. I think studying for a Degree Apprenticeship gives you peace of mind in terms of finding a job at the end of your degree. Whereas typical university students have to go out and find a job, degree apprentices have a much higher chance of retaining their current role within their current company.

Be prepared and make sure you know the history of the company, their slogans etc. If the course you're applying for requires online test to be completed make sure you practice them, but at the same time don't be disheartened if you find them difficult, the pass rates are usually a lot lower than you think. Finally, you also need to have confidence in yourself, its easy to tell when someone doesn't believe in themselves, and if they don't then its hard for you to believe in them too.