Chartered Management Degree Apprentice Review

For my day role outside of the apprenticeship I am part of the MI (Management Information) Team. This is reporting KPI's (Key performance indicators) to the whole business along with other reporting platforms including the Headcount and Absence. We use various platforms including Excel, Power Bi, SharePoint etc. This role enables me to tie in a lot of my apprenticeship work by seeing a broad overlook of the contract I specifically work on. We collect information from a variety of sources (typically function leads) and interact mainly internally with those who use the reports including senior managers and GM's.

Yes, although not fully exposed to all the courses DHL offer, I am aware of a number of courses which are essential as part of my apprenticeship which you can gain internal recognition for. I have developed with my communication skills dramatically and interacted with a lot of people from various areas of the business. My role specifically has increased my exposure to Excel. This has been a significantly important skill in which i have developed. The exposure of courses are as much or as little as you please with plenty of opportunities to be involved in both psychical and online courses.

I enjoy working in the team and what I do. I feel like my work has a positive impact on the business in terms of reporting. The work load can be a lot but nothing unbearable. The company culture is fairly friendly depending on where you are, with some areas more accommodating than others. The environment is upbeat and enjoyable however very quick paced, especially with the contract in which i work for, so i have to be ready for curve balls. The role can be challenging but I thoroughly enjoy it.

At the start of the programme, during the interview process it is very structured in which you are made to feel like a priority. There are a few induction days in which you meet everybody on the course. When starting the programme, you are thrown in at the deep end, and with my case, unexpectedly for the department I was entering. After being placed elsewhere, i started to integrate with the team and became an active member. For a lot of the work of the team, I am seen as a support for everyone to give me as much exposure of what the team does. I have not been made aware of any mentor as such other than my line manager, however this may be something that I will organise in the future. Within in my contract the support is fairly limited, however if you approach the associated teams they are more than happy to help.

From my line manager specifically, there has been significant integration of various areas of the business, providing exposure to a number of seniors who may be useful further in the programme. The HR team for my apprenticeship alone have been fairly helpful, specifically with the induction phase. Further on into the programme there is less of this however, as said previously, if you contact them they are always happy to help. I am not aware of any mentor as of yet however may allocate one in future. For a lot of problems I ask my line manager which is then escalated upwards, likewise with the university side i will contact tutors. The apprentice team will help as long as you talk to them,.

I have many contacts at the Open University that are happy to chat and are very understanding, however some more than others. I have a very positive relationship with the provider and the apprenticeship team there and are very supportive of my programme. The work itself is enjoyable however there is a lot to do, nothing that isn't otherwise challenging. I am sure they will be very supportive in the future.

Due to having full exposure to most functions, I can apply alot of the business studies side of the university course to DHL functions. In terms of the management practise side, I am yet to use many techniques however I am sure this will become increasingly applicable in the future. I am believe the programme is extremely applicable for many areas of the business due to the high exposure to other areas.

Unfortunately there is no sporting events/social events that I am aware of however I am in a fairly small team. There are some networking events which are useful for meeting new people for potential placements or increasing your contacts, however they are fairly limited. A lot of my spare time is used for university work. I am aware of a lot of charity events however i am yet to look into these.

Yes

I believe the firm can take you all over the world and open up a range of possibilities. You can work for a number of prestige contracts in a number of functions. There is also a large potential for internal employment, opening doors to areas of the business you may of never heard of. I believe many people enjoy the atmosphere including myself and would encourage anyone to look into a role with DHL.

The application process is fairly daunting but its worth it in the end. During the interview process I would advise someone to be themselves, as DHL are looking for someone real who will work well in the programme. Although i didn't experience any assessment days with DHL, I know from previously in my career that you can only do your best, the firm know what they are looking for. I would say not to panic if you arrive on your first day and it all seems pretty unorganised, the department you're entering are likely to be getting used to it too. I believe that if you want to know something, there is no harm in asking, and in terms of questions, ask as many as you need as HR are always more than happy to help. There is a lot of work in the programme, but you are always kept busy and never bored. I wish I would've been told not to panic, that it all comes together regardless of how unorganised it may seem and there is a happy ending. The scheme can take you to so many places and the opportunities are huge. I look forward to experiencing more of these opportunities in future.