Shared Services Administrator Review

Daily, I work on the Call-off Order Management team in the Payables department, where I have to process time sheets submitted by our suppliers. These are processed to identify the hours worked and the various disciplines and hours to ensure they align with what was asked of them. This is then paid to the supplier through the invoice processing side of the team.

Since starting in my job role, I have developed my interpersonal skills greatly, through communication with members of my team, other colleagues within my office, and to suppliers to ensure they are the focus of my work. I have also developed my knowledge of the policies and procedures that dictate working in a Government-owned company.

I am somewhat enjoyed my programme at present. I tend to find that my training provider is somewhat sporadic in providing support and assistance that suits my programme, and my fellow apprentices and I can often struggle to undertake the work required of us to the best standard to get a distinction in the course.

My programme is somewhat well structured. Whilst the booklets tend to be somewhat detailed, the course overall is lacking in organisation, with some training days not being communicated effectively, some tasks not clearly explained and with poor communication between myself, my employer and outwards to the provider. This can be detrimental to my progression in the course, but I have addressed this with the provider.

I receive a lot of support from my employer. Besides my team manager, I have an apprentice manager who communicates with the apprentices and outwards to the provider. My employer has been nothing but beneficial in this process, and the sheer volume of apprentices in my company has given some wiggle room to us to ensure we all progress through correctly.

On the whole I feel that I receive minimal support from the training provider in working towards my apprenticeship. There has been more of a push to ask the employer rather than the provider for assistance, but this is not how this progression should go in my opinion. They have been asked to provide more support but from past experience, the apprentice manager is reluctant to believe anything will change from this.

I don't feel that many of the things from my qualification have applied to my work. Whilst the research I have done for my qualification is relevant to the organisation as a whole, I don't feel that this has been the most valuable use of my time within shared services.

There are opportunities to get involved in extra-curricular activities. For instance, there are often events advertised within the office and further afield (such as the Archway LGBT group trip to Bletchley Park) that are open to all employees. In addition, there is opportunity for social events with colleagues and the people I work with are more than accommodating, making me feel like a valued member of the team rather than just "the apprentice."

No

Despite having a somewhat positive experience so far, I feel that the section of the organisation I work in is flawed in its operations and management. The floor managers are damaging the culture and operations of shared services and ultimately driving away valuable team members in exchange for contractors and "cheap labour"

My advice to somebody applying to Network Rail is: avoid the Apprentice Academy if possible; seize every opportunity; work smart and hard to achieve highly; and take full advantage of training courses and shadowing opportunities, because these will be beneficial in allowing you to shape your career beyond your apprenticeship.