Essential Banker Review

An essential bankers serves customers face to face either on the counter or in the banking hall. On a day to day basic you can deal with customers who simply want to deposit and withdraw or more complex cases like fraud etc. It also involves balancing of your till when switching over and at end of day.

I have learnt new skills in my jobs role as an essential banker but this is the only job role I have done in Barclays yet. I have gained customer service skills and the knowledge of finance. I have also gained knowledge on different machines and how machines like ATMs and QSPs are operated.

My programme was full of information about the banking institute, however what I have learnt has helped me a great deal in my role as an essential banker. I think my programme and the information in my learning is more for maybe a Moment Banker as much as its useful to know it hasn't helped me as much as I thought it would when learning my role as an essential banker. Also, my programme has now been changed 3 times. I've had two different coaches and limited help. I think if your going to change a programme, existing people on the programme shouldn't be changed.

Not very well at all. Like I said above, my programme has been changed 3 times now and I am currently on my second talent coach. This hasn't gave me good stability and I have practically worked through the programme on my own apart from a few months when I first started.

My employer have given me my specified time each week to complete my apprenticeship. They give me a day a week to complete my work and are there if I need their help in answering questions or finding out things. My line manager has been great, keeping on top of my time and pulling me out the work list to do my apprenticeship.

Well, as I'm currently on my second training provider/coach so far when doing my apprenticeship, I've hardly had none. I had support for the first few months then when my provider switched in November, I didn't hear nothing from my new talent coach till early February. This made me more focused to just complete my work and revise for my exam so I could finish my apprenticeship programme.

Not a great deal, as I said above, the knowledge I am learning through my qualification is good to know but its more for a Moment Banker not an essential banker. It didn't teach me how to balance my till, deliver my prompts, fulfil my customer needs etc. The things I have to do on the counter are not included in my qualification and therefore feel like I have been doing twice as much work.

No, there isn't no extra curricular activities to get involved in at my work. Only such things as volunteering at events to represent Barclays. I have been to one volunteer event to offer school leavers the chance on becoming an apprenticeship and voicing my opinions and experiences to them.

Yes

I would recommend Barclays to a friend because it has good benefits and good career opportunities, there are always new jobs roles to go into and different career paths to take. However, I wouldn't recommend the apprenticeship programme to them as I feel I've done twice the work load, learning my qualification and learning to be an Essential banker for less. Not receiving my incentives or anything when I am doing the same work load plus more as any other Essential Banker.

Just be mindful that although your working in a bank its still retail and very much alike. Also when applying make sure you read the terms and conditions of your contract so that you understand the job role fully and do not get any surprises when you start working there.