HR Apprentice Review

by AstraZeneca

Best Apprenticeship Employer

Rating

8.9/10

1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

My role includes a rotation of Human Resources, at the moment my position falls under the Talent Acquisition remit where I help to analyse different stages within the recruitment process. Day-to-day activities include; coordinating with stakeholders, monitoring country audits and the administration of recruitment tools such as video interviewing.

8/10

2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

Through my role, I have developed my inter-personal skills and confidence when talking to others. I feel comfortable conducting meetings and presentations, this was difficult for me previously. My role has taught me to adopt good time management skills through organisation and preparation.

10/10

3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

I really enjoy the flexibility of my programme and how I can prioritise my studies around my workload. It is nice being able to divide my study time around when is best for me, which I find much more productive than having one dedicated day a week to work on my course.

9/10

4. How well organised/structured is your programme?

Although the first two weeks of my apprenticeship was filled with a well-planned induction, I felt that it took a while to become involved in projects once the Induction was completed. However, now that I am settled in and have started my course I feel much more structured.

7/10

5. How much support do you receive from your employer?

The support that I have received whilst being at AstraZeneca has been fantastic. My line manager really understands the importance of the '20% Off-The-Job' training', this means that she is constantly monitoring my workload to ensure that I am pushing myself to improve without being overwhelmed.

10/10

6. How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

I am completing a distance learning course, which means that I do not have much physical contact with my training provider. However, she visits monthly to ensure that we are progressing and is available to Skype if we have any problems with the content of the course.

7/10

7. How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

Understanding the principles behind what I am doing has made me much more aware of my actions and how I conduct myself as a HR professional. As I rotate throughout my apprenticeship, I believe that putting theory into practice will really help me to consolidate my knowledge.

10/10

8. Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

Yes, there is someone who coordinates events for all of the AstraZeneca Apprentices across Cambridge.

10/10

9a. Would you recommend AstraZeneca to a friend?

Yes

9b. Why?

AstraZeneca has a great culture. I really love how passionate everyone is about their work and also how compassionate they are towards others. Everyone I have met has been very helpful, even with the silly questions.

10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to AstraZeneca?

Be prepared for a fast-paced environment - it is always changing and growing. Change and growth comes with many challenges, so if you want to develop and push your own boundaries, this is a great company to work for!