Project Manager Apprentice Review

My role is very varied as my manager is giving me the opportunity to shadow different business areas. I am working on a number of projects which gives me the opportunity to see first hand how different project managers use different management techniques. I have also started to recently pick up my own smaller projects that I am running independently.

My apprenticeship was my first full time job and my first job in an office environment. This means I have developed a huge variety of skills since joining the company as every task that I am involved in is completely new to me. As a project manager, there is a real emphasis on communication and being a key member of the team so I have also developed existing skills.

I am enjoying the work aspect of my apprenticeship and the exposure to the working environment that I am getting. This part of my apprenticeship is thoroughly enjoyable. I also enjoy my training as it gives me an opportunity to meet and socialise with other people my age doing similar courses. However, I am the only Fujitsu apprentice in my office and my only criticism is that it is a little isolated. There is nobody to share ideas with and nobody I know seems to have any experience in dealing with an apprentice.

My apprenticeship is not particularly well structured at all. I have barely spoken to the apprentice board and I have no communication with other apprentices. My local manager has no experience dealing with an apprentice so everything feels a little unorgansied. HR have also not contacted me so there has been confusion regarding my training and nothing seems to link up.

My local manager is very understanding of the study work I have to do as part of my course so I always get the time off that I need. I get one day off a week and there are also no issues when I have to leave the office for a week for my block releases.

I have a dedicated skills coach who is focussed entirely on my development and regularly checks to see that I am making progress. My tutors when I am actually on a course are also very supportive and ensure I am fully understanding the learning that we are completing as part of the workshop.

Of the modules I have completed so far, they have all been extremely beneficial in terms of applying the learning to projects I am working on in the company. I see techniques being taught in the classrom that I can straight away match to a project I am working on. As well as this, it also lets me see things we do not do in Fujitsu and lets me improve my PM methods.

Lots of people I work with are based remotely so are only in the office periodically/spend a lot of time travelling to and from the office. This means that there isn't much in the way of a social presence in my office. I have been forunate enough to get involved in some professional networking events and have used my position as apprentice to get onto these.

Yes

It is a growing company which is very much focussed on developing for the future. They are maybe lacking the structure currently but they are interested in promoting young talent from within and are exploring different ways that they can do this. There are numerous opportunities available and it is definitely an organisation where you can progress quickly if you are good enough.

It is a great company to work for and everyone is very supportive but they are fairly inexperienced in dealing with apprentices. This means there will be a real emphasis on you to seek things out and to make things happen yourself as it won't neccessarily be given to you.