Business Administration Apprentice Review

On a day to day basis, I sort out data on spreadsheet and add figures to current spreadsheets. I work in Travel Money, so I have to deal with other rates from different countries e.g UAE and input them into the data to ensure everything is up to date. I also book meetings for my manager and do general admin duties.

Yes, I learnt how to use Microsoft Excel effectively, dealing with formula's and making sure I use them. This also meant that I developed my Microsoft Skills because I was unaware of the many things you can do with Excel to make the job a lot easier. As part of my induction I also got the opportunity to travel to different places in the UK within the business to get more of an idea of how the business works.

I enjoy my programme because it closely links with the work I do. I work in a business corporate environment, needing to attend meetings with my manager, which was a different environment than what I am used to. The programme encourages me to give myself targets that I should aim to achieve to help develop my skills, which is incredibly useful.

My structure is organised very well. Each part of the business has a different department. Therefore, each department is based on different floors. I am based on the second floor which is where all colleagues from Finance sit. I also like the structure of the sectors because they are all closely interlinked.

I receive a huge amount of support from my employer. I have been assigned a line manager who makes sure that I have enough work to do and have the support if I need help with anything. My manager gives me tasks to do and explains why I'm doing what I'm doing and how it contributes to the work that he does, to show that my work makes some contribution to the business.

I receive support from my training provider, who comes to visit me in the work place on a monthly basis. He helps me with the work and gives me suggestions on how to improve and what to do next. He ensures that I have set myself goals and targets that I should aim to achieve to ensure that I progress well.

My qualification encourages me to set goals and makes me log my achievements to show what I have done so far and how well I've done it. I have different modules for different things to do. For example, there is a module that involves coaching which means that I have to show that I coached someone. This can encourage me to develop another skill.

There are a huge number of extra curricular opportunities available in the business. This makes it easy for me to join one. We have networking events that is called a Champion Event, which my employer registered me to be a part of when I joined so I was automatically enrolled into an activity to network. I will stay on that event to network because I really enjoyed meeting new people within the business.

Yes

I would highly recommend the Post Office to a friend because it is a corporate friendly environment. The people in the workplace are all very friendly and the benefits for working the Post Office is really good. For example, they offer work from home which is really useful, especially if you are physically unable to come into work for a day. The managers are very supportive and don't really make you feel like they are your manager.

Any tips I would give is it to apply early as vacancies close very fast. I would highly encourage people to apply as the Post Office aims to deliver a more vibrant approach in developing the business. It is a very good company to work for if you are looking for flexibility as it offers work from home.