Assistant Relationship Manager Review

My day to day role in the bank as an assistant, involves me dealing with a portfolio of clients by awnsering queries and investigating payment requests. I am the first point of contact for most clients as the relationship managers are generally on the road. I also work into my week apprenticeship work, this includes completing assignments that are based on my job role and revising for the professional bankers exam.

Since beginning my apprenticeship I have developed various new skills. The first skill that I have developed is being able to converse with customers through emails/over the phone. this is a skill that I though I had however when I fist started my apprenticeship I was very nervous to come across unprofessional. I have also learnt to manage my time and prioritise tasks as well as the basic principles of invoice finance.

I really enjoy my apprenticeship program. I found the first few weeks very difficult as I previously worked in retail so I wasn't familiar with the office environment, but once I overcame that I started to really enjoy the role. I work alongside a great team that treat me like a valued member of staff.

The training I receive in my job role is very well organised. My managers and supervisors always listen when I inform them of gaps in my knowledge and will create a plan of how we can improve this. However, I think that the studying side of my apprenticeship is very unorganised. We aren't given much guidance as to what we should be doing and there isn't anyone we can contact to clarify facts.

I receive a lot of support from my line manager and the other members of my team. I have regular meeting with my line manager and she places a lot of focus on my wellbeing. I feel that I am in a safe environment where I can raise any concerns.

I don't feel as through I receive a large amount of support from my training provider. I find them difficult to to get in contact with and the information they provide isn't consistent, I feel as though each time I am in contact with my training provider they have added another short notice activity.

As I work in invoice finance the qualification I am working towards doesn't improve the knowledge of my role, but it dose improve my knowledge of the wider industry. The qualification that we receive is tailored more towards the banking industry and insurance, I think that this is knowledge that I will find useful in the future.

There are various networks that you are able to get involved with at RBS for example the Aspire network. This network aims to help ambitious individuals develop their career. I have also participated in various team activities since I started at RBS, one example of this is the three peaks which I completed with various members of my team.

Yes

It's a great place to works and they provide a large amount of support. The building I work in has different teams that work in various different sections of banking. This allows me to make a variety of connections and see where I feel that I would like to build a career based on my skill set.

My advice to anyone applying for an RBS apprenticeship would be to take a look at the different roles on offer in your area and see which interests you most. It is important for new apprentices to know that they don't need a wide range of banking knowledge to become an apprentice, just a good attitude and an eagerness to learn.