Content analytics and optimisaton apprentice Review

I work as part of the global social media and content marketing team. My role of content analytics and optimisation typically involves finding new ways to measure and optimise the performance of the content being created by Sage. This work is usually carried out with a range of data analytics and reporting tools such as Google Analytics

I have learned a great deal in all aspects of digital marketing. I came to this apprenticeship with no experience at all, and am now confident in optimising content for SEO, analysing and illustrating data from a number of complex platforms, and planning & executing conversion rate optimisation projects. My apprenticeship provider (Northern Skills) has also been helpful in outside of work training in areas such as social media management.

I have always had a keen interest in digital marketing but had struggled to get my foot in the door. Thanks to my apprenticeship I have been exposed to many areas of the discipline and now have the opportunity to begin identifying areas in which I can see myself developing a career.

In my experience, the internal structure of the apprenticeship has been great. This depends heavily on the department in which you work, as well as the communication between the apprenticeship provider and your employer. The first few months of my academic training were delayed due to a change of provider which was fairly disruptive - however now everything is up and running, I have no complaints.

I am very lucky to have a line manager (and wider team) who are always on hand to provide any advice or support I need. I receive consistent feedback and support from my manager, as well as more detailed fortnightly meetings to discuss my progress. This helps me stay on track and ensures tasks are completed on time and to a high standard.

Support from my training provider was initially sporadic due to a last minute change - and I did not receive any contact time until 3 months into my apprenticeship. I now have meetings twice per month with my tutor to discuss progress and to learn new topics. These meetings are extremely helpful and help me learn about areas I wouldn't otherwise come across at work.

I was never particularly drawn to the apprenticeship for the qualification, and I'd always had the goal of obtaining work experience. However since starting the programme I have seen the value in obtaining an academic qualification, as this can open many doors once my apprenticeship ends. This has helped me focus on learning as much as I can during my time here.

During my time with Sage I have had the privilege of travelling to London twice; the first time to meet my team for the first time, and once again to attend a digital marketing conference. Sage also encourages colleagues to take 5 working days per year to volunteer for charities and local causes; I am on track to complete all 5 of these and have enjoyed them greatly.

Yes

Sage has apprenticeship opportunities in a wide range of areas; from marketing & communications to sales and customer services; there's something for everyone here. The company places a big emphasis on colleague development, and employees can expect not only to be nurtured in an educational sense, but also in terms of career development.

It's hard work! The workload I have experienced has been far more than I would have expected. That's not to say I don't enjoy it, but any prospective apprentice should be prepared to give 100% to both their work, and their personal development. The rewards are well worth it!