Apprentice Community Banker Review

My day to day role involves serving customers, dealing with queries, cash handling. I also encourage our customers to make transactions digitally. I Service ATM machines and other machines in branch. I am also a key holder and participate in the morning and night searches to ensure our building is safe for staff and customers.

I've developed my confidence with talking to customers. Also developed my Knowledge and ability to deliver prompts and OOFs. I've also learned to pace my revision and create a schedule to ensure the work is up to date and up to speed. It helps to have other apprentices to reach out to.

I love the team of people I work with, they make the job worth doing. the hours did not meet my expectations. During interviews you are told it is 9.30-4.30 but it actually isn't, if you include the morning and end of day duties. It is a very stressful environment and having to also do apprenticeship work adds a lot of stress too. Also had multiple apprentice coaches and no one communicates with eachother.

I've had multiple apprentice coaches. My programme went from Barclays in house and changed a quarter of the way through which made me very stressed as no one communicates so it was essentially like starting my apprenticeship over again. I was given little to no studying time because of staff sickness so ended up months behind, which again added to the stress of an already very stressful job.

My managers have always been very supportive and have always tried to give me training time, despite the lack of staff, but sometimes it just isn't possible. I feel comfortable with my apprentice coach and know if I need any help they will help me. It is just a lot to take on.

I feel like I receive adequate support. I know if I reached out I would get a reply. I started as an in house apprenticeship and my advisor only worked part time so it was difficult to get the support I needed. However now my apprenticeship has moved to Capita I have an advisor available at all times.

It has helped me to understand the processes better, but I do feel that some of what i've learned is useless to my role and would be more beneficial to a higher role. The way the RBCB is written is very difficult to understand however so a lot of it is difficult to remember.

We frequently have training events with colleagues from other branches so we get an opportunity to meet new people and learn new things. We do staff events too but I have never participated in those but have heard good things about them. My branch also go out together outside of work. I've met some of my best friends working here.

Yes

I feel like my answer could be different depending on what branch you work in. I am so thankful to Barclays because I have met some amazing people and made some friends for life, unfortunately I do feel that Barclays probably doesn't value there staff as much as they should. As said previously, it is a lot of stress and very fast paced (in my branch it is anyway as we are VERY busy) Probably not the best place for someone who suffers with anxiety (like myself) as it really does throw you out of your comfort zone, But I am glad I work for Barclays and I support the values they have in place, it would be nice if they would maybe take the values a little more seriously in the future. And hire more staff!

As said previously, I have met some amazing people and met some life long friends. I think as long as you are focused and follow all regulations and listen you will be fine. I have a lot of fun working within Barclays, so the good things do outweigh the bad things.