Quality Enabler Review

Coaching QA colleagues on enabling advocacy/complaints to operational areas. Control of risk within QA by peer reviewing work, stakeholder management of auditors, framework ownership. Delivering training to QA colleagues. Collaborating between stakeholders with QA cases and operational areas. Reviewing change that impacts QA and operational areas from process changes. Protecting our customers to ensure the right outcome to complaints are reached in the right way.

A major 'light bulb' moment is developing emotional intelligence and leadership skills throughout the degree. Really understanding the people you work with and enabling them to engage with their work and their business makes a massive difference. Applying academic learning to practical situations sheds light on why we behave in certain ways in the workplace. Really helped me develop my empathy skills and also self-insight to put things in to perspective.

Overall, the programme is very enjoyable. It's certainly not easy, but in the end it is worth it. I expected it to take up a lot of time in my personal life, which at times is difficult to manage, but the feeling of completing an assignment and getting good results really makes it worth it. It has become a talking point at home, difference subject at discussed and being able to be critical of myself and theories on leadership has really been enlightening.

Really organised - the academic tutors are always on form, know their subject matter and always willing to help. The progamme leader is very passionate, personal and seems really in touch with me and all the apprentices. The structure has been good, maybe bit too heavy on teaching time at the beginning - maybe this could be spread out more so we have more teaching time in L6 where most of us feel we would benefit from it more.

My direct line managers (I've had 2 over the duration of the course) have been absolutely fantastic. Always ensuring I have the time and tools needed to do my best. Always want to hear what I've learnt and how i'm putting it in to practice. I cannot fault the support.

The tutors are fantastic, always respond to emails and always keen to see where I am with my assignments and my CMI portfolio. The teaching time is always well used and they have always made sure we all have a good understanding of the material before moving on to the next part.

I think it has really helped me step up my performance over the course of 2 years. Direct feedback received from my manager has been good - who as said he has seen a clear difference in me at work from before the course to now. Mainly in my way of thinking and how I apply my decision making and perspective. It has really enabled a lot of trust between myself and my leadership. I think my peers also appreciate the learning I am passing on from the course. The only constructive feedback received is maybe they feel I've swallowed a academic text book!

Unfortunately, my site has been communicated that it will close in 2021, so this has but a little barrier in some peoples mind in taking part in social activities and networking events. With this in my it is so important people do more of these in the run up to the site closure to put them in the best position possible to move on within or outside Barclays. There is regular emails which do go out telling me of the activities going on - most recently mental health awareness week workshops. We have quarterly quiz nights across the site and organised "fortnight of fun" twice a year with activities that is ran in competition between different sites.

Yes

Having experience of working in other financial employers, Barclays has definitely been the best in being more colleague focussed and combining this with being customer focused. We have initiatives which include flexible working, dynamic working, activities people can get involved with outside of usual work such as mental health awareness, SCOPE, citizenship activities. Its an open environment where values are strong and the wrong behaviours at all levels are challenged. There is some work to be done to remove old fashioned values in some leaders, but in comparison to other employers we are miles ahead in creating an inclusive, warm, friendly environment to work in.

Be yourself. Barclays is a diverse company who look for people who bring themselves to work. Be supportive of others and work together - treat everyone like you would want to treat our customers to create not just the best customer experience but the best colleague experience. Don't be afraid to challenge when things are not right.