Technology & Operations Degree Apprentice Review

I currently work in Access and Vulnerability management. What this consists of is determining who can be granted access to various different services and also being a middle man between pen-testers and teams to help them identify and solve their vulnerabilities. Since I am only an apprenticeship, my role is limited to these tasks which can be repetitive and unengaging at times, I wouldn't be given high-level confidential/sensitive work.

I was given the chance to take part in a sensitive banking project which allowed me to pair program with some colleagues and learn Java and it's frameworks like Spring in order to contribute to the development of the project and help debug issues. I found that this was really helpful and useful as Java is one of the top programming languages and to be able to get the experience of learning it with a team of experienced programmers and learn it on the job is experience that I don't think I'd find anywhere else.

It's quite up and down with the enjoyability of the program. I found that Santander is a great company to work at if you want to network and the work environment is friendly and welcoming, however, work can sometimes be so bland where I feel like I'm not getting enough from my day-to-day tasks. The roles I'm given within a team can sometimes be repetitive admin tasks which don't contribute to my development, nor does it leave a lasting impression on the team - something functional or usable for them to have when I'm gone. The university side of the programme is not great because of how the lecture structure is setup and how the teaching of the modules are done. I feel like I'm learning too little sometimes and the lectures can be pointless to attend. Overall, I have mixed feelings regarding the programme at the moment, but I can say I enjoy it enough to say and keep moving forward.

The programme is very well structured. It's broken up into rotations over the four years so you get a chance to experience many different teams, aspects and people across the bank. This gives a wide range of experience and skills that can be valuable as you move around the teams. There is a lot of information available and a lot of support is given, so you never feel lost or out of place. The system of rotations is fair towards our development pathways, allowing us to focus on what we want to do as a career, as opposed to them choosing what they think is best for us.

The amount of support that I receive from my employer is tremendous and very much appreciated. If I have a query or concern, they always have an open line of communication open to us and respond back very swiftly and detailed. They will go to the fullest extent to help solve our issues or ensure that all our queries are answered, showing the level of dedication they have for us. Even going to the extent of offering face-to-face sessions to allow us to talk about our likes and dislikes of the programme and them taking on-board that feedback and making the necessary changes for our programme to be smoother, enjoyable and beneficial.

The training provider does provide a certain level of support, but the response can be slow or not as useful as I had hoped. Despite asking us to always seek them out if we have any questions or concerns, feedback can lack quality and I can be left confused or unsatisfied. However, it's not all bad. There are some employees from the training provider that go above and beyond to help and ensure I receive satisfactory answers, which is always appreciated. This is a mixed bag, but I do feel I'm getting something out of the lectures.

We use a lecture platform that allows us to contribute to the lectures by answering questions based on the material we've been taught or studied. The live interaction between the student and the lecturer is really useful as you can get a real-time response which helps cement the learning. I find this high-level interaction very useful and does boost my understanding and makes me feel like I can have a better understanding of the material to do well in my assignments. They offer consolidation sessions too, if you need to go after previous lectures.

Santander has many extra-curricular activities and events that are posted all around the building and the intranet. Included are football teams, meetups to talk about interesting topics, lectures, social gatherings, training, volunteering, charity days and many more. As I said earlier, this company is great for networking and socialising and being part of the extra-curricular activities help boost that opportunity to make new friends and acquaintances and develop lasting friendships

Yes

It was a tough process in order to make it to Santander, but my time applying for the apprenticeship scheme and making it through the assessment centre made it worth it. Cementing everything I said above about having the opportunity to work with various teams and seek out lots of knowledge that probably wouldn't be as easily available to me in other places. Santander make great efforts to ensure that I get the best I can out of this apprenticeship scheme to ensure that I have a great future ahead of me in the field of Technology, where I can contribute and make changes. Along with the great amount of support you get from the employer and they make sure to tailor your individual pathway to you, so you can get the best out of it for what you want. I find this level of independence they give me adds to my development and makes me feel in control of my future

Make sure to be enthusiastic about joining a corporate work environment, Show that you are willing to learn and contribute to the company. Showcase your skills, abilities and traits and be who you are. Come with the right attitude where you want to make a difference in the company and participate in Santander's goal to being the number one bank in the world. Be realistic about what you want. Make sure to put lots of effort into your answers and give it your all during the process.