Finance Assistant Apprentice Review

I am responsible for parts of the accounts payable and accounts receivable for the Ashmolean finance department. My role includes such tasks as paying invoices, administrating expense claims, administrating Barclycard submissions and producing invoices. I also help to answer general queries sent to our joint finance inbox which people inside and outside the business contact us on.

Yes, I have learnt many new skills. Most of these skills are finance based. I have also developed a range of skills varying from confidence to mental maths. My confidence has developed as I speak to many new people inside the business on tasks I am still not 100% on. I have learnt these tasks recently and I am now putting them into practice.

I am satisfied with my programme. I have learnt many new skills at work to enable me to job my effectively and efficiently. My work colleagues are very supportive of my apprenticeship and are more than willing to et me learn new things. However, my course which I complete with college I feel a lot less confident about. I feel as if there is not enough practical work to ensure I understand the knowledge of business administration to take me further.

My structure in the workplace is very organised. I have been provided a training plan which is regularly updated once training courses have been completed. My training plan with my college is also very well structured with frequent meetings with my assessor to ensure I am on track to complete my course. The assessor also provides training plans and meeting summaries for me to stick to and reflect upon.

I receive a lot of support from my employer. They are also encouraging me to do more and to push beyond expectations. This make me feel valued and cared for knowing the Ashmolean are happy for me to develop. There are frequent opportunities to lean in and outside the workplace with multiple in-house training courses provided by the University.

I receive a lot of support from my training provider because they encourage me to complete the tasks which are set. They are happy to work around my deadlines and calendar as well to ensure I am happy and stress free in the workplace. My training provider also offer student support services and my assessors are very friendly people who are only an email or telephone call away.

My training provider offers 10 classrooms sessions to learn the theory behind my business administration course. The classes a taught by very confident and knowledgeable teachers who also have experience with business administration in their careers. This better understanding and theory has helped my put this into practice when communicating to individuals inside and outside the business. It has helped me understand the business world in general.

Yes there are many activities to get involved in throughout the workplace via he University as a whole or the Ashmolean. I am part of the 'Fun-Committee' here at the Ashmolean where we are responsible for organising days out for staff and annual staff parties. The University Apprenticeship team also offer multiple sessions for apprenticeships to get to know each other at social events. There are multiple sports teams to join or watch across the University.

Yes

The University is a large employer with multiple routes to go down. There is also large amounts of support from both the individual departments and the University as a whole. The pay is also extremely good for apprentices at a young age with multiple benefits such as 38 days annual leave per year.

My tips would be is to be yourself. Show the employer everything you have done in your life where you have gone the extra mile. This will help when answering questions at the interview stage if successful. Before applying, make sure you have read the job description and you are confident you can do all aspects of the role. If not, makes sure you show that you are willing to learn new roles.