Business Admin Apprentice Review

I reside in the Operations Team of the office doing DCP work which stands for ‘Damaged Crown Property’. Part of my daily job role is to use an online system called Causeway ECM which is our internal filing system, alongside this I also assist with completing job packs so Kier can claim money back for repairs they've done. I am currently working on a project to assist with the stock-take in the yard.

At Kier, I believe I have developed a handful of skills I already had such as my interpersonal and IT skills. I often have to communicate with stakeholders face-to-face and via email. There are also new programs I have been trained to use during my time at Kier, such as ‘Teams’. I have been offered opportunities to go on courses in the future such as an SMSTS course, which will allow me to write my own permits for the Operatives to go to jobs with. I have learned a lot whilst being in this role such as how we operate on the network and how decisions are made.

I thoroughly enjoy my apprentice, I moved to Kier from a different apprenticeship and it exceeded my expectations compared to my old workplace. I was made to feel really welcome here, everyone was supportive and encouraging especially when I first started and I definitely feel at ease and comfortable working here.

I think my programme is very well organised, I’ve decided with my line manager to spend every Monday working on college assignments and then on a Tuesday I attend college which gives me chance to work one on one with an assessor who helps me towards my end point assessment. I am constantly supported by my workplace and college who make regular meetings to check on my progress. My workplace also offers me a range of optional training courses that I can take to advance me in my career after my apprenticeship.

As previously mentioned, I am constantly supported in my workplace. I've recently had my 'Perform' which is like an appraisal, where I sat down with my line manager and we discussed my progress within my workplace. We spoke about things that are going well, what I could improve on and goals that I want to set. I'm always assured that if I have any problems or questions that I should always feel like I can ask.

I feel like I get a lot of one-on-one one support from my assessor. At college, my assessor allocates time to sit with me and discuss my progress and how I'm getting on with my assignments. They also come in and discuss my progress towards my qualifications with my employer and they advise how my employer can support me with college work. I think support is very accessible as I have access to work telephone numbers and emails if I ever have any questions.

My qualification teaches me a lot of things such as procedures and systems which are relevant in my job role. Such as GDPR, work ethics, laws and regulations, etc. The things that I’ve learned in college allow me to put them into practice correctly in my workplace, I also am aware of what people are talking about if it's ever mentioned.

At Kier, there are a handful of extracurricular activities available such as the photography club, Stobart spotting club and the twitchers club. There aren’t currently any sports teams but colleagues will go together to watch rugby and go out for drinks together. They also do some sporting mud runs.

Yes

I have already recommended Kier to some of my friends who are currently looking for apprenticeships. I think it is a very satisfying place to work and it is a good stepping stone that provides a lot of opportunities for furthering my career. I feel I get a lot of support from all of my colleagues.

The interview process for Kier was definitely challenging, it was a three-step process including a phone interview, a group assessment day in Birmingham (where they told us about a wide range of apprenticeships available from business admin to civil engineering), and then finally a formal interview in person. My advice for anyone applying for Kier is to be as professional and confident as you can be and try and show them your best self, it also helps to of researched the company beforehand so you have a greater understanding.