Project Management Apprenticeship Scheme Review

Project Management and Project Control roles across the Air sector business - various contract teams, control teams, finance teams and bid teams. Project control is numbers based and project management is people based. Competencies involve organisational skills, timekeeping, communication, stakeholder management, being a people person, being good with numbers, professional and coherent.

Various skills you learn and develop involve: Confidence boost, Business planning, project management, stakeholder management, presenting, Microsoft excel, professionalism, time management, estimating, change control, earned value, governance, communications and commercial practices. You are also put through the Association of Project Management (APM) Qualification, the equivalent of the chartership level one.

This programme developed and changed me as a person. I truly believe it is one of the best things a young professional can do, and there is no shadow of a doubt this company comprehensively invest and believe in you. The PM Scheme is as challenging as it is enjoyable though, and should only be attempted by the driven and motivated.

There has been lots of re-organisation over my three of five years but the principles have stayed the same, and it is very well structured and very well looked after and organised by some incredibly professional and likeable people. There are clear year structures, with scheme leads and safeguarding officers.

Lots of support. The scheme leaders challenge and push you to be your best, tailor the entire scheme for you and always help. The safeguarding and support is second to none. Each 12 month placement you undertake is among various teams and managers and the scheme will work for you by picking you the one you need.

The training provider and their resources are entirely 100% tailored to the specific BAE Systems PM scheme and therefore their sole focus is to help you achieve a first Honours BSc degree. The facilities are up to date and modern, and you are given a whole day release per week out of work to attend lectures and complete work.

The qualification overlaps with the practical career. They compliment each other to the point where I use my work to evidence and case study my degree, and my training and education supports my work. The BSc in project management and the project control and project management environments in BAE Systems align perfectly and support each other.

I have been on more extracurricular trips, visits, sports and events in the first year of my apprenticeship with BAE Systems than I have the entire of my primary, high, and higher education. The networking events are particularly outstanding and the company go above and beyond for young professionals more so than any other I have seen.

Yes

BAE Systems are in my opinion the best provider of apprenticeships in the UK. I have many friends and people I have met through networking which have been on similar apprenticeships and the support, rewards and professional learning from BAE Systems - nothing compares. Many companies such as Sellafield, and other BAE sites in the UK have taken this PM Apprenticeship as a best practice to follow.

Attend an open event and ask lots of questions to real apprentices who can tell if the scheme is right for you or not. Start your application early, and make sure you have a professional figure in management or similar who can mentor you to refine the application. Remember the company are looking for someone who has specific set of skills to make a young project manager, not someone who is expertly qualified or experienced.