Pension administrator Review

In my role as an apprentice in Pensions admin i'm involved in a variety of things such as, team work, member communication, retirement quotes, ensuring member records are up to date and drafting letters, and emails. Alongside that I am also doing my APE exams which I take time out to study for. As an extra curriculum activity in my spare time I read scheme specific information to broaden my knowledge.

I have definitely learnt a lot in my past 4 months at BW, and I still currently am. With Pensions there is a lot to learn and it has been a massive learning curve for me. I have become more confident and open towards people. At the beginning I wasn't comfortable on the phones but that has drastically changed in a positive way. My knowledge on pensions and GMP has also increased. I believe that I have become better at drafting email and letters.

I enjoy this programme for numerous reason, however the biggest reason is the my team. They're all extremely helpful and put in a lot of effort to help me progress within my role. Another thing I enjoy about my programme is the challenge, this field of work is completely new to me and I'm learning new things everyday.

I would say that the organisation and the structure of the programme could be better, there's a lot of room for improvements which I believe could massively help the following apprentice to come. There should be a clear structure and training in order to enable the apprentice to develop in their role.

With support from my employer I believe that everyone is willing to help and offer support whenever they can. I do feel that there could be more understanding and the one to one training should be prioritised more as it can get pushed to the back of the list at times, which slows down the individuals progression.

At the beginning of the programme we received a lot of support from the training provider however, this has become less as the time has gone on. We do have regular catch ups and tasks to ensure we feel comfortable within our roles and to make sure we the employers are providing us with the correct training and support.

I believe its difficult to say what impact the qualification has on my performance within this role as I've only started the first unit however, having done the first unit I believe its been extremely helpful with expanding my knowledge in pensions and also my day to day task.

BW hold a lot of social events such as wine quizzes and works drinks. They also hold sport activities like football and netball tournaments , were people from all offices come and compete with each other. BW also sometimes have a Christmas party were everyone from the company attends from different cities.

Yes

Everyone is very friendly and welcoming at BW. They all make effort to make you feel comfortable and get to know you. As far as the structure I personally feel that could improved and a bit more understating, but its a learning curve for everyone. I feel as though you are allowed to be honest and give your feedback if you're not happy and they will work towards meeting half way.

I would say that you have to be determined and eager to learn as there is a lot to learn. Be honest and don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't let the fact that you don't know certain things or most things knock your confidence as its a lot to take in. Keep pushing yourself to do and be the best because it will all pay off eventually.