IT Apprentice Review

Global Network Engineering responsible for AstraZeneca's wired & wireless networks on sites globally responsible for IT Security, replacement and refresh of devices to ensure employees have access to world class networks to ensure that their experience in the workplace is seamless from an IT networking perspective as well as ensuring private company and patient data is secure

Focused on project management skills such as communications and stakeholder engagement / management which has been enhanced through this role however i have had a much more technical exposure than experienced in previous roles helping me to generate a more rounded picture of the team and their responsibilities in different roles such as project mangers vs engineers

I really enjoy the programme i am currently on as it has given me amazing opportunities to learn both in the work place as well as an educational background alongside this, by rotating through teams it has given me the opportunity to see different areas within the IT function & how this ties into the wider business

The programme is very well organised with clear direction and support & a strong focus on personal and professional development. The structure was less organised for a while in the middle of my apprenticeship due to organisational change however this has now been rectified and the structure of the programme has returned to its former self when i started my course

I receive excellent levels of support from my employer from a number of different directions, i have an apprentice manager who i can feed my concerns / aspirations into as well as both a line and task manager within my current role providing different levels of support on a day to day basis

I receive sufficient levels of support from my training provider, in previous years the support levels weren't as good as my final year however this is down to the levels of significance my work has this year and the required structure to ensure that all work is completed to the highest achievable levels

I feel that the majority of my learning has come through my on the job training however there are definitely elements of my degree that i can see tie into my day to day role and how this is important in terms of my development as well as my delivery

As an apprentice we have regular professional networking meetings as a group to touch base on a number of areas such as our day to day roles as well as the work being undertook at university ans how this pressure is being handled & if any work around are required to manage these pressures

Yes

AstraZeneca is a great place to work that encourages individual development as well as ensuring you find a role that is the right fit for you, as an organisation the benefits they give to employees are second to none and make you feel like a valued employee within the organisation

The advice i would give would be to be yourself and play to your strengths, networking is critical from the start as the network you develop can help to carve out new opportunities and time management is crucial when completing your degree to manage stress levels throughout the completion of the course