Commercial Banking Degree Apprentice Review

My day to day role is speaking to our business customers who need additional financing. This could be a start up or a customer who has a long standing relationship with the bank. It's my role to speak to the customer and identify what products or services the bank can offer to help support the business in growing and fulfilling its potential. I love the variety It brings and the exposure I get to our client base. Every day I get to speak to business owners and help them reach their goals.

I've definitely developed and enhanced soft skills I already have like communicating with customers effectively and working within a team. However, one stand out skill I've really developed is my time management skills and how I can make utilise my time most effectively to ensure I complete projects and work on time. This apprenticeship has also given me opportunities to develop new skills like networking, I've built relationships with people across the organisation and improved my networking abilities.

I love it! It's challenging and stimulating which makes every day interesting, after one year I'll rotate job role which presents further development and skills to be learned. In addition, the degree I'm studying applies to my role and the industry I'm in which makes it even more worthwhile as I can put what I learn into practice. I've also been offered opportunities that I could never have imagined; from meetings with senior stakeholders to attending apprenticeship fairs.

My programme is extremely well organised. From the first day I joined I was given a timetable which highlighted key dates, webinars and workshops for the next 4 years. This speaks volumes about the level of detail and commitment my organisation had taken to the apprenticeship and also gives me the chance to be fully prepared way in advance of these events taking place.

The support shown by my employer really is fantastic, every month I have a check in(one to one) this is a chance for me to discuss how I'm feeling, how the apprenticeship is going or if there's any areas I'm struggling with. In addition, I receive one study day per week to complete my studies towards my qualification and my employer supports this including flexible working opportunities. I'm also routinely invited to other opportunities within the business to network and further develop my skills. Overall, I feel really supported and feel confident that should any problem arise my employer would be there to help and assist in any way they can.

My training provider has been excellent in providing support for me. Support includes arranging development, most recently I attended a 'communicating with influence' course to develop my communicating skills helping me work towards my apprenticeship standard skills and achieving my qualification. In addition, I have a Talent Coach who is in contact via telephone regularly and face to face, these are further opportunities to highlight areas where I may need support and ensure I'm on track to achieve the qualification I'm completing. I also attend degree workshops, these are classroom style workshops put on by my training provider for learning purposes. Our lecturers have experience within the sector I'm studying and are able to contact for remote learning if further support is needed.

I feel that my qualification is giving me an understanding of the wider industry and sector that I work in. It really supports me because in my role, where businesses are borrowing money, it gives me a solid foundation and understanding of how we serve our customers what our purpose in an economy is.

There are countless opportunities to get involved in within HSBC. We are allowed join me days, these are when you spend a day with another department to see what other roles are available within the business. These are great for career progression. In terms of social activities, we have internal communities you can join from LGBTQ+ to different religious communities and others like environmental issues to get involved in. There is development courses to go on which enhance skills, here you can professionally network with colleagues from all areas of the country. HSBC also provides 2 volunteer days per year, this is a chance to spend two working days supporting a charity or community close to your heart - it's a chance to give back locally and HSBC will email you all the opportunities that are available. No doubt there may be things I've missed but overall there are countless opportunities to get involved in within the bank.

Yes

I'd recommend HSBC to a friend because from working here I've learned the bank genuinely cares about it's customers and it's staff. You'll be supported from day one and provided opportunities that will help you grow and become the best you can be. No day is the same and if you want to join a business that cares about its customers, employees and the environment in which it operates - then HSBC is a perfect choice.

Be yourself. It sounds cliché and over used, but the most important thing you can be is yourself; show case you're strengths and weaknesses when applying.