PMO Analyst Review

My Current Role is to provide Business Administration to the project that I work on. My current role is more internal facing rather than external facing (I deal with Company Members rather than Clients) however one of my responsibilities is a Monthly Report, which will reach the client, so you can build an appreciation for what work the client sees, if you perhaps wanted to move into a client facing role one day, which I intend to do. I also provide a range of support for company members such as Infrastructure/Network Support, reporting support and minute taking.

Since it is a degree apprenticeship, I will be receiving a degree in Digital and Technology Solutions (Business Stream) when I graduate at the end of Year 3. The course is 3 years long. There are a multitude of different internal training courses to complete, it all depends how driven you are. I have learnt many personal and professional skills at my short time with the company. The biggest for me is to be confident in communicating. The respect between all members, regardless of your seniority, is brilliant.

I thoroughly enjoy my programme. There is no denying that the University Day is tiring, seeing as we go 1 day a week, but this time spent with your peers actually allows you to get to know them better and faster. The range of modules at University allow you to get an experience of many different things to help decide where you want to progress your career. The company culture is fantastic, and far exceeded my expectations. I went to assessment days at some other large corporations, but found that CGI had a great vibe in the office and between members.

For my apprenticeship, students are located in either Reading, London or Leatherhead, usually depending on what project you work on. The induction is held centrally, so you get to meet all your peers and the student recruitment team, so you settle in really well. The first few days are no doubt going to be daunting and confusing, but the key is communicating. You have a line manager and buddy (someone close to your age, who usually went through the apprenticeship) to ask questions to. I am on team with a few apprentices a couple of years ahead of me, so we have a fun time, and its great to learn off of their experience. You naturally get delegated to at the start, so you will always have work, and you aren't just left in the dark, you are supported well.

I receive a great deal of support from my employer. On a day to day basis, this comes from my teammates you have been brilliant. Again it is about communicating with them, no question is stupid, you are new and most likely won't know anything! You get provided with a buddy who can relate to you and answer your questions. You also get a work place mentor, someone usually with a considerable amount of experience who helps you in understanding the organisation, and is someone you should discuss university work, they will even review you university work for you, if you ask! The company all round is supportive, everyone strives for improvement.

You do receive support from the training provider (University of Winchester) when working towards your Qualification. Again, your communication needs to be good and sometimes quite direct (in a polite way). The University deals with Thousands of Students, if you want to be heard you need to continue pushing to make sure you are. Naturally you will find tutors more helpful than others, but working out a way to get the most you can is possible.General Guidance on modules, weekly work and questions is great and the Tutors are helpful. I was experiencing a more in depth problem which I found was struggling to be heard, until Student Recruitment within the company were notified, but they were very supportive and helped to solve the problem.

I think the modules chosen in the course do reflect skills and knowledge needed in the workplace very well. They are all very applicable in a business setting and even think about future development which is great. There are opportunities to put theory into practice, which is fulfilling to see your learning really does apply. Through learning the modules you begin to understand the operations of the business much better.

In my decision between University and Degree Apprenticeship, this was something I was concerned about. However at CGI there are so many opportunities to socialise. I play Football every Wednesday, hoping to play in a Company football tournament abroad, play basketball every Friday, and the company has an amazing social club, where anyone can arrange an event, as long as 4 other members attend, and the company will help to partially or fully fund the event! Some highlights have been a silent disco at the shard, airsoft, cocktail making. There is something for everyone. My team and I also work in the London office one a month, going out for drinks afterwards which is great fun.

Yes

I would absolutely recommend CGI to a friend. If you are outright deciding between apprenticeships, I would highly recommend CGI, it was so welcoming and I felt that I really fit in as soon as I arrived. For someone deciding between apprenticeship and University, I would again highly recommend CGI. You gain a degree, with no financial burden, in fact you get great financial benefit. A worry for me was how the social life would be, but it genuinely has been brilliant, I have made great friends and experienced great things, and if you're organised there's no reason why you can't visit friends at University and have night's out!

You're a human, not a robot. Be your genuine self, as no matter who you are or what you know you will be right at home. Make sure to research the company before the application process and assessment centre, it shows extra effort and knowledge that can set you aside from others. Stay calm and collected in interviews as hard as it is. You're just talking to another human, they know how you are feeling, so just be yourself. Try and answer as best you can, you won't know everything, but trying is better than saying you don't know. Stay engaged and try and make friends on the assessment day! everyone else is in the same boat as you and are probably wishing you would speak to them. It may seem small but will no doubt be noticed. Finally, applying for CGI is well worth it, for the effort you put in, you are more than rewarded for all the amazing things the company has to offer.