Apprentice Data Analyst TBM Office Review

I am currently the data analyst apprentice for the TBMO (Technology Business Management Office). I daily use excel and a tool called Apptio. Daily we have our team calls on MS teams and this is when we go through any queries that have been put in the SharePoint site that I build using and automated tool called Microsoft Power tool, we also discuss what we have going on in that day and just have a general catch-up. My responsibilities currently involve ensuring the query tool is kept up-to-date and the team are told about any new queries and I am currently learning the process around dataload each month for this to be handed over to me in the next couple of months. I also provide Apptio access for new users and direct them to our learning materials.

I have been learning to be more confident, I have done this by giving presentations to a new team in the business on how I built out the automated query tool. I have been learning how to prioritise my work load, I have also improve my time management skills. I have also learnt how to use excel and expanded my knowledge on formulas. During my time so far in my apprenticeship I have joined an ITIL training course and used the Apptio university to learn about how the tool works.

I really enjoy my program and I am revising for my first BCS level 4 data analyst exam. I enjoy learning new things and expanding my knowledge by listening to the experience that members of my team have had. I enjoy the week classroom lessons in Manchester organised by ARCH as they have an even balance of practical and theory work.

Its is well organised and structured. My line manager and I have created a 2020 plan that covers off all the competencies set by ARCH so that I can evidence them. We also have weekly 1:1's that enable us to catch-up on the work I have carried out in that week and create new tasks along with my daily tasks to be completed the following week.

I get a lot of support from my employer. We have daily team calls where we catch-up and then I have weekly 1:1 with my line manager and myself we discuss what has gone well in that week, what tasks I have completed, what tasks are ongoing and how we are progressing in my 2020 plan we created at the start of the year. My line manager offers me support when I need it and ensures that my work load isn't too much but is challenging me so that I can learn as much as I can.

I have monthly catch-ups with my LDC and Line manager to discuss how I am progressing through the course and if there is anything I need to improve on. She helps me in structuring my evidences for my EPA and gives me guidance on where more information needs to be added.

I feel that my qualifications through training has helped me gain knowledge of being able to write SQL when we are setting up datalinks as a team. It has also taught me what the capabilities of excel are and how you can use it effectively in work to get results. They have also taught me how to use tableau and this enable me to build a heat map showing where our active Apptio users are globally.

There are many extra-curricular activities at work. When joining as an apprentice you are added on to the apprentice influencer teams. I am part of the community and onboarding teams, in this team I help with open evenings, assessment center days and induction days. There is also a pillar system and I am part of the social pillar which enables me to help organise the Christmas party, quizzes and celebrations within work. As a team after our monthly team meetings we go out for dinner afterwards to spend time together outside the working environment

Yes

I would recommend Unilever as everyone onsite are friendly and will always help you when you need it nothing is ever too much. There is a lot of support for one another and Unilever is a really good company to work for. Everyone has heard of their brands and what they are doing to make the company more sustainable and decrease their carbon footprint to protect the world.

The advise I would give to anyone applying to Unilever is to do their research. Look on the website and look at the brands, also look at what Unilever stands for. I would also recommend looking at its history especially at the Port Sunlight site. I would also say be yourself especially at the assessment center day, don't be too nervous as I feel if you have got to that stage then you have already impressed the managers.