Test Analyst Review

My Job role is oriented mainly around ensuring the self service devices within Barclays branches are working and user friendly for anybody using them. This includes ATMs, Counter Devices, ASC/QSPs (Other Banking Machines) etc. On a day to day basis, i often receive new software versions which i must run regression packs on, to ensure that the changes have not broken other aspects of the software and that there is nothing in the build which could pose a risk to the bank. Among this, i have to attend daily sprint meetings to communicate our findings with the developers, who work to correct the issues which the testing finds.

The skill that i have developed the most is my communication. Before joining Barclays, although i felt comfortable having a chat with friends, I would never speak up when i thought things were wrong. Now i feel much more confident in my thoughts, as throughout my time at Barclays, people have listened to me, even when i may have been wrong. This has given me the confidence to ask for help when i'm unsure, but also to recognize that i need to share my ideas because others could take something away from them.

I would say that the program has given me the best possible opportunity I could have wished for. My team always make me feel welcome and worthy, and they provide a great support system, as i had little knowledge of banking machines when i joined, however now, i feel confident discussing them and I can recognize when something isn't functioning in the way that it is intended. The workload is manageable, even with my college work on top, however there is always things to do. For such a big company, my expectations were reasonably high when i joined Barclays, and i have to say i am far from disappointed. The course is enjoyable, and i really enjoy working with my team. Any issues that i have had have been resolved in a reasonable time frame. Overall I am really enjoying my scheme.

In most areas, the scheme is extremely well organised. The induction was completed quickly yet thoroughly, and all of the training i have been to has been extremely effective, with vast levels of support. Although sometimes it can take a while to get a response from our internal apprenticeship team, as well as the training provider, but as long as you keep sending chaser emails, they nearly always respond. I am pleased top say that everybody respects the 20% off the job training time, personally my manager allows me an hour a day to work on my coursework. When i joined Barclays back in 2018, i was assigned an apprentice buddy, an apprentice from the previous year who was there to support and guide me through my scheme, offering advice from his personal experiences. I am pleased to say that this has been extremely beneficial to me, and i still have regular bi-weekly meetings with my apprentice buddy to this day.

I receive a fair deal of support from everyone that concerns me in the company. For example, despite not being a manager to an apprentice prior to me, my manager has been extremely open to suggestions of anything that he could do to help me progress. If i have ever had a problem, he has always listened and tried his best to help where he can. Should i need any other form of advice, the HR team has also been extremely helpful in resolving queries with the training provider etc. Overall i am extremely happy with the employer support.

the training provider support is not bad. From time to time i have found it hard to get a response via email, occasionally taking a few weeks and a few chasers to hear back from the skills coach, however when they have got back they have been extremely useful in resolving my issues. Overall they have a good attitude to helping my, but personally i think there is work needed to get a faster response. All that being said i understand i am not the only person that they have to reply to, and it can be easy to miss an email or two in a busy inbox.

I think that my qualification helps quite a lot in my role. For a start, it has helped me grasp the knowledge of the Software development Lifecycle, something i was not familiar with prior to the course. This has played an important role in who i communicate with in the business area, as i did not realize the different teams involved at different stages. It also helped me to understand how the company works theoretically. Although i am a tester studying for a software development qualification, i feel that the theory i learn is still very beneficial to my role.

At work there are plenty of other activities which i can get involved with. For example, the site has football pitches and tennis courts, so you can play sports with your colleagues. We also have a gym which is cheap. On top of all of this, there are a number of professional networking events, for example, a few months back there was one with my whole business department, which was used to socialize with people you may not normally get a chance to talk with. There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer and help the community, for example, i went in to a school to talk about the scheme and answer any questions that the students may have.

Yes

I would recommend barclays to a friend because i really enjoy the overall experience, form the day that i arrived on site, i have felt welcomes and worthy, and i have been able to learn lots from the people around me, who are always willing to help, as well as the courses i go on. Overall i am extremely happy with the scheme and i would not have liked to go down any other path looking back.

I would say that the application process can be daunting. Without going into much detail, there are a fair few stages and it is quite difficult. However you must not let that get to you, you must remain focused on your goal and not worry about slipping up on the odd word or sentence. I found the face to face interview the most daunting, however never be afraid to ask the interviewer to repeat the question if you don't catch it all or are unsure.