HR Apprentice Review

I was originally hired into the HR Business Partner Business Management Team for the Corporate Center. I stayed in this team for 4 months and during my time i supported my team with work they needed to produce for the business partners. It involved a lot of spreadsheets and data. I have now moved into a rotation into Line Manager Advisory where I been for 6 months now and my duties vary. From dealing with issues related to the current pandemic to talking to line managers about there employees.

Yes i have learnt a lot of new skills. The skills range from interpersonal skills to skills on different systems. I have learnt how to better engage proactively in conversations and learnt how to ask appropriate questions on the back of learning. I have also learnt how to navigate many different programmes and my excel skills have definitely improved.

I really have enjoyed my programme so far. I feel that everyone in my organisation are really really supportive and always happy to help and ask questions. I really enjoy the split between study and work and feel that i have a good balance and enough time to complete my studies as well as work effectively.

My programme is very well structured. With the HR CIPD apprenticeship we have a range of different units and each unit is very clear on the duration and content. With regards to work, i get a day a week to do my studies which means i work 4 days a week and study 1 day a week which is a really goof structure as it works well for me.

I have received a lot of support from my employer. My line manager is really supportive and he is always there for me to raise any concerns or ask questions if i am unsure. I feel like everyone is happy to give their time to help and we have apprentices in the cohort above who we also have regular check-ins and chats with.

I feel we recieve enough support from our training provider. We have a tutor who is the person who we have webinars with, and they talk us through the content etc, and they are the people we email if we have any questions regarding the course content. We also have a learning and development coach who is there to ensure that we are continually building skills and ensures we are getting on ok in the workplace and in learning.

At the beginning i didn't really see how the content in the first unit directly related to my role as it was very generic. However, despite the fact that the units have not yet directly linked to my role as of yet, they have definitely increased my wider understanding of HR and the different roles and parts within HR.

I am part of the baking club which is a group that meet on about a monthly basis to chat and share baking tips. I am also part of the ApprenticeNet, and have the role as the community affairs team lead. The ApprenticeNet is a network for apprentices, so apprentices put on events for the apprentices. I would definitely like to get involved in some more extra-curricular activities as time goes on to help expand my network and to help develop new skills.

Yes

I feel UBS is a really good employee and very supportive. I feel they understand that apprentices have just come from school and therefore provide them with all the support they need. They are really good at helping you settle into your role and ensuring that your workload is the right amount for not only your pace of work but your capabilities. I really feel UBS are supportive.

Try to get as much varied experience as possible and when you complete something which you feel could be useful in a interview be sure to write it down and write what you have learnt from that experience. Just be yourself and don't hesitate to say if you are unsure on something.