Technical Service Specialist Trainee Review

On a day-to-day basis I have time set aside for studying for additional certifications through the organisation and I also undergo training from other team members relating to what I will be involved in within the team. I also work either individually or within the team to enable access to different accounts for users.

I always liked working within a team so my role within the apprenticeship has allowed me to use that to my advantage in my communication with other members. In the technical side of the role, I have learned many new skills and facts crucial to the job I am doing.

I thoroughly enjoy my programme and the different opportunities it presents. Particularly with the apprenticeship scheme, I enjoy the balance of college- and work-time. It allows me to put into practice what I am currently studying and learn new things in the job I may not have learned from theory.

My programme is very well organised. We have work on-site 4 days a week and we attend class in college 1 day a week. We are afforded some time during office hours to devote to our studies when we have assignments or exams coming up, which helps immensely when balancing the two.

My employer is very supportive at all times. In current circumstances, they have adapted to challenges extremely well to uphold the support they gave us on-site. My team manager oversees a video Teams meeting every morning, and my line manager holds a 1:1 Skype meeting every 2 weeks to catch up and ensure I am happy. I am also always encouraged to contact my managers or any member of the team if I feel the need to at any time.

My training provider is also very supportive. Again, in these times we had to adapt our way of learning, but our lecturers provided video tutorials and ensured us that they were available to answer any questions at any time, even outside of normal class hours. E-mails were frequently sent out between classes to ensure pupils were comfortable with learning.

My qualification is extremely beneficial in helping me perform better in my role. Although my office work is marginally different from what I specifically study in college, the basics of the theory and practical learning in class have given me an excellent grounding to the field I work in on-site

At the moment, with the current COVID-19 pandemic, physical extra-curricular activities are put on hold, however there have been plenty of virtual meets and coffee-breaks avaiulable to join. Before the pandemic, there were also many activities we were able to get involved in, a lot of which were done in aid of charity, eg mountain climbs.

Yes

The apprenticeship programme is an excellent way to gain your qualification and also gain on-hands experience in a real experience of the job you are training and studying for. It is also an excellent way to meet new people who are interested in the same area as yourself, and the opportunity for travel has been excellent.

I would advise anyone applying for an apprenticeship programme to research the requirements for application. For example, if there is a psychometric test required, do practice tests online prior to your exam. If there is an interview, go with a positive outlook and emphasize how important teamwork and adaptability is to the functionality of the workplace.