Business Management Analyst Review

A typical day for me would involve a mixture of data analysis work, liaising with stakeholders and working on my professional development. At the beginning of my apprenticeship, I expressed my interest in finance to my line manager and ever since, I have been given countless opportunities to learn more and get involved with the financial performance team. My role is challenging and I'm given a lot of responsibility but I always feel well supported by my team. There's a real emphasis on development within the apprenticeship programme, therefore I spend a lot of time learning about new processes, and in my experience, colleagues are always happy to help and willing to teach you something new.

The opportunities to work on your professional development within NatWest are endless. I try to fit as many workshops and webinars into my calendar as possible and have attended events on a wide range of topics, from introductory Python to supporting female entrepreneurs. Since starting in my role, I have developed my Excel skills from starting out as a beginner to now being able to automate processes through formulas and macros. My confidence has also hugely improved since starting my apprenticeship. When I first started, the thought of having meetings with senior managers was extremely daunting, but now it almost comes as second nature!

I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience so far. I truly feel like a valued member of the team, and for the first time ever, I feel excited about my future career. There are over 100 apprentices across the company, and although there isn't much opportunity to connect with apprentices from other locations, there is a close-knit network in my current location and that has been invaluable throughout the programme. Starting out in my apprenticeship, I was surprised at how friendly everyone was, and how willing people are to give up their time to help you or to tell you about their experiences.

Since starting on the programme, I have attended two residential inductions in the head office with the other apprentices on my cohort, and these events were a great opportunity to meet new people, grow my network and learn more about the company and the programme. My experience with the apprenticeship provider hasn't been great as there have been a few administrative issues, however the staff are incredibly supportive and are always quick to respond to any questions or queries I have. Since the administrative issues have occurred, the provider has made a lot of effort to ensure that these kinds of problems don't happen again.

I feel well supported by NatWest in every aspect of my job. After being told to work from home during the Covid-19 lockdown, the company ensured that I had everything I needed in order to work comfortably from home, and have supplied me with a desktop computer and office chair. I have regular catch-ups with both my manager and my mentor and feel that both take a genuine interest in both my personal and professional well being.

I feel that the qualification is fairly flexible and to some extent, you get out of it what you put in. I have a catch-up with my apprenticeship coach who works for the training provider every 6 weeks, however the team are always very responsive whenever I have any question. I think there's a good balance between giving the apprentices the time to learn on the job and develop in-role, and the training provided to us.

I think most of my development comes from on-the-job training, however the qualification is structured in such a way that it supports the skills I am learning. The technical training I need to perform my role is provided through NatWest, however my apprenticeship helps me to gain the skills and behaviours I need to succeed in a working environment such as project management, stakeholder management, presentation skills, etc. I definitely feel that the qualification has improved my knowledge of the industry.

There are numerous Employee Led Networks to get involved with such as the Women's Network, the Multicultural Network, the Gender Network etc. I have found these networks a great way to meet like-minded people. There are also yoga classes that are run weekly during the lunch hour when in the office, and since working from home, workout classes have been hosted over Zoom. I feel that NatWest have made a real effort to combat the isolation that has come with working from home.

Yes

I feel like a truly valued member of staff, and I feel that there's a place for everyone at NatWest. The apprenticeship programme, alongside the culture of the company, has allowed to find and kick start a career that I'm excited about, and I've felt well supported at every stage of my journey so far. There are countless opportunities to progress if you so wish, and there's a real emphasis on retaining talent.

My experience in applying for the apprenticeship programme is that skills, competencies and what you can bring to the job is more important than prior work experience. Before starting in my role, I had never even stepped foot into an office, so don't let that hold you back. I had a really positive interviewing experience and felt that the interviewers really wanted me to succeed, so I felt able to relax and be myself.