Financial Crime Associate Review

I have a telephony based role within the fraud department. I speak to customers all day on the phone checking transactions that are unusual or that match fraud patterns. I unblock customers cards and also raise fraud cases and cancel their cards if there is any fraud on their account. I get time built out to complete my apprenticeship work such as workbooks which have a variety of tasks such as creating charts, researching laws and legislation and writing reflective accounts, I also get time to go over revision material and study for my exam.

In my role i have learned a variety of new skills and built upon my existing skills. In my day to day role I use several different programs which I have had to learn. My communication skills have vastly improved since starting my apprenticeship due to my role being telephony based and also due to my apprenticeship work. For my apprenticeship I need to communicate in different ways such as face to face meetings, telephone reviews and emails, I also need to be able to write well detailed reflective accounts of events.

I thoroughly enjoy my apprenticeship programme. The tasks that I need to complete are well varied so the work doesn't feel repetitive and it makes me reflect on the work I do in my day to day role and what I am learning from it. I also enjoy the exam side of the programme as I get to learn lots of new information to do with different areas of banking from lending to legislation. I get to learn this information as a step towards receiving my Professional Banker Certificate from the Chartered Banker Institute

My apprenticeship programme is well structured and set out. When it started all the work I need to complete was set out clearly for me so I was fully aware of the expectations from the start. I got an apprenticeship learning plan which showed all the work I need to complete for the different aspects of my apprenticeship and gave a timeline of when this should all be completed. My assessor checks in with me regularly whether it be a monthly telephone review or a face to face review every few months to cover what I have already achieved and what progress I still need to make in order to complete my programme. I have the freedom to decide what work I want to focus on first between my workbooks and my exam or I can decide if I want to work on both at once.

I receive plenty of support from my employer. They make sure to accommodate my needs in regards to my apprenticeship. If I need time to go to any meetings or to complete my workbooks this is all built out for me. My manager is included in most communication with my assessor and attends my face to face reviews when she can so she is up to date with my progress and can help me with any tasks I may need support on.

I receive a great amount of support from my training provider. I have an assessor who regularly reviews my work and my progress towards completing my apprenticeship. She is there to answer any questions and provide support should I need it. My assessor not only checks on my work and my progress but also my well being and offers resources should I need any support. My training provider has been very accommodating with any problems I have faced whether they have been work related or if there is anything in my personal life which is affecting my work and ability to progress with my apprenticeship.

I feel that the work I do towards achieving my qualifications greatly benefits me in my day to day job role. I have learned about many different areas of banking which has helped me to understand processes better in my day to day role. I have also learned more about serving customers which I am able to apply to my calls to help my improve my skills and provide a better experience for the customer.

There are lots of extra-curricular activities to get involved in at my work. There are employee led networks which you can be a part of. These employee led networks have events where you can meet people from different areas of the bank. There are also opportunities to learn about different roles within the bank during careers week where you can attend sessions in different departments. There are also opportunities to volunteer with your colleagues to help the local community.

Yes

I would recommend NatWest to a friend as I feel it is a great place to work with many exciting opportunities. They care about employees well being and are there to support you. They help you to focus on improving yourself and your skills and building a career. I enjoy the structure of my role and regular reviews of my progress. I also get time during my monthly one to one with my manager to work on a personal development plan which helps me to think about my career.

I would advise anyone applying to NatWest to do their research on the company and their initiatives. The NatWest group has clear visions of what they want the future of the bank to look like. Take a look into these and see how you can fit in with the goals and what you can bring to the company. Also look at what opportunities they offer for developing yourself and your career, such as additional learning and training courses.