Global Security Apprentice Review

In my case, I'm transitioning from each department in the Global Security function to determine which area I'd like to specialise in when it comes to the second half of my apprenticeship, this means my day to day activities can vary but I'm loving it so far!

I've developed my technical knowledge quite a lot by understanding how different technologies we use work, and how to use them efficiently. I'm currently studying towards the SC-200 certification by Microsoft and I've also developed my soft skills because a lot of what I do involves speaking with colleagues and working with them to resolve a large variety of issues.

The programme itself is a bit full on, but the company culture makes it a lot better. I've never had any issues discussing concerns or questions with either the provider or my employer which makes for a very open and honest atmosphere which I greatly value and enjoy. Sometimes the workload can be a bit large on the side of the training provider, but it's manageable.

At the start it was a little shaky because there wasn't too much structure to it, but as the programme has went on this has been developed quite a bit so we now know what's due to happen and when. Support wise, I have weekly meetings with my line manager to discuss how work is going and if there's anything that can be done and I've got weekly meetings with my apprenticeship buddies who act as a port of call for anything I might not be comfortable raising with my line manager.

I was blown away by the level of support I received! At every opportunity, they've always exceeded my expectations. My manager genuinely cares about me as a person rather than just another face, and my buddies are very supportive act as a voice of reason if anything does go wrong or if I have concerns. Accessibility wise, my manager's gone out of their way to make sure I have the support I need and it's something I can't respect enough.

It's hard to say, it seems very distanced but that could just be because we're not physically present in the training centre (and I haven't had the chance to either). The trainer has changed twice so far, and both have different approaches to teaching the content and training days can sometimes be very brain numbing, as there's often a lot of information being thrown at you which you aren't sure how to process with little breaks (2-3 15-30m breaks across a 7 hour day)

I'm only just getting into it, so it's hard to say but judging by the content of the qualification, it would definitely help me to reinforce my technical knowledge of how protocols and networking concepts work so that I'm able to better resolve issues and know why a problem may be occurring.

Plenty! Sage Foundation allows us to spend paid time away from work focusing on different activities that would benefit charities and these can be really vast. It can range from spending some time together on Zoom identifying animals for a zoo, or trying to see who can make the most distance as a team in support of a charity close to you. It's amazing! You're also able to head out on walks or have time away from the PC during the work day when you feel like it for an hour, which is a definite plus if you're struggling to stay focused.

Yes

It's such an amazing culture, filled with inclusivity and diversity at it's core and everyone that I've came across in the company represents those values too. In the time I've been with Sage, I'm genuinely struggling to point out anything wrong. I've made amazing friends and the experiences I'm learning here will undoubtedly help me further in my career.

Be honest, show your true self and give it your all. Your hiring manager and the talent acquisition team are truly amazing, and will see you through any troubles you may have! Often times you'll see different speakers in your assessment days and I'm positive that they wouldn't mind you dropping questions to them as well!