Portfolio Planner Higher Apprentice Review

A third of my time is spent at university, with another fifth being taken up with some kind of training, from fire safety and first aid to presentation skills. The rest is spent meeting people and learning the job virtually with a few projects to produce with the aim of familiarising ourselves with the business.

One of the biggest jumps in my ability is my presentation skill, I made a complete t*t of myself within the first part of the training course but within three days I was presenting to my manager with no hiccups. Everyone was so supportive and gave me enough confidence. Other than that I have been picking up boat loads of knowledge, through university and picking colleagues all of which applicable to the job.

I mean it's a job, not all heart thrilling excitement, but everyone I have met has been welcoming and considerate of my position, being the new apprentice, as the majority of them have been through the apprenticeship course I am on. The work is interesting to me testing my knowledge and keeping me on my toes, as I like. We are also give a portion of company time to socialise with my fellow apprentices because of COVID, not a bad way to end the week. Paid to socialise!

On day one we were given a complete time table which has been accurate to a tee, bar the team building week that was cancelled due to COVID but is being rearranged! Considering that we were taken on mid year, so they have had to reshape the timetable but still have communicated clearly what we have to catch-up with university and given us ample support to do so.

As I mentioned on one of my previous questions the majority of my colleagues have gone through the same course so I have meaning I am receiving amazing amounts of support from those around me. I have a weekly chat with my manager with one of the main topics being if I am doing okay personally and with my workload. Truly a lovely culture to be apart of. There are also lots of support schemes to do with mental health and physical wellbeing.

In my weekly catch-up with my manager I go to him any queries have and he Identifies people and resources that can help. Everyone I have approached over teams has been welcoming and I have got a face to face within a week when needed. I feel like I can go to my manager with anything and he will do his best to support and accommodate me.

Everything I have covered within university so far has been relevant to the job role I am performing, it gives me the knowledge to perform my job. If I haven't covered it in university then I am more than comfortable to go to colleagues for support. The course is tailored to National Gird meaning everything we cover is relevant, at least in my eyes it gives context to my job in specific and the larger picture way.

As of now there are a few quiz's running but I have heard that pre-COVID days were full of small clubs, like the maths club, and lots of larger social event that are company sponsored. They have done well to adapt to COVID but, as I'm sure everyone has found, the external social aspect as taken a predicable hit.

Yes

It is a welcoming and supportive community within National Grid who look out for safety above all. They ensure that I am looked after and compensate me very well for the hours I work, with all the extra work I do being received very warmly. I am yet to find a fault with National Grid, they have build an amazingly warm culture, one which I intend to reciprocate in turn.

National Grid are not just looking for you academic ability, being a brain box alone won't get you the job. Meaning being kind and proactive in supporting others goes a huge way in National Gird and these things are what are sort from those in higher management positions.