QA Support Officer Apprentice Review

I work within the Quality Assurance function on site. My role is very varied and so I am involved in coordinating quite a few different processes. I'm lucky in the fact that my role links in with quite a lot of other departments including supply chain and regulatory functions. On a day to day basis I usually get involved in discussions with others on site, as well as people at other sites globally, to try to organise anything from samples to documents.

Being an apprentice has helped me develop quite a lot of my skills especially communication skills. You learn pretty quickly that you are another member of the team and so it's a really great atmosphere to learn and everyone's usually really keen to help you too, which is great. I've found that being an apprentice and managing the job aspect with the University work forces you to work on your time management, as you have to be able to manage the balance and keep on top of your assignments.

I really enjoy the work aspect of the apprenticeship programme from day one I've been able to see how valued the work I've been doing is. As a company it is really great to work for, the atmosphere within my team is really encouraging and the company as a whole really value their staff and it shows.

I was the first apprentice in my team and a bit of a 'guinea pig' when it comes to finding where I would fit and exactly what I would be responsible for. Whilst it was possibly a bit strange right at the start I have found it has been a bit of blessing in disguise because I had the freedom to take my own path and establish myself. University wise I have 1 day a week to do online study. I think that the university work could be improved a little as some of the course content could be delivered in a bit more of an engaging way. Overall though I wouldn't say its necessarily that dissimilar to what is delivered if you go to university.

In my team I am fortunate to have a manager who has not only been involved with apprentices in her last role but also who was actually an apprentice herself when she started at the company. I've found that because of this she definitely knows what I am capable of and when I will need a bit more support. As a whole I feel there's a 'my doors always open' policy when it comes to getting support from people in the company. I know that if I get stuck on something I can always go to people to get help, which is great.

I have meetings with my Apprenticeship advisor every few months and we cover how I feel about my course and what I need to focus on next. The support has definitely improved since I started but there is still a lot of reliance on you being self sufficient especially as the education provider is not local. If you reach out for support you will get it but it can sometimes come a little later than you hope but that is possibly to be expected given the fact that you have 1 day a week to focus on study. The main downside is that I study with the University of Kent so it is all distance learning which can make it harder to engage with. If you aren't prepared to spend the effort/time to do things on your own without direct support I would say this might not be for you.

There are definite benefits to completing the foundation degree as some of the content has helped me focus on learning about different parts of the business. In a general sense I feel that I can apply the learnings from university in the workplace, however due to the nature of my role it is not always obviously relevant as it is for some of the other apprentices completing the same course.

There are lots of opportunities to get involved with. There is an onsite gym and there's also a football pitch if you want to go on your way in or home from site. The apprenticeship network is also really good as there are often different things going on. From pretty much the start I have also been able to go to schools and large careers events to talk to people about apprenticeships and represent AZ which has always been interesting as you meet so many people looking at what opportunities are out there

Yes

I would definitely recommend AZ to a friend- In fact I already have! I think that as a company they have fostered a great atmosphere. The opportunities within the business are nearly endless and there is great flexibility in terms of progression. I always think you can tell a lot about a company by how long people stay with them and at AZ people tend to move teams/functions but there are quite a lot of people who have been in the company for 20/30+ years.

I think it's always good to do your research on the company and the job role you are applying for. They don't expect you to know everything but it's great to show them that you are passionate about the ethics of the company and the subject area you are looking at applying to. Last tip is to not psych yourself out and go for it when it comes to applying. The only way you will be in with a shot at getting the role is to apply!