IB COO Degree Apprenticeship 2020 Review

The role progresses from the first day and you will be getting more involved as your relevant knowledge increases. You will be participating in different workstreams, using lots of excel and taking minutes from meetings. I also work on separate projects where I present my findings to more senior members.

The main new skill I have learnt is how to produce high level analysis using excel and powerpoint. This could involve taking large files with lots of raw data and filtering out to find the specific trades you are looking for. From this, I have learnt to analyse this data by looking at trade IDs and other fields to find the relevant trades which then need to be escalated.

The programme is very enjoyable, if I could go back and choose between this apprenticeship and university it would be an easy choice. It is very full on after a couple of months, you could have a packed day of work then have to spend a few hours revising/writing an essay so you will need to be prepared for this. However, the programme is very rewarding and enjoyable if you like a fast-paced environment.

The programme is very well structured. The university work is clearly laid out online for every week and the milestones for exams and essays are clearly stated at the start of your apprenticeship so you can plan ahead for this. There is also good overlay between your job and uni, there are tripartite reviews which take place quarterly which gives the whole apprenticeship a well rounded structure.

I personally receive lots of support from my manager. If ever I have tight deadlines coming up, my manger will accommodate for this and ensure I have enough time to complete my job whilst also having a fair amount of time to study. Also, in terms of my day to day role, for the majority of the year I have had a very good balance of work. There will be times when the workload is slightly more or less but it will always even out.

There is a good amount of support in place. You have an academic mentor who is there for the wellbeing side of things. Any concerns can be directly escalated to the mentor. The lecturers are varied, sometimes they can reply quite slowly which can be frustrating but others are very helpful whenever you ask.

Extremely well, this is very much a two way street. There will be things you learn at work which then come up at uni exams which can relieve some of the work. Also, I learn things at uni on my study day and I usually hear something related to this within the next week or so.

I have been virtual since I started so haven't had the chance to engage in these yet however I am aware that they are in place. The good thing is you join with many other apprentices on the same course so I have had many social activities with them already.

Yes

Very good company to work for, a great balance between being able to have a life whilst working very hard. If you don't put the work in you will fall behind but if you are focused and can make some small sacrifices then the apprenticeship is doable, with the correct support in place.

My 2 main tips would be to know the company and know some terminology. You need to know the culture around UBS and their values and provide example of how you have done things which align to them. On top of this, you need to know what you are applying for, don't just apply for something because its a degree apprenticeship. Know the role, the department and know what your function does. You must know what is happening in the news, hot topics that UBS will be interested in or involved with. Know the terms around this as well.