Business Development Director Review

As business development director for Cambridge Site Operations - I am accountable for the delivery of our local and cross-functional digital solutions and data governance procedures; implementation of our Business Continuity strategies; provide Business Support to our colleagues across Site Ops; and management of all of our site-related costs (rent, rates, service charges etc)

As a result of my apprenticeship - not yet, but we're only on week 2! The schedule looks really interesting and closely aligns with my business objectives. I look forward to learning more about how we can analyse and present data to provide greater insights, and understanding more the workings of our digital architechture

Again, it is only week two, but so far, so good. The learner portal is nicely presented and easy to follow. The introductory lessons to date have been friendly and informative. The lecturers and support staff appear highly knowledgeable and supportive. The guidance we have been provided for the assignments has helped alleviate worries

The programme appears to be very well organised and structured. We received very clear guidance for the onboarding week, and all subsequent modules are easy to follow using the CANVAS platform. Logging our hours is also simple using the APTEM programme. We have been provided clear and early guidance on when the seminars are due to be held.

Throughout the onboarding, I have received fantastic support from our apprenticeship team. We're very fortunate to have dedicated and passionate resources to help ensure we're set up for success. My direct line manager has been highly supportive too. Firstly in agreeing to provide time to complete my studies, but also showing genuine interest in progress.

So far the support received from my training provider (New College of Humanities - partnering with Northeastern University London) whilst working towards my qualifications has been great. The introductory lessons have been insightful and provided clear guidance on expectations and support to achieve this. The support for early modules has been equally as useful. All questions raised have been thoroughly answered.

I feel that my qualification (through my training provider) will make a significant impact on how I can perform within my role. The modules all directly align to solutions we are actively exploring or have recently deployed (ServiceNow for example) and will provide a significant boost to my technical knowledge and skills.

Even in the current climate, there is a wide range of extra-curricular activities to get involved in at my work. The apprenticeship team have already been inviting us to join additional talks from leaders across the business and to attend social events - like a virtual escape room - to meet other apprentices.

Yes

AstraZeneca is a fantastic place to work. The work is challenging but immensely rewarding. I feel in my 5+ years with AZ, I have had constant opportunities to learn and grow, but also to put my own stamp on the direction of the business. The agreement to support me with this 3 year apprenticeship is just one example of how they invest and genuinely care about their people.

It is relentlessly busy and the bar is set high - but for those who enjoy a challenge and like to work with others that like to push the boundaries, it is 100% enjoyable and rewarding. You can also take immense pride knowing that the work we do is helping millions of people worldwide. So, my advice would be to go for it...but make sure you're well-prepared!