Mobile Radio Apprentice Review

My role at VMO2 involves using various programming languages to investigate the mobile coverage of the company's network - usually for but not limited to compliance purposes with the regulator. Additionally I have responsibilities relating to the IT infrastructure within the team, maintaining and upgrading it to suite our high-power needs.

Having arrived at VMO2 straight after sixth-form, I was fairly new to the business world. The apprenticeship standard highlights various ways in which an apprentice will become a competent professional, but I have also found that the job role itself has been a big part of my development. Throughout my apprenticeship job role I have become a more competent presenter, task manager and communicator.

I have enjoyed my job roles over the years, as I have been fortunate to move around on secondment to lots of different areas of the technical business. However, I have always found the academic side of the apprenticeship more difficult to time manage, and I now find that as I am close to the end of the apprenticeship, I am quite eager to finish.

The apprenticeship provider is fairly mediocre and over the years has provided conflicting information on academic guidelines, especially recently on critical pieces of work. This has lead to a lack of clarity on the objective and boundaries. From the employer side, I have found that the support from the team has been there when needed, but hands-off if you choose. I enjoy this approach and opt for the latter, meaning I have plenty of flexibility to mould my apprenticeship into what I'd like to get from it.

My employer runs several apprenticeship/graduate events to promote cohesion within the cohort, and has various contacts within the apprenticeship team who can be asked for support where required. However, should I wish to get on with my role without interference, I am perfectly welcome to do that. A near-perfect balance.

I meet with my training provider every 10 weeks to catch up with a skills coach on how my course is going. In all honesty I find these nearly useless. The coach is great, but the questions and structure of the meeting that we are forced to follow is, in my opinion, a waste of time. I have been asked very simple questions, which are the same every single time and therefore get very same-ish answers, for nearly 4 years. This is not productive. Additionally, information told to me in this meetings has been found to be incorrect and could have lead to serious consequences for me. Otherwise, the training provider does offer workshops on academic skills and more. Whilst I have not engaged with them, I appreciate their use and the offer.

The academic learning has allowed me to bring new perspectives and tools to my team at work, which has allowed me to become more of an integral team member. For example, I have possessed SQL knowledge through my learning that nobody else in my team knew about. This then allowed me to pursue projects to improve the team's way of working and outputs, and pushed me into becoming a champion within the team for that skill.

COVID has largely clamped down on this, but there were several social events in the past that were great for networking within the cohort, and even development days that truly developed my skills in public speaking and more. Post-covid, I feel that it would not be too early to kickstart these events again and get them going.

Yes

I would recommend a degree apprenticeship to almost anyone, as it is a really, really great way to get into an industry without any prior experience, as well as a great way to achieve a qualification. VMO2 specifically has a pretty good work culture within the corporate side, with great employee attitude and flexibility around its employees. There is breathing space to learn, but also experience in more high pressure situations on occasion. I have little negative to comment on, other than a four-year programme is a large commitment and any new entrants should be sure it is the right choice to dedicate themselves to it.

Take the time to learn about what we do, what differentiates us from the competition in both the mobile network and fixed-line (broadband) space? Be genuine, be yourself. I know that when I applied to work in a corporate office for the first time I was daunted by the professionalism and expertise that people appeared to have. While they are important, everyone should bring themselves to work and I found in my interview (and then working environment) that knowing the real person and not a facade creates a much more powerful working relationship.