Chartered Management Degree Apprentice Review

Each placement I have been in has been very different and involved different tasks but I am currently in a project management placement in the Real Estate team, which means my daily tasks involve managing the project schedule, stakeholder engagement/management, reporting, creating the project management plan, facilitating meetings/reviews.

As part of my apprenticeship, I have been able to study for and achieve a degree in Business Management. This has been extremely beneficial as it has allowed me to learn about all areas of business management and relate this back to BAE Systems, thus learning more about the organisation at the same time.

Every team that I have worked in have been very supportive and want to help me achieve in everything I do. Some placements have been more enjoyable than others, with my current placement being my favourite and is also where I am exiting the business upon completion of the scheme. The programme has given me the opportunity to explore different areas of the business and find the area that I enjoy the most.

As I was one of the first cohorts for my scheme, it wasn't the best structured. Also, we had a lot of changes in management across my time on the scheme which made it hard to get things done at times. These issues appear to have been dealt with now and I suspect the structure will be better for the future years.

BAE Systems could not be a more supportive employer throughout my time on the scheme. Everyone I have come across whilst on my apprenticeship has given me the time and support I have needed to complete my apprenticeship and without this support, I'm not sure how I would have managed.

UCLAN have been very supportive throughout the apprenticeship. We always have regular site visits with a tutor from the university whereby any issues can be addressed, as well as looking at how we are progressing on the scheme. This was also in place throughout the pandemic which is a testament to how much UCLAN want to be there for us.

The business management degree that we gain whilst on the apprenticeship does support our roles as we learn a lot of key skills such as managing people and performance. However, I would say the degree is more useful for getting us to learn about the business as we have to go out and do research about different elements for our assignments.

Yes there are extra-curricular events at BAE Systems such as networking events and fundraising opportunities. BAE also has a number of employee resource groups (ERGs) such as an LGBTQ group, disability network and veterans network, which allows likeminded colleagues to come together for advice, support and/or just general networking.

Yes

There are so many opportunities across BAE Systems that you can truly find what you are interested in/where your talents lie. They have great employee benefits such as the shares scheme and yearly bonus. Plus they encourage you to develop yourself through things like training and additional qualifications e.g. degree.

Be yourself in the interview as the assessor wants to see the real you. Don't lie on your application as this will be noticed. Try not to be nervous, the interviewer wants you to succeed. If you have a group activity at an assessment centre then try not to talk over anyone else to get noticed as this won't work in your favour.