Accounting and Finance Apprentice Review

I am on a multiyear rotation within the bank and I am currently on my second placement. My day-to-day is dependent on the reporting period but there can be a multitude of tasks to complete which I have responsibility for. I have one day a week set aside for my university work which is supported by NatWest.

I am half way through my first year of the university course and have already covered a number of topics including Business Environment, Economics and Finance and these are applicable within my role. In addition my everyday skills, I have the opportunity to do different courses within NatWest to upskill.

It's a great programme but it is really full on. You do need to balance everything which can be difficult and depending on the reporting period at work, it can be difficult to fit everything in. I enjoy the programme but it can be difficult to change role during the university year and juggle both a new job and uni classses at once.

There are set rotations within the bank and normally you can are given a few months notice before you move department which allows you to reach out to your new team and start building your network. The university course can be difficult to get to grips with in terms of structure and there has been an ongoing issue with ICAS dates which hasn't been resolved for a number of months.

In general, you can get as much support as required. Due to the way the placements are set out you have support from both your team and line manager and also your mentor within the apprenticeship. There is also the option to reach out the university and also early careers if you do have concerns.

The university course is structured with lectures, lessons and tutorials set out each week. You can get support about the materials from your tutor for that subject but you can reach out to your course leader if you need support. There are also student/mentor visits held twice a year by the university which allows you to raise any issues or concerns.

There can sometimes not be a correlation between the university work and the department that you are in but due to the size of the bank, you can always find someone to speak to about a topic or something you want more information on. When there is correlation, you can really thrive in this environment which really adds to your learning experience.

Due to the pandemic this has been limited but with restrictions lifting there are more opportunities becoming available. There a number of employee led networks you can join which have a number of events you can get involved in. There are also three days a year which you can utilise to volunteer.

Yes

The programme itself can be difficult but it is worth the challenge. The bank is so vast that there is a number of opportunities external to your role which you can get involved in. I feel the apprenticeship is fair in its remuneration and you are rewarded for working hard.

I would always recommend to make yourself familiar with the Critical People Capabilities, these are what you are evaluated against in your interview and also within your role. In addition to this, I would recommend to do your research on NatWest and it's history as this can be helpful in understanding how the bank works. I always find it helpful to have some questions prepared for the end of the interview about their experience at the company as this can help you gauge the culture.