Communications Assistant Review

My role is to write, edit and curate content across multiple channels channels to support with raising the brand awareness of Pearson College London. Typical tasks include creating and scheduling content for our social media channels, writing our weekly staff newsletter, collating and writing posts for our blog platform and much more.

The structure of the apprenticeship has certainly improved my organisation and time-management skills. Working in a corporate environment has improved my initiative, communication and problem-solving skills. On the other hand, studying a degree has given me the chance to develop critical thinking, presenting and teamworking skills. Pearson also give employees the chance to get involved in further training programs.

I really enjoy my programme as I get the best of both worlds through studying and working. I like how my degree is contextualised to what I do in the workplace, I find that this makes modules and assignments more interesting. There are also quite a few apprentices at Pearson so there is a nice community of people. The wider team are also very supportive of us.

I think the programme is well organised within Pearson. We have a clear roadmap of what each year will look like in terms of structure and what to expect. We are each given at least a mentor and a senior leader sponsor in some cases. Regular meetings are set with mentors/line managers and there is plenty of support.

Breaking into the professional world early can be daunting but this is really understood by staff. Apprenticeship mentors support us in all aspects of the programme and are easy to get in contact with. Line managers are available day-to-day and although they manage us in the workplace they are still keen to support us on other aspects of the apprenticeship. We also have senior leader sponsors who are relatively high up in the company. They help contribute to our development and understanding of corporate life.

The support from the training provider is okay, we have quarterly reviews with a mentor from the institution however it isn't on-par with the level of support that the my employer offers. However, most of the tutors are good and they are very responsive but I think the support from the University of Kent could be better.

The degree is highly contextualised to our roles. We get the opportunity to complete research projects where we get to work on real opportunities and problems within our companies. This really helps to put our theory into practice as opposed to just watching lectures and reading from textbooks. I feel like my qualification is helping me understand the industry better as I get to learn about lots of different business areas.

At first, due to the pandemic, there hasn't been too many opportunities to take on extra-curricular activities. However there are now lots of team socials, networking events and other work-related events to get involved in. Being in the office more often means we also get to see other apprentices too.

Yes

I would recommend Pearson because they are really supportive of young talent. The teams are friendly and easy to work with. The culture is inclusive and values all members of staff even if you are an apprentice. You also get you lots of empowerment and opportunity to develop your skillset.

Applying to apprenticeships aren't easy so you've got to be resilient! Treat every stage of the process as an opportunity to learn rather than a threat. Talk about things that set you apart from other applicants and that are unique to you. You should also make sure that you show your passion for the role and the company. They know that you're not going to be an expert professional at this early stage of your career. Just show your potential, drive and willingness to learn!