Enhanced Review Team Review

My current role involves working with claims from customers and reviewing the information in them. Claimants need to be checked for being abroad. I need to check the evidence related to elements in their claim and verify that it is genuine and interact with customers to get the information needed. If the information is not available or not verified then the claim is adjusted.

The apprenticeship has allowed me to review my interaction with customers and see ways to improve and be more efficient. It has highlighted my interaction with colleagues and third parties. I have further developed my understanding of the departments intranet and ability to find guidance needed as well as making connections with other colleagues in different departments and roles.

The programme was enjoyable in the aspects that I was able to refresh my mathematical and communication skills. For customer service it highlighted areas where I could improve. Overall however, the apprenticeship seemed mainly directed to face to face customer service which seemed a bit irrelevant to the role I am currently undertaking. I am more focused on evidence and facts relating to customers so concentrating on some other areas would make the apprenticeship more relevant.

The apprenticeship has been well delivered with good interaction with my tutor and regular meetings. There has been structure to the meetings and things have progressed at a good rate and support has been given. I feel that I have kept up with the work expected and never been under too much pressure or fallen behind. The tasks have been added spread evenly over the months.

My line manager does keep in contact regularly through one to one meetings and is keen to ensure there are no problems with the apprenticeship. She ensures that I am using time available to progress in the apprenticeship and I have managed my time well to ensure I am getting the minimum 20 percent of time dedicated to progressing the tasks.

Regular meetings have been booked in and questions regarding tasks have been promptly answered. If I am having difficulty in a certain subject, I have been given tips on how to progress or an alternative way of looking at a task to fit in with the work that I am doing. Progress has been continuously checked and milestones reached.

The qualification goes over skills that are probably already there but highlights them more. I feel that alot of the skills have been learned in other roles, particularly by working in Jobcentres so this is the experience that I tend to work from when performing tasks in my role. I think that the apprenticeship may need adjusting if it wants to teach me new skills.

There is HASSRA which encompasses a lot of activities and events but it is not something I am involved in. At the moment the team I am in is spread about all over Scotland so having things in a physical sense is a lot more difficult but attempts to organise something are being made. Social and sports activities for myself are organised outside of work.

Yes

It can lead to a good steady career with a suitable pension at the end. The work can be demanding but there is plenty of scope for moving to other roles and also gaining promotion. The colleagues that I have come across have been great and if you do find a good line of work to be in and a good team it is very good for your wellbeing.

Research the area you wish to work in and prepare well for the interview. Questions have become alot harder over the years and the application process may involve phone, video or face to face interviews. There is good scope for other jobs and promotion once you get your foot in the door.