Apprentice Project Manager Review

My role is essentially managing a project from start to finish. Most of my projects are construction based and include railways and highways etc. My day to day tasks involve managing the programme, the budget and reporting the project updates to the clients. I have a lot of meetings I present at and my role is client facing meaning I liaise directly with them and other stakeholders. I also attend site fairly regularly to track the progress of the project.

I have learnt a lot of new skills such as communication skills. Due to my role including a lot of liaising with the client and other third parities, this has increased my confidence in speaking to new people. My problem solving skills have also improved as often projects do not run smoothly and there are issues that must be resolved quickly to mitigate the impact they have on the project.

I enjoy my programme a lot as it provides me with both the academic skills and the hands on experience required to be a good project manager. The topics I learn in university directly apply to the tasks I complete in work which deepens my knowledge of project management. My company also give me lots of support in terms of balancing uni and work.

My actual university course isn't particularly well structured. There are often cancelled sessions, most of the lectures are online when they were supposed to be in person, the time taken to receive grades back from assignments are very long and the overall communication and organisation of the course is not to a high standard.

I receive a lot of support from my employer. They are very invested in me and my degree so allow me sufficient time to complete assignments and any other uni work. They are conscious of my work life balance and want to ensure I am getting the most of my course so always try to get me to work on projects where I can demonstrate the skills I learn at university to deepen my knowledge.

My training provider is fairly supportive, however as previously mentioned they are quite unorganised, often leading to miscommunication of information. They did offer a few additional revision sessions when working towards my PMQ (Project Management Qualification) which were useful. Overall, they are there to support us, however it could be improved.

I believe my qualification assists me in my job role as I learn the essential skills to allow me to be a good project manager. Learning skills such as risk management, finance and stakeholder engagement in the classroom allows me to put this into practice in my job role as I have the theory and academic knowledge. The topics I learn in university are all relevant to my day to day roles.

Arup have a great social network. There are a wide variety of sports clubs and activities for people to get involved in as well as lots of social events which is a real bonus of working for them. There is always something going on in the office and lots of opportunities to network and socialise with colleagues.

Yes

Arup is an amazing company to work for. They value their employees so highly and do everything they can to provide a positive work environment with lots of benefits. Everyone in Arup is very friendly and willing to help ans there is no sense of hierarchy among the organisation, everyone is genuinely treated equally which leads to lots of opportunities to progress in your career. I could not think of a better company to complete an apprenticeship or start my career with.

Arup are very keen on employing people who want to make a difference. Whilst academic performance is important to them, they place more emphasis on employing people who are proactive and passionate about what they do, with great communication skills and willing to learn. I would say when applying to have lots of examples of where you have shown good teamwork skills. I would also recommend researching a lot into the types of projects Arup deliver, particularly the sustainability and inclusivity focused ones and demonstrate your knowledge of these areas. You should showcase how you are a well rounded individual, and provide examples of how you want to make a difference to the world that encompasses its core values- read the Arup key Speech!