Project Management Degree Apprentice Review

Assistance to the project management team through management of small packages of work and general administration of project activities. Communication with internal and external stakeholders to gather and report information. Assist teams with issues in completing their packages of work. Assess risks, monitor budgets and update schedules to control the project.

I have developed skills in leadership, collaboration, and particularly communication and how to adapt it to achieve certain results. My organisational skills have developed, and i now possess a greater understanding of critical thinking in terms of risks and schedule impacts. My IT expertise in using company databases and excel has improved.

There are aspects of my work that i enjoy, as i find project management as a function very interesting and dynamic. No two days are the same. However, the line of work that BAE Systems operates in (engineering and defence) can be quite technical and difficult to understand, therefore making some aspects frustrating.

While in some ways the programme is organised well with decent support from the early careers function, and lots of opportunities for work and development, there are aspects that are not structured well at all. For example, some modules of university learning have been structured poorly and had no links to project management. The methods of teaching at the university are also poor, with some students spending more time travelling than they do being taught on their uni days. There has been no support from the university on this, with little response to our complaints. The pay for the apprenticeship is structured poorly, with apprentices being left out of recent "cost of living" payrises, which apprentices had to spend a lot of time discussing with HR to sort out.

I receive as much support as i request from my employer - the early careers function are generally very helpful and will make time for you when they can. Placement managers have been supportive when prompted, however it should be noted that for an apprentice to get as much support as they want, they need to be direct in asking for it.

The training provider has been poor in assisting us with achieving the APM PMQ (Project Management Qualification). Learning was given to students with the intention of taking the test, and this test was never booked, possibly making this redundant. Many students feel like they are not being given enough support and information regarding their end point assessments too. However, the university is very good at providing support in assignments.

I believe that understanding the theory behind why we do things means we place importance on some activities and less importance on others. It often teaches us the theoretically correct way to do something, and it is helpful to apply certain theories in work to achieve different results. Leadership teaching has in particular been very useful. Some modules though have been either repetitive or unrelated to project management.

There are many social activities that are held by apprentices that occur on a monthly basis. There are sports teams around a couple of the sites, and professional networking events do sometimes occur. These are communicated well by the apprenticeship council we have in our company. These events are available for all apprenticeships.

Yes

Despite the issues, i have learned valuable skills and picked up valuable experience, as well as making connections with up and coming project managers for the future. Despite the issues with pay, i feel i am paid a decent salary, and i am given appropriate time to complete my degree while not having student loans. I will likely be given a permanent role once ive finished. This to me has been preferable to going to university full time.

Be willing and enthusiastic to learn a new and complex environment. Be very direct and upfront with the issues you need support with. Pursue as many opportunities as possible that you think will develop your knowledge, skills and behaviours. Don't be afraid to ask questions and dont be afraid to get things wrong.