Business manager Review

My role is supporting the key business management functions at BT in my sector. Sales, project management, contract management, and client service management. I have rotated over 4 years through these roles, supporting an assignment manager to contribute and deliver to their work loads. The course has seen me manage my own accounts, projects, and customer relationships.

I have learnt many new skills. Whilst I still believe real specialised knowledge comes with years more experience, the apprenticeship has seen me learn and develop in confidence, business acumen and judgement, relationship understanding and management, and just over all professionalism. Those being just some of what I’ve learnt, you are able to grown into your own self, and create a personal brand that those around you can notice you for.

I enjoy the programme a lot. I have definitely benefited from the fact that it has been a rotational programme. This has allowed us to see how different business roles interact and share common business goals, that contribute to an overall strategy. This will benefit my career in the future by allowing the breadth of knowledge I’ve learnt to have not come from a singular part of BT. This supports individuals to not get stovepiped in one place.

I think it has been structured very well. I refer again to the rotational value of the course. It has helped by being very welcomed by all colleagues in my business sector. I haven’t come across anyone unwilling to support us as we develop nor anyone who say that haven’t benefited from having us around.

I have received more than enough support. We were the first cohort in my sector I work in, and so there was a lot of excitement, but also understanding of who we were, what we are doing and what our goals are. The minimum on study work is 1 day a week but I have always been allowed more if so needed.

I would argue that this has been variable. My employer has been faultless however the training provider has been inconsistent. Within their organisation they have had some amazing staff who have been very supportive and helpful however there are some who have taken differing approaches and have not seemed as present when you might have thought they would be. This in itself has been a good learning curve though as it has taught some independence, although I would still argue this isn’t intentional from their side but instead poor management. Their resources in a content context are quite good however and there is lots of access to open libraries, knowledge articles etc ….

I think this is difficult to answer. I started this course straight from sixth form so at 18 years old In a large PLC such as BT - responsibility naturally is handed out easily. This made it difficult for the first couple of years to be able to contextualise all of the learning that is taught. Being on calls with other learners from other companies, they were mature students who were at higher levels in their companies and they were able to make use of content far more easily - or so it seemed to me.

Bt has lots of things you can get involved in and if they don’t exist, and you can gather interest, you could make it happen. I personally have not been involved in anything myself, but my job itself has presented activities outside of my job description, that I have been engaged with. Such as sponsorship of military sporting events, and then supporting the work that goes with this, and then reaping the benefit of being able to attend competitions and weekends away etc …

Yes

It has been a very continuously learning environment. You consistently feel growth both in work activity, and personal development, providing you hold your own and look to push yourself. You don’t need to put your hand up for everything and try to do too much or be the most confident in a room to experience this, but you do need to see wider goals for yourself and know when opportunities may benefit you.

It’s valuable to be yourself, and you will sooner be noticed for this, than for competing with the next person on trying to prove your expansive knowledge on business specifics. I had/have little knowledge on BTs core technical operations, such as what makes networks and how different components work. But, people value people, and it’s important to be genuine and be able to build rapport from the second you meet new people etc…