Project Management Assistant Review

My role is to assist Project Managers with any work they may need doing. What I do day to day will depend on the tasks I have been given - there is a lot of collaborating with other employees as well as individual work on Excel, PPT and other softwares. I also help with organising meetings and taking minutes for them.

So far I have learnt how to structure emails, how to use Excel proficiently, and developed my networking ability. I have also become more confident with interacting with other people and have been able to be more articulate with what I want to see in the future for myself in terms of growth and development.

The project I am on is complex and it keeps me engaged learning more about it, the people I work with are very friendly and welcoming which helps a lot when asking questions and the university work is manageable, so I'd say I enjoy the programme a great deal.

I had been briefed on what my working week would look like when I first joined as well as additional things that will need completing through out my apprenticeship. This was really helpful in terms of knowing what to do. With the project it took a while to get stuck into work, but after a few months I can say that I have a good amount of work to do on a daily basis.

I receive a lot of support from my employer, my line manager is very good at answering any questions I ask, if he doesn't know the answer he always knows who to refer me to which I am so grateful about. There is a central support team who check in on apprentices and offer support in terms of university work. There is also a smaller support team for the sector that I work in for grads and apprentices in that area which allows us to have a smaller network within the wider network which I think is great. There are also buddy's where you are partnered with an apprentice or grad who has been in the company a while longer, you can ask them for any advice or concerns you may have.

You are dedicated a person who checks your progress every few months and sends you everything you need with regards to information about your course. The lecturers are also very supportive, they respond to your emails, do one to one sessions if need be and do extra sessions for questions.

The qualification gives you the information you need to best perform your role, so far I have studied the legal side to Quantity Surveying and why I need that as a built environment professional. That has been extremely useful to know to be careful about what I say to clients. The lecturers are helpful, answering any questions you need as well as your Apprentice Outcomes Officer who guides you with what to do to achieve the best you can.

There are lunch and learns whereby employees may share something interesting that they do or a process that is worth sharing for others to learn, everyone is welcome to join. There are also events specifically for apprentices and grads. There are also socials planned by apprentices and grads for others. There are volunteering days where you could go with your team to give back to the community. There are hubs which you can join to interact with people similar to you such as Parents at Mace, or EDI at Mace, they do events and have meetings. There are also opportunities to go on site tours, on your site and any other site based on what has been organised or what you can organise.

Yes

Mace has a very welcoming working culture in the consultancy space. It's a great place to learn and grow, everyone aids your development and are receptive to answering questions. I highly recommend Mace as an employer as you are given the responsibility to do work right from the beginning, there isn't a lot of babying while you are working on a task, having said that, if you do need guidance or help you are able to ask for it. The support overall is very good, for both the apprenticeship scheme and your day to day work,

Be yourself, when giving interview answers or while working together in the assessment centre. This will allow the interviewers to judge you based on your true level of effectiveness in terms of collaboration and communication. The interviewers aren't out to get you, please think of the interview as a guided conversation and don't stress too much. This will help you think clearer and easily answer any questions asked.