Cross Functional Degree Apprentice Review

by Cisco

Best Apprenticeship Employer

Rating

9/10

1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

Responding to emails, joining calls with partners or customers to discuss/demo our products, meetings with team members about work tasks, outbound calls or email to customers/partners, completing training, working on slide decks, attending events etc

9/10

2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

I have developed sales skills, knowledge on cloud networking, IoT, and more technologies. I have developed my presenting and demoing skills, as well as customer interaction skills.

9/10

3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

I enjoy it a lot, it has provided me with so many different experiences and opportunities that have really helped me to build on my soft skills, as well as technical industry knowledge. I have made lots of connections and friends which plays a big part in enjoying the program.

9/10

4. How well organised/structured is your programme?

It is mostly well structured. There are a few minor things that could be done better but overall it is pretty well set out.

9/10

5. How much support do you receive from your employer?

A lot of support, there is a very good extensive support system in terms of an apprentice manager, a rotation/job role manager, a buddy (who is a senior apprentice), lots of mentoring opportunities, and extensive employee resources also.

10/10

6. How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

A lot as well, almost all relevant training and resources are paid for. There are a range of instructor-led training opportunities provided for technical qualifications like CCNA and more.

9/10

7. How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

Most of the qualifications are quite relevant to the role e.g. CCNA, DevNet, and mostly just provide a really good foundation knowledge base and the confidence of knowing you have it. Although personally, I do find softer skills a little more important for my specific role.

8/10

8. Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

There are a lot, there are plenty of events/activities that are organised by larger company-wide groups such as Women@Cisco, PRIDE, etc, as well as more employee-organised events like office football, or walks. We regularly have social events throughout the year as well.

9/10

9a. Would you recommend Cisco to a friend?

Yes

9b. Why?

The company culture is fantastic, there are plenty of opportunities for career growth, there are lots of events, and the hybrid working flexibility is great. There are also good employee benefits.

10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Cisco?

Have a good level of background knowledge and keep an eye out for latest updates, for example on Linkedin. Reach out to existing employees to hear more about their role and their experience, and for any advice or tips they can personally offer.