Business Apprentice Review

I am a business apprentice within Leonardo currently working in the commercial area. On a daily basis I will be involved in supporting managers and colleagues with various activities as well as managing my own work packages. Depending what placement I am in, I can interact externally with customers and suppliers as well as internally with Leonardo colleagues. The placements that I have been in include supply chain, procurement and commercial. These have different responsibilities on a day to day basis, but all involve a lot of communication with relevant people over the phone and through email. My placement manager will often set me work to complete or take over throughout the duration of my placement, as well as completing my NVQ.

I have improved my communication skills due to the many different types of communication tools needed to be used while working for Leonardo. I've improved my prioritisation skills as when faced with different activities I must be clear as to which ones should be done first. I've improved my leadership skills as well as I have been involved in many projects where I have taken the lead and set actions to be completed. I have trained to become a STEM ambassador for the company, as well as receiving a DBS certificate. I have been on various internal training courses such as: trade compliance, supply chain, legal and bribery awareness. I've learnt vast amounts about Leonardo and the industry it performs in and it has encouraged me to develop my career with the business after my apprenticeship.

I thoroughly enjoy my programme with Leonardo. The work I am involved with is exciting and important so you really feel that you are doing an important job as part of a team. The teams at the business are really helpful and will often set work for you as well as putting time aside to train you on any topics or answer any questions. The apprenticeship has met my expectations completely, I was expecting a challenging yet rewarding programme, full of important work and that's what it is. I have thoroughly enjoyed my programme thus far and look forward to my remaining placements.

I feel very valued by Leonardo, this can be seen through various reviews that I would have with my apprenticeship manager as well as placement line managers. I have been recognised internally on many occasions receiving positive feedback from managers as well as rewards. Externally stakeholders to the business will often thank you for any help/support you have provided them and this is also very rewarding to hear. Some projects where I have taken the lead have led to myself receiving really positive feedback which again emphasises how much you are valued in the business.

The programme is extremely structured. There is firstly a 3 day induction upon starting which eases you into the business. There are also various training opportunities throughout the business that you can get involved in. The support comes from everyone within the business not just managers, so apprentices feel they can go to anyone for advice. There is also enough time away from your placement to study for your NVQ or any other qualification being completed. There are various meetings that can help with support with placement and apprenticeship managers. The team you work with ensure you have enough work, which emphasises how structured the apprenticeship is.

Our assessors and training providers are more than happy to set aside time to provide any support that apprentices may feel are necessary. They can support any problems you have by making sure you receive any training that could help solve some of these problems. The attitude towards supporting apprentices is always positive and it is a reason why I have thoroughly enjoyed my apprenticeship thus far.

We receive vast amounts of support from our employer as well as accessibility to talk to anyone within the business to receive further support. Guidance for any of our problems is always readily available, with the general attitude to supporting apprentices always a positive one. It is helpful that as an apprentice we always have access to support as well as having various people around the business able to provide that support.

The salary we receive as part of the apprenticeship meets my costs sufficiently. Living costs that I have are more than able to be covered by my salary, as well as travelling to and from work everyday so I am able to afford to run my car easily. The salary allows me to meet any costs that I come across on a day to day basis, such as purchasing food from the canteen or any bills that need to be paid.

There are many opportunities outside of work. The company is often involved with many external careers events that employees can get involved in. As well as this there are various sporting opportunities to get involved in and compete. We have a nearby sport facility that we use to host sporting events such as football and tennis tournaments. Departments will often organise social events which helps to boost team morale and keep the workplace an enjoyable. The charity initiative at Leonardo is also a great thing to be involved in as there are so many opportunities such as bike rides and cake sales.

Yes

I would recommend Leonardo to a friend as it is an extremely interesting and rewarding place to work. As I am still learning and developing my career at the moment, going into different placements is improving my knowledge and allowing me to gain a better idea of which department I would like to work in. Since starting my apprenticeship I have been involved in many projects and activities that I have enjoyed and all of which have been important to the business, which emphasises that Leonardo is a great place to work.

I would suggest that anyone applying to Leonardo comes along to the open evenings that we host before applying. This will make sure you know about the business before you send across an application. When completing your application be sure to set enough time aside to complete and read over what you have wrote, and take pride in your application. When being interviewed try to show off why you think you will be a benefit to the company and focus on your strengths and how you think you can over come your weaknesses. Ensure you know about the business and get involved in any work experience/opportunities offered to you as it will help when you start an apprenticeship with us!