Project Management Apprentice Review

I work within the Project integration team meaning I communicate with Control Account Managers to receive their estimated budget vs. actual cost at completion. I work on excel most days and run reports, and submit deliverables to our customer to ensure we meet the deadlines set. I also prepare data for other areas of the business to use such as Government metrics.

Yes, within the apprenticeship scheme we have been given many opportunities to take part in training courses such as PRENDO training which is allowing us to get a more in depth understanding of EVM. We also have access to an online portal with a wide variety of online training courses to complete for example developing your skills on excel. In addition to these opportunities as part of the scheme we complete our APM Qualification as well as coming out of the scheme with a foundation degree and honours degree in Project Management.

The people on the scheme are great and it is a really good experience to meet so many new people who are all such strong characters. The team you work with are always lovely and willing to help, there is never a stupid question. I really enjoy this scheme as you are given a full time role so there is a lot of responsibility and you are never excluded.

You feel very valued. You have regular 12 week reviews with your line manager and the scheme managers to discuss your progress in your role, how you are getting on in the team and any improvements which can be made. This is really good as they are helping you to learn and grow. Additionally there are many opportunities given to you to travel with the company and also take part in the events both voluntarily or by nominations. For example I have been asked to go to the 2018 recruitment assessment day which is a great opportunity to share my experiences on the scheme so far. Also above and beyond rewards are given out to those who have made a real impact on the business. These really make you feel happy as you are doing more than your daily job.

The structure is very good with one day a week for us to go to University to study for our degree yet in work every other day during the week. Training courses are planned to be carried out during quieter periods within the month to prevent us being interrupted from our day to day job. The support you receive is always really good with your scheme managers being there for you to go to with any questions or queries. However some training courses do cause upset with managers as we are sometimes out of the office a little too much in our first year.

We have a good hierarchy of managers who we can see and speak to when needed. We have our line managers for questions on a daily basis, scheme managers to see about future opportunities and also if we have any problems with our placements. We also have a skills coach who helps us to set objectives and then sets meetings to see our progress and check if we need any further help. Other apprentices are also there to speak to for example other years and also those who have finished the scheme.

We have a lot of support here for example Occupational health who deal with any health related issues, the employee assistance programme is also really beneficial which offers services to not only their employees but employees families also. The help available here is much better than many other companies as it is so large they have much more experience on how to handle issues and deal with certain situations.

Our salary is very good to start on especially for an 18 year old. Most apprentices pay board if they live at home or rent if on their own and that is easy to pay. Travel costs are not too bad if you are driving to your work site then you pay for fuel however if you are needing to travel on company business then you can claim expenses. Work have many costas on site and also a large canteen and a few smaller ones which aren't expensive so daily costs especially at work are reasonable. The location of work depends which site you are working at however this is normally not an issue and you can also ask if there is a specific site you would like to work at.

Many events are available for example Get into engineering was an event which I volunteered to help out at which encouraged people to come to understand what this company is about and how they can get into the company through our apprenticeship schemes. Additionally I went to a local hospice to do some maintenance in the grounds for them. As well as this there is the gym at work which you can join to attend during lunchtimes or after work.

Yes

It is a great company to work for as there are so many benefits of working for such a large company. There are many opportunities to travel with the business as well as the salary you can start on at 18. Furthermore learning on the job is a great way to get into the working world and we are also getting a degree out of this scheme and a Accredited project management qualification.

Give yourself plenty of time to complete your application, ensure you have prepared good examples to use which you can discuss in detail if you get through to the assessment day. Practice the online tests before completing the official tests. Don't rush but try to complete all the questions. Get involved with as much volunteering or opportunities as you can, you want to make yourself stand out and be different to everyone else.