Program & Project Management New Associate Review

I am a member of the Project Delivery Controls team within the Project Management Office (PMO). My day to day role involves providing financial analysis of ongoing projects back to managers and delivery leads in order to help them manage their resources and budget. I work across a shared service, meaning I am responsible for managing multiple accounts. These account specifics vary, meaning I am continuously challenged which is what makes my role so interesting.

Over the past 2 years and 8 months, Accenture have allowed me to develop my softer skills such as communication and time management. I feel I have grown as a person massively, and could not see myself as a more valued member of the team. I have developed several other skills with the help of my role and degree. I have developed an understanding of technical languages which is something I struggled with when I first joined Accenture. I can now use these skills within my role and bring to my team ideas on how to improve and automate processes.

Before joining Accenture I was really struggling to understand what I wanted to do with my life after sixth form. After 2 and a half years of being here, I will never look back. The opportunity I have taken is the best decision I have made. I see a bright future ahead of me, and hope I can express this to other young people in schools who are also struggling with future decisions.

For looking after over 100 apprentices, our programme is very well structured, and looked after. All of our training and support is there at all times. The only time our programme has been out of structure was due to delays with college course but I do not believe this was an Accenture issue.

I receive a lot of help and support when I need this. I feel comfortable enough to talk to anyone when I need to and lucky enough that I am treated equally as a member of the team rather than as the lower level apprentice. There are several areas of support available, whether this is from our training provider, apprentice manager, or our line manager.

Newcastle University Centre are very understanding that we have a full time job as well as part time study. They are good if we need extra study time or for deadlines. At times I feel that we are not taught to the best of their ability and there can be too much of a relaxed atmosphere within the classes. I do try my best to ignore this and catch up where I can at home. Again I believe this is an ongoing college problem rather than on the back of Accenture.

Personally I find the skills I learn during my degree extremely helpful in my day to day role. Particularly at this current stage of university, I have come to completing my work based project, I now have the technical skill to do this independently and potentially test to improve processes within my team.

I am involved with many side of desk activities at work. I have recently joined management team for Inclusion & Diversity. This group is helping understanding of gender diversity within the work place. I am also part of separate equality and gender groups to help with events here in Newcastle. I have also recently taken on the role of looking after Project Management aligned apprentices to help them understand their career path.

No

I would recommend Accenture to anybody who is just out of school or university and is struggling with their career choice. Although this is a Software Engineering apprenticeship, there are so many further opportunities where we can learn and grow. It is an opportunity I most certainly will never regret taking.

Don't worry about the experience you have, Accenture want people with good initiative and a 'can-do' attitude. The training and support is all there for you, just be confident and a good communicator, and the you will lead your own way. I had no high level skill in IT, just a genuine in technology and the future of ways of working.