Apprentice Business Analyst Review

As an apprentice in Sage, I had a god introduction to the company and the team. I was then introduced to the project that I'd be working on and given a lot of help whilst working on it. As I progressed I needed less support but support was still available whenever needed. I ran my own day and meetings and organised my own diary, working solely on my projects and apprenticeship work.

As I had no experience in business, I have learnt a great deal. By being immersed in the business world I have learn a lot of soft skills and the language of business. I have also had time with my manager teaching key skills of business analysis and project management. I can now confidently do the basics of project management and business analysis on my own and I still have plenty more time to learn.

I really enjoy my programme. I have had fantastic opportunities and been given plenty of space to grow and learn. I am trusted to do my job well and treated like any other member of the team. There are very few apprentices on my team and in my office but as there is such a good atmosphere, it doesn't seem to matter.

The provider of my apprenticeship has given me a very clear structure to my programme and I can change things as I need to. It is very clear where I am within the programme and what I should be doing at each stage. My boss is very supportive in moving me through each stage and ensuring I get the most out of each stage.

When I first started I was given a huge amount of support with calls set up with people skills that I could really learn from. As I have progressed I have needed these calls less and so they are no longer weekly. The important thing is that all team members are so lovely and approachable that I know I have support as I need it. My boss ensures that I have all support I need, often preempting what I might need.

I have regular meetings with a mentor from my training provider who goes through my portfolio to ensure that it will be good enough when submitted, also checking up on my learning as a whole. I can contact someone else at y training provider too should I have any issues. They provided me with a lot of information and help so far.

The training that I receive as part of my apprenticeship is very useful, it helps me understand the theory of what I am doing so that I can try and put it into practice, or highlights areas where what I am doing is not actually best practice. The training is not company specific which is very helpful should I move companies in the future.

Sage offers foundation days where you get involved in charity events and volunteering. These are great opportunities and really encouraged by the company and cover loads of different charities and types of volunteering. I know that there are some social groups in the office like badminton and walks but I haven't taken part yet.

Yes

I've really enjoyed my time so far at Sage. The atmosphere and the team are great. I have found it to be a very supportive company with good values. I'm not sure that it's the best company for long term growth but they have set me up very well so far.

Ask questions. When I applied I didn't hesitate to ask all of the questions that I had, and they were very happy to answer. That kind of response put me at ease and helped me be more confident in my interview. Also, I found honesty while applying very important. I was completely honest when talking to them and so they were honest with me and I ended up getting a job that wasn't exactly what I applied for but was actually more closely aligned to my skills and what I would enjoy.