Business Analyst Review

On a day-to-day basis I undergo very varied tasks such as handling client data in preparation for a wide scale business migration, data analysis to be done on behalf of my line managers, and other tasks specific to my apprenticeship such as written work to be submitted, excel tasks also to be submitted and planning of charity work that I intend to take part in over the coming year.

I have learned a lot of admin based computer skills such as working with excel but also some higher level computing knowledge like basic SQL language and data management in the language. At university we are learning high level programming, maths, computing, and web development - I am taking to these subjects like a fish to water and enjoying myself while learning all these things at once.

I enjoy my programme very much - it has opened up a wide array of options to further my career and diversify my knowledge. I especially enjoy it as I started from such a young age so I feel as if I have a bit of a head start on my career journey.

In the beginning, to get all the apprentices going it was a little manic, my experience was fairly smooth. The only issue I have in this area is the slight lack of communication between the business and the university. This has lead to multiple lengthy phone calls on obsolete topics as there was too much confusion surrounding some options we may have had. Overall, the programme is well put together, even more so when you think about how new it is.

I get non stop support from team members throughout the business. People are always willing to lend a hand when possible and do not get annoyed or irritated by questions, if anything they are encouraging these questions in order for everyone to learn as much about their role as possible and perform to the highest level.

Glasgow Caledonian University functions like any other university in the way that the professors host the lectures and tutorials and you're pretty much flying solo from then on - unless you directly ask for help and make the time to go and get the help. I have not been in that position yet but I am sure if I was, they would be very accommodating.

I feel that it may be a little early on in the programme to say - I enjoy my role right now and I also enjoy university, despite them being fairly different at this moment in time. I have been approached with changing my role to better suit my course, I think this proves just how supportive the business is and that they do have your best interests in mind.

Barclays has loads of these events on all year round. Whether it is a work ball, town hall networking events, the tech monthly social, or any one of the many charity events, there is definitely something for everyone. These are also very easy to register interest for and be kept in the loop about - plenty emails come in advertising these activities and a simple reply can get you signed up in minutes.

Yes

The Barclays apprenticeship programme is a fantastic option for any young adult looking to get a flying start into a career. Coming out of this with four years work experience and a degree also is a dream come true for a lot of young people unsure about what avenue to go down after school. I cant think of anything that I would rather be doing right now than this.

Stay calm - the people that conduct the interviews are there to make you comfortable in order to get the best out of you. It pays to stay calm and composed to ensure that you have a clear head and are ready for anything they may ask. Don't put too much pressure on yourself if you want to perform to the best version of yourself.