Apprentice Planner Review

Town Planner, working on services within the company such as appraisals, planning applications and planning appeals for a great variety of clients. Working closely with specific clients giving me an insight into project management and also learning from the senior staff members who mentor me in the new profession I have entered. Research is also a big part of my job, and doing this for a variety of jobs has given me a broad view of the role's future opportunities.

Yes, too many to count. Having never worked in planning before I feel I have developed specific to the role in a great number of ways, it has been a steep learning curve. Given my background being relatively unrelated to my apprenticeship I feel the skill which has developed the most is researching a variety of information from sources I had not encountered before.

The work side, I enjoy it greatly. The work is interesting, new to me, and very varied- which is something important to me (the idea of doing the same thing every day and not developing is my idea of hell)! The university side is the main let down of my experience, no job is perfect, however I've found that the uni are appalling and it's a great shame to taint what should be a great new experience.

Not very well. My employer was not aware that the chance to employ someone this academic intake was available and consequently the beginning of my time was very hectic, both personally and professionally. The university side is much the same, there was seemingly little-to-no structure in the first semester and it created a great deal of stress for me. Fortunately, this second semester appears to be going much better and my employer is working with me to ensure that future apprentices have a much more fluid and eased experience.

A lot. My employer's level of support has, at times, been the only thing which has kept my motivation for the apprenticeship in this early time. They have been nothing but supportive and this has been echoed by all the staff who willingly help me with my professional and academic queries, without patronising me at all. I almost always feel welcome to speak to them about the ups and downs of my apprenticeship experience and this has been a godsend.

As mentioned, my employer has been nothing but supportive. We have arranged meetings and had talks about any additional Off The Job Hours time during term time, whilst it is more needed, and they have assisted me with any professional and academic queries I have had related to my qualification.

Not very well. The university side has been very poor and additionally very unrelated. I applied for an apprenticeship to be a Town Planner and was met with what myself and my fellow students all felt was an architect's course. There have been rare occurrences where I have felt that the qualification has related to my work, and the course is best on these rare occurrences as I feel I am developing directly in relation to my role- as an apprentice should!

I have attended the rare CPD event however these are relatively few and far between, although not for not looking! I regularly search for events like these but without much luck. It has become an annual objective within my work to seek out these when they are available and attend!

Yes

I think that the company, has been very supportive and would be great for anyone interested in planning. They have been so hospitable, from the interview to today and I think that as a fresh graduate they've been a great entry into the office and professional environment. (Especially considering this is a field I am a novice in.)

Think long and hard before making your decision, companies will always try to push a decision out of you to favour them and this apprenticeship is not for the light hearted, it takes a lot of work. I have spent weeks working 8:30am-midnight when the university side peaks up. But, if this is for you, I doubt you could ask for a better company to work for.