Rating

8.8/10
  • 1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
  • On a day to day basis I do a lot of coordination work. This often involves helping my team to track deadlines and supporting my colleagues projects. As part of my business as usual work I also manage request for additional training from employees. A lot of my work is project based and I am often given the chance to work in different areas.

    10/10

  • 2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
  • My confidence has improved drastically since working at The Financial Ombudsman Service, part of this is due to being in a fast paced environment in which I had to ask lots of questions and work with many different teams to reach a point where I can add value. I've been on many courses since starting here which anyone is able to sign up for, the most interesting one so far has been on emotional intelligence and resilience. Additionally the service gave me the opportunity to participate in the public sector appprentice of the year awards which involved a two day training event, this was a massive boost to my confidence and my public speaking skills.

    10/10

  • 3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
  • I find the course I am on really interesting, a lot of what I learn can be applied to the job. However, I would say that towards the start of my course it was hard to stay on track of so many conflicting priorities but as time went on I learned to better manage my workload.

    8/10

  • 4. How well organised/structured is your programme?
  • My course has lots of structure. Each week has a set piece of content for me to learn about and complete activities, after 3-8 weeks (based on module) I complete a written assessment or interview which gets graded. Although there is lots of structure available, you are free to work ahead if you want. Personally I usually spend more time researching the topic before spending lots of time at once writing everything I've learned. It's dependant on your learning preferences.

    9/10

  • 5. How much support do you receive from your employer?
  • My Employer is really supportive of my course. I'm confident that if I have issues with my supplier or the content of my course I can ask anyone in my department for help and the issue will be resolved promptly. The Financial Ombudsman Service regularly gets in contact with its apprentices to maintain an open dialogue and get feedback. Since starting I've attended multiple events specifically for apprentices to help keep motivation up, learn new skills and most importantly socialise with other apprentices who are in the same situation.

    9/10

  • 6. How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
  • My provider is helpful with my qualification in that they provide lots of additional reading materials I am able to freely access, additionally there are forums on my suppliers virtual learning environment where I can talk to other people on my course from different organisations and ask my tutor questions. The only criticism I would have of the supplier is that there isn't a lot of proactive outreach, apprentices are definitely encouraged to seek the help they need independently.

    7/10

  • 7. How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
  • I frequently use knowledge I have learned from my course in my job role. This is especially visible in my decision making, having the knowledge to support my opinions gives me credibility and confidence. Not all the knowledge I learn helps me perform in my role as my course covers a wide variety of roles, however this allows me to move into different areas of HR once I get my qualification.

    7/10

  • 8. Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
  • My work has tons of networks that anyone can join freely. These networks range from the carers network, to religious networks and to sports and social networks. They put on events frequently and once you join a network you are invited to participate in all their events. There is a group of people for everyone to feel involved with, inclusiveness is always a priority at my work place.

    10/10

  • 9a. Would you recommend Financial Ombudsman Service to a friend?
  • Yes


  • 9b. Why?
  • The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has given me so many opportunities to gain new skills and qualifications. All of these chances to learn and develop are in addition to my course. Additionally FOS has flexible working which has been really helpful, I am able to start work later or earlier depending on what works with my schedule. And I can spend time each week working from home (with a laptop provided by FOS), this has been especially useful for when I need to get coursework done.


  • 10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Financial Ombudsman Service?
  • My number one tip would be to be honest and open with your experiences and how they've led you to aspire toward the course you are seeking. I worked in retail for two years, despite being worlds apart from human resources in so many aspects, I was able to draw on so many experiences that could relate to my current role. Its much easier for me looking back after having been working in my role to see how my last job set me up for success. So just make sure you give plenty of thought to how your experiences have led to the role!


Details

Level 3 Apprenticeship

Business Operations

London

May 2020


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