Client Service Apprentice Review

Currently working in a change management role, which is definitely an enjoying role and has been since I joined the team. Prior to this role, I had been working on a specialist support team in which I was actioning client queries relating to specialist payment queries - I was in this role for 6 months.

I have definitely developed as a person since joining the bank and I feel being in a more senior team has helped me to mature potentially faster than I previously would have. I dont feel as though I have developed too many skills that are applicable to any job I will go for in the future.

I have always enjoyed working for Barclays as a company, given the fact that the culture in Gadbrook Park specifically is second to none. However, I havent had a single enjoyable moment with Knowledgepool, and it just seemed to be issue after issue for the 2 years and 2 months that I was on the course - It almost seemed that no one knew what was going on.

There is almost no structure to the programme, as you are provided with a textbook at the start and just told to go away and answer questions. Then around a year in you are to do an exam, of which all the learners failed as the course was incorrectly aligned with our work, meaning that we had no application for what was being learnt in the textbook.

Barclays has always looked to support in providing you with the required time to complete any tasks, while my line managers have always been fully supportive of any challenges I had faced on the course. There is not much else Barclays can do aside from this as it is mainly down to the training provider.

I would say the support is extremely minimal. You have monthly catch-ups with your talent coach, but typically there can be last minute issues that change these and it seems to happen regularly.

The qualification has no relevancy to the work I am doing, as the qualification was for retail banking and I currently work in corporate banking. This meant that it was particularly difficult to get an understanding of the more complex topics. When I had asked about this, I was told to "just get it over with and see if it is ever useful" opposed to why it is like this.

I have been involved in many activities in Barclays that range from citizenship activities, through to sports challenges.

Yes

I would recommend for anyone to work for Barclays, but to stay far away from the apprenticeship scheme given how much of a mess it is. The company is great, but the working relationship seems ever changing between Barclays and Knowledgepool, which definitely had a negative impact for all apprentices.

To go for a normal job opposed to the apprenticeship.