1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

My role is as a Solicitor Apprentice within the in-house Legal Team for the Society. I assist the Legal Team in acting for the Society and help to provide legal advice to the business on a range of issues and topics every day.

10/10

2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

I have learned so much over the past 4 years during my apprenticeship whilst studying the theory of law at university and simultaneously applying the theory in practice. I have developed my professional skillset in areas such as written and spoken advocacy and legal drafting and have also grown a lot personally and gained confidence.

10/10

3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

My programme so far has been seamless and I enjoy every day at work. Almost every day is different and I enjoy the challenges my programme brings.

10/10

4. How well organised/structured is your programme?

My programme is very well organised and structured. As I am the first Solicitor Apprentice for the Legal Team it took a little time to get into a good rhythm but now it works very well. I have experienced a 6 month seat rotation around the Legal Team following my first year with the Society and have experience now in Data Protection, Contracts and Litigation.

10/10

5. How much support do you receive from your employer?

I have received a lot of support from my mentor, manager, Early Talent Programme within the Society and also from my university tutor. I meet weekly with my manager and mentor to discuss weekly tasks. I feel comfortable in asking for help with my workload and my employer is happy to give me any extra time I need around exam times.

10/10

6. How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

I meet with my university tutor once every 4 months who ensures that I am completing relevant tasks within the workplace and also checks in to make sure I am receiving appropriate support at work. I would feel confident to ask for guidance with problems if one arose.

10/10

7. How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

My qualification through university goes hand in hand with my role. I am currently learning the theory of law at university and my team helps to ensure I am completing relevant tasks at the same time in the workplace so that I can see how the theory works in practice. This has been extremely beneficial in aiding my understanding of core topics.

10/10

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.)

I have attended many networking events with popular law firms in Newcastle outside of work and also regularly meet with other solicitor apprentices from the firms for training.

10/10

9a. Would you recommend Newcastle Building Society to a friend?

Yes

9b. Why?

Newcastle Building Society is a great place to work. It is so clear to me as an employee that the business really cares for its employees and their wellbeing. This is reflected well through the general culture of the Society and the messages cascaded from senior leaders around wellbeing, the urge to take annual leave and a sufficient lunch break. Also the salary, bonuses and colleague benefits are amazing here.

10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Newcastle Building Society?

Look up Newcastle Building Society and its culture. I think if you can relate to the culture here then you will be a great asset to the Society. The onboarding process is seamless so you can have confidence that you will be looked after from the beginning of your journey here.

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