Finance Apprentice Review

My role involves helping process purchase invoices and credit notes, credit card purchases and reconciliation, timesheet cross referencing and filing, document collection for audits and expenses approval. I do a range of tasks and two days are not always the same. I co-manage the apprentice networking group at the university.

Yes I have learnt a lot of new skills such as data accuracy, how to process invoices/credit note/pro-forma invoices, timesheet filing, how to collect documents for audits, how to run and use information gathered from invoice reports, guidelines for expenses and also how to do Barclaycard reconciliation.

I really enjoy my programme as I am learning new skills and gaining more and more experience. I enjoy the different networking opportunities at the University such as the apprentice ambassador programme where we get to go into schools or run events virtually and share our experience as an apprentice. I find this really rewarding.

My programme is well structured. I work from home a few times a week and attend College once a week also. I enjoy having to physically attend College as I am able to have a full day to go through our course content and also socialise with other apprentices in different departments at my company and also meet other apprentices at other businesses.

I receive a lot of support from my employer in many different ways. We are paid a good salary, have support from colleagues with exams as and when needed. I receive a lot of support with my exam anxiety also which is really helpful. I've had 0 issues with support.

My training provider is great in terms of support. I get really quick replies from my tutor and also apprenticeship leader. They are always happy to help if you have any questions which is nice to know that you can turn to them for prompt help as and when you need it.

I feel like my qualification is really helping me to perform better in my role as it's more aligned with the work I am doing this year for L3. I can see how they are linking more this year as opposed to when I did my L2 it didn't seem as relevant but it was still relevant to the work I was doing.

There are lots of extra-curricular activities to get involved with at work such as the summer party and christmas party that are thrown annually. There are also other networking opportunities for apprentices such as the networking group, apprentice ambassador and the apprenticeship awards. You can also (with permission) shadow in other departments.

Yes

I think Oxford University look after their staff and the benefits of working here are amazing (hybrid, networking/social opportunities, pay, holiday entitlement). The atmosphere in the offices are hit and miss but this is a minor detail and the positives 1000% overweigh this. There are always people you can turn to for support in different circumstances also.

Prepare well for your interview and research the department, look at the job and person specification and think of examples where you have experience with that job/person specification to use in the interview. Try to have examples ready for either work, volunteering or through school. Try your best and be your authentic self. Try to have some questions ready to ask at the end to show you have a genuine interest in the role. Don't let any rejection for one role stop you from applying for other roles at the University!