Apprentice Review

I will have a stand up with the project team every morning to discuss what we did the previous day and what our tasks for the current day are and if there are any issues/blockers preventing us from doing our work. Then interact with stakeholders and team throughout meetings and emails daily. I also focus on studying for my apprenticeship on an ad hoc basis, couple of hours each day.

I have built on my presenting skills, something I was previously not very confident in doing, however having been given the opportunity to present to my team on multiple occasions has helped build that confidence. I have also improved my written communication skills as I have to communicate often via email.

I have enjoyed the programme as it has given me the chance to get my foot in the door working for a big company but also by learning something new and working in an area completely different to before. I have not been happy with my training provider, however and have found throughout that I am not interested in the learning area. The way in which we are taught also does not reflect how things are done within the business which makes it more difficult.

I like that the programme is structured in the same way that a project life cycle would normally be. I do not however think that it is well organised as we often had scheduling issues and were beginning new topics before we had submitted our work for the last one. Our early career team also gave the managers little guidance on how to organise experience in our work.

I feel very supported in completing my apprenticeship by my employer. My line manager in particular has given me as much time as I need to study for my exam and to build on my portfolio. I wish though that the early careers team gave more support to line managers as there are a lot of unknowns.

I have received a decent amount of support when working towards my qualifications by them giving mock exam questions and giving feedback on my answers. They also taught me how to structure my answers to ensure I get the best marks. Contact time is quite limited, but I am sure if I reached out, they would get back to me.

It helps me perform better in projects as I can understand the documentation and the reasons for the processes and procedures much better. I also have grown my knowledge in areas such as risk management which is essential to understand, particularly in a project environment.

There are a lot of employee led networks at work that range from Rainbow network to Multicultural network to armed forces. They also have networking events for apprentices and graduates to help you get to know people in a similar role. They also provide volunteering opportunities which allow you to meet others or team build.

Yes

I think that it is a very supportive and understanding place to work. Everyone is friendly and willing to help out where they can, especially when you are just starting out in your career. I believe that we are also paid fairly as apprentices and for other roles within the bank that is also true.

Look for a role that really interests you. If your application is successful and you are invited to interview, read up on the core values of Natwest, what they mean and consider how they apply to you. They will likely send out an interview pack that details the critical people capabilities and these are what will be assessed in the interview so prepare answers for them.