I2020 School Leaver - Procurement Review
at abrdn
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Marketing
Edinburgh
Review Submitted: March 2021
Overall Rating
4.4 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
5/5
-
Overview of Role
5/5
-
Skills Development
4/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
5/5
In my role I have done things like run my own tender process from start to finish with overview from another team member. In this I went from speaking to different members within the organisation and also the suppliers we had reached out too. Also, I dealt with some types of Consultancy for the business, I handled approval requests and also helped with sending documents to the legal team for signature. From this I got a lot of exposure to different teams and built my knowledge. I have also helped with team reporting and creating reports for the business through Power BI
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I really enjoyed the programme. The team I was placed with are very welcoming and it was very easy to fit in and feel a part of the team. From experiences from other departments i engaged with also I felt that the people are very interested and offered me experience and knowledge from themselves which I have found very useful. The programme itself has been beyond my expectations and is probably the best decision I could have made
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
This opportunity has helped a lot with my soft skills. I am more confident in speaking to people as I have to speak to new people nearly on a daily basis. Also, I feel I am better at managing workload and in general this has helped me learn more about the industry and different parts within the business. I completed many internal training courses like learning about asset managers and also getting insight to an account manager etc. I also got a qualification in Business and Admin over the year of the apprenticeship.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
The programme was well structured. We had all got 3 days of induction training to learn about the business. Once I was placed in my team I met with all the team and got an understanding of what the role is and how everything works. My manager was very supportive in my learning. The meeting with the training provider was also helpful as it allowed me to see what I have to do in order to gain my qualification.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
I feel I am getting a Lot of support from the company. This is within my team and branching out to other teams also. I have now been given a mentor and throughout the programme I had a buddy who I could speak to about anything. My manager has also been very supportive as we had daily catch ups and it helped that I was sitting right next to them.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
I enjoyed the qualification. The training provider was supportive and would have monthly catch ups with myself and my manager. I could easily get in contact whenever if I had any queries.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
I think it helps a lot with different soft skills and helped me gain more confidence and gave me ideas on how to approach different situations and how to handle different things. To date I feel I have used a lot of skills learned in my qualification and put it into practice on a day-to-day basis
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
The company has a lot of varying activities. The have different groups and committees, lots of events and classes and also offer good company events.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend abrdn to a friend?
Yes
Why?
My overall experience with Standard Life Aberdeen has been really good. I have never felt uncomfortable and every person I have met has been really helpful and supportive and has offered me different things in relation to furthering my knowledge and experience.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to abrdn?
The application process was fairly simple. Interviews where a bit daunting at first but once the are fine. The assessment days are very enjoyable and lets you meet another people who are in the same position and lets you start networking with people in the business before you even start. Also, importantly just be yourself in what is being asked to do.
