Programme Management Officer (PMO) Review
at Barclays
Degree Apprenticeship
Finance
Knutsford
Review Submitted: April 2021
Overall Rating
4.5 /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!
4/5
-
Overview of Role
4/5
-
Skills Development
4.4/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
I work within the Barclays Resilience Programme; operating across different business entities. The main objective for Resilience is to ensure our systems and processes are resilience designed and operate without interruption. My role is Programme Management Officer, which covers areas including Finance, Resource and Governance. I oversee and collate deliverable reports, which inform senior stakeholders of progress. I provide support by monitoring milestones, outcomes, and RAIDs. I also educate colleagues on processes, for instance, Change Control, which ensures that deliverable changes are captured, evaluated and a decision reached. This ensures that Barclays follow compliant protocols - developing processes to improve customer experiences.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
Since joining back in 2018, I have continued to enjoy the apprenticeship programme at Barclays. In fact, I can confidently say that I've enjoyed every moment of it - there hasn't really been anything negative experiences or situations. The programme allows me to network with many peers, including other apprenticeships, SMEs / colleagues who are very knowledgeable about the industry as well as some very senior people within the orgnaisation.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
Key skills that have improved are: communication, stakeholder management and knowledge around governance and projects - gained the confidence in challenging what I believe is wrong or suggesting constructive improvements.
I own a development plan, which enables me to self-assess for gaps. Provides direction, focus and motivation to develop. Something I would not have without joining the apprenticeship.
I have improved my time management and organisational skills by leading on citizenship activities, which will improve Barclays reputation and work efficiency. For instance, I have organised and taken part in charity and volunteering opportunities for external stakeholders and communities.
I own a development plan, which enables me to self-assess for gaps. Provides direction, focus and motivation to develop. Something I would not have without joining the apprenticeship.
I have improved my time management and organisational skills by leading on citizenship activities, which will improve Barclays reputation and work efficiency. For instance, I have organised and taken part in charity and volunteering opportunities for external stakeholders and communities.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
I would say that the programme is quite organised. All of the apprentices are kept in the loop in terms of general orgaisational updates, training opportunities and further development. When raising any concerns or queries, the career coaches take an action to mitigate these concerns and find additional information to support.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
There is a large amount of support at Barclays. To name a few:
- Benefits and resources, which provide support towards anyone who is experiencing any personal issues. E.g. grievance, mental illness, depression, general wellbeing, health.
- Encourage employees to be their best version by driving and motivating their colleagues through the 5 values (respect, integrity, excellence, stewardship and service)
- Encourages employees to have a personal development plan in place. Allowing you to aim towards goals and objectives that you want to achieve over a certain period of time.
- Constant support system via various networks and channels. E.g. peers, team, mentors, allies, business area, specific networks/working groups, career coaches, university coach contact.
It's probably worthwhile noting that Barclays apprenticeship team allows their apprentices to be quite dependent, however, they do set up regular (monthly) 121 and apprentice cohort sessions, as well as adhoc sessions to ensure their apprentices wellbeing and working experience remains positive.
- Benefits and resources, which provide support towards anyone who is experiencing any personal issues. E.g. grievance, mental illness, depression, general wellbeing, health.
- Encourage employees to be their best version by driving and motivating their colleagues through the 5 values (respect, integrity, excellence, stewardship and service)
- Encourages employees to have a personal development plan in place. Allowing you to aim towards goals and objectives that you want to achieve over a certain period of time.
- Constant support system via various networks and channels. E.g. peers, team, mentors, allies, business area, specific networks/working groups, career coaches, university coach contact.
It's probably worthwhile noting that Barclays apprenticeship team allows their apprentices to be quite dependent, however, they do set up regular (monthly) 121 and apprentice cohort sessions, as well as adhoc sessions to ensure their apprentices wellbeing and working experience remains positive.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) provides a significant amount of support. To name a few examples of how they do this:
- Lecturers always monitor their emails and provide responses quite promptly.
- The lecture sessions itself. Lectures are willing to provide answers to any queries or concerns, e.g. doing demos for coding.
- Each apprentice gets assigned a career coach, with monthly reviews in place to escalate any concerns or queries.
- In the third and fourth year of the higher degree apprenticeship, you are assigned an additional supervisor to support you on a 121 basis for one of your assignments that run in parallel for the year.
- Designated pathway / course reps - monthly sessions with MMU apprenticeship / course leadership team.
- Lecturers always monitor their emails and provide responses quite promptly.
- The lecture sessions itself. Lectures are willing to provide answers to any queries or concerns, e.g. doing demos for coding.
- Each apprentice gets assigned a career coach, with monthly reviews in place to escalate any concerns or queries.
- In the third and fourth year of the higher degree apprenticeship, you are assigned an additional supervisor to support you on a 121 basis for one of your assignments that run in parallel for the year.
- Designated pathway / course reps - monthly sessions with MMU apprenticeship / course leadership team.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
The degree qualification has enabled me to gain a further understanding of how business' operate. Since I am on the IT Consultancy pathway, I have been able to gain a variety of knowledge and understanding of strategy, business and operations, marketing, information systems and coding. All very useful topics and areas which allow me to provide reasonable and solution/problem solving solutions.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
5/5
Wide variety of events and networks, some which are general across Barclays, whereas others are specific to sites. Below are a few examples:
General to Barclays:
- Allies (female and male) networks
- Be Well network
- Gender networks (LGBT+)
- Diversity & Inclusion network
- Black Professional network
- Religion and belief networks (multiple)
Barclays, Knutsford (Radbroke Technology Centre) specific:
- North West Women network (North West/Cheshire area)
- Summer BBQ and activities - sports and team building events
- Firework / bonfire night (open to the public also)
- Radbroke 100 - mini marathon to fundraise for local charities
- Mentor/Mentee opportunities
- Football
- Tennis
- Rugby
- Various clubs
General to Barclays:
- Allies (female and male) networks
- Be Well network
- Gender networks (LGBT+)
- Diversity & Inclusion network
- Black Professional network
- Religion and belief networks (multiple)
Barclays, Knutsford (Radbroke Technology Centre) specific:
- North West Women network (North West/Cheshire area)
- Summer BBQ and activities - sports and team building events
- Firework / bonfire night (open to the public also)
- Radbroke 100 - mini marathon to fundraise for local charities
- Mentor/Mentee opportunities
- Football
- Tennis
- Rugby
- Various clubs
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Barclays to a friend?
Yes
Why?
There are so many opportunities at Barclays - from personal development, networking and citizenship / community work.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Barclays?
Be able to have the willingness to learn, even if that means pushing yourself out of your comfort zone every now and again. You might surprise yourself!
