Relationship team officer Review
at NatWest Group
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Finance
Crawley, West Sussex
Review Submitted: May 2021
Overall Rating
4.1 /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!
3.5/5
-
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:
4/5
The role involves supporting your teams Relationship manager and assistant relationship managers to support their customers needs i.e: general admin, creating opportunity's and being a first point of contact between customers and the banks by receiving and making calls and emails. Each day is ab opportunity to learn whether it goes towards your apprenticeship work or your personal development within the bank.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
As of current, the PBC training hasn't been my favourite as it's not the best teaching method for neurodivergent with auditory processing disorders, thus why I have been struggling to keep up with the online classes however there are enough resources on the BPP hub to self teach, which has been more beneficial for me yet exhausting as I am putting in more hours than I should have to do weekly.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I have learnt a lot of new skills being new to bank as well as being new to the financial world and how to navigate it.
With the quarterly e-learning which are helpful in building your learning, information always being accessible on the intranet, and the purpose led- practices of mentoring - there is always opportunity to keep developing.
In the team I am part of, it's always an open discussion about ways to improve the ways of working as well as seeking resources to further our knowledge.
With the quarterly e-learning which are helpful in building your learning, information always being accessible on the intranet, and the purpose led- practices of mentoring - there is always opportunity to keep developing.
In the team I am part of, it's always an open discussion about ways to improve the ways of working as well as seeking resources to further our knowledge.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
The Apprenticeship programme is well structured for this current year, the first 3 months is about learning and completing your Exam and then the rest of the time is dedicated to submitting the apprenticeship coursework. i think this is beneficial because it allows you to focus on the right things and not be overwhelmed with work. I really appreciate not having 3 things happen at once and that there is a clear plan.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
Natwest is a purpose led organization and this is reflected throughout. There is an apprenticeship council to be able to speak to fellow apprentice's and grad's to support; we're assigned buddies/mentor's to help us navigate the journey the Managers on the team and outside of the team are really supportive and invested in ensuring you're progressing, learning and achieving all goals to get through the apprenticeship and ready you for your role at the end. There is a plethora of resources to seek advice and support that are very accessible where and whenever I have found it beneficial in my Journey so far.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
2/5
There are a lot of resources on the BPP hub that's always accessible and a 2 1/2 hour weekly class to help us prepare for the PBC. My only gripe is that I have to attend the classes and re-watch them later as the live class isn't the best environment for learning with a consistent amount of technical difficulties.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
The qualification helps me preform better in my role as it helps me look out for things I need to learn as well as re-affirming what skills and knowledge I have. It also helps me to maintain good organisation skills to keep on target with what I am doing and is a good practice that I can carry through to after the apprenticeship.
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
There are an array of employee led networks within the organisation and multiple events that are scheduled regularly and easily accessible. Recently I took part in a mobile hackathon for innovative ideas from the graduates and apprentice's and that was a great way to network, develop my critical people capabilities (CPC's) and was just an overall fun experience. Working from home has been a bonus in keeping us all connected with us being able to attend as many "extra- curricular" and I hope it's continued in the future.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend NatWest Group to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Many other companies like to refer to themselves as "like a family", but my experience of Natwest is of a culture that empowers, supports and servers the purpose for our customers and colleagues. This is the kind of workplace that young people seek for employment but don't expect to find in such a large and established organisation. The bank has so many brands that open up opportunities for collaboration as well as future career routes.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to NatWest Group?
Spend you're time doing your research when applying. You're not expected to know it all but they want to see that you're proactive in finding out the relevant information. do take your time in the application process to make sure you're seen before you are seen for an interview. In the interview, show your skills and knowledge but don't forget to be your genuine self (it adds to your qualities). Really sit and think about what you want to gain from this experience - let that guide you through and don't limit your abilities.
