Finance Graduate Review
at Virgin Media O2
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Accounting
London
Review Submitted: March 2022
Overall Rating
4.6 /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
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
4.2/5
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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
I am a Finance Business Partner. Roles change each year and you get a broad understanding of what it means to be a finance professional. The scheme is well structured and allows you to learn lots about the business and the different functions.
Day to day I review past results/work closely with stakeholders/forecast/budget.
Day to day I review past results/work closely with stakeholders/forecast/budget.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I thoroughly enjoy my role and the wider programme. I feel empowered to make good choices. All colleagues are supportive and the office environment is comfortable. Expectations are clear and there is a strong understanding of the roles and expectations a graduate should be doing. This allows roles to be stretching but fair.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
As part of the job we do CIMA and the BPP apprenticeship. I feel that I am a competent finance professional and I am in year 2 with much to learn. The scheme structure allows you to develop role specific and wider skills that link the classroom to your role.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
There is a clear plan for each year that works alongside the studies (CIMA). This is also the case in apprenticeship and intern programmes. The scheme does well to ensure we are exploring the business and getting a broad degree of roles across the three years. Scheme leadership and support is knowledgeable.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
We get ma lot of time off (outside of our annual leave allowance) for studying per module. There is an understanding that we will be out of office every few months to study and management clearly communicates this to stakeholders. This promotes a good internal culture and allows us to manage expectations.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
We receive calls every few months. We also get emails from course leads checking our progress frequently. The lectures online are fine.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
It is clearly linked in the first year and then this continues throughout the programme.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
3/5
Not as many as they used to have before the pandemic although I am sure this will change in the future. We used to have lots going on including socials after work and several sports teams in the key cities, including: 5 a side football/netball in London although this has taken a break lately.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Virgin Media O2 to a friend?
Yes
Why?
The pay is adequate but the community is inclusive and the training you are given provides you with strong experience for future roles and a good understanding of the opportunities available to you. Virgin Media alumni tend to do well and have strong commercial awareness after leaving the scheme. It is clear the scheme is well regarded.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Virgin Media O2?
I think you need to be sure to understand the values and you must bring your authentic self to work. Personality is a key way to stand out from the crowd. At the same time the environment is fast-paced so you must be able to respond quickly with short turnaround times.
