Talent & Change Co-Ordinator Review
at abrdn
Degree Apprenticeship
Finance
Edinburgh
Review Submitted: April 2022
Overall Rating
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!
5/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
5/5
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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
Supporting the recruitment and development of all early careers talent at abrdn for our internship, graduate programme and traineeship programme. I support the screening of applications at application and video interview stage, organise and manage assessment centre processes, manage candidate offers and design and run induction and development sessions for all cohorts.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I never thought that I would be able to work towards a degree qualification while also developing and growing in a career that I'm passionate about. Working towards my graduate apprenticeship qualification allows me to put my learnings into practice and base my studies on real life work experience which is great.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
Since starting my graduate apprenticeship at abrdn, I have developed time management and organisation skills - it's important to prioritise and plan when juggling both a full time role and full time studies. I regularly engage with a variety of stakeholders internally which has allowed me to develop my communication and networking skills.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
The programme is very well structured. I'm able to use real life experiences from my day job in my studies which helps me plan and work towards my university milestones. abrdn offer a generous study leave policy which allows me to take time off from work to focus on my qualification.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
I've received great support since starting my graduate apprenticeship - my team allows me to get involved in work that is relevant to my studies which enables me to complete my work based learning portfolio. I have access to study leave and exam leave which allows me to take the relevant time out of office to focus on my studies.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
Robert Gordon University provide great support while we are on programme. There is an on campus day every module which has been adapted to suit the virtual work environment for the last few years. We have access to tutors and mentors at the university and we are set up with study groups to allow us to connect and learn from other students on our course.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
The qualification has been so relevant to my role - it's been great learning and working through modules like Learning & Development or People Management and being able to put my learnings into practice. Being able to study and work alongside each other has really enabled me to stretch and grow in my role and it's given me the confidence to push myself out of my comfort zone.
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
Yes, within abrdn there are a variety of employee networks that anyone can get involved in. Each of our networks supports and works towards a cause e.g. mental health, gender diversity, environmental awareness, etc. Anyone in the company can be a member of as many employee networks as they like and employees can chose to either be on the committee of a network or to just join as a member. The networks regularly host networking and social activities.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend abrdn to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Joining abrdn was the best decision I could have made leaving high school - I've had countless opportunities to learn, group and develop in a role that I'm passionate about. I never thought that I'd have the opportunity to work towards a degree qualification and a career at the same time.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to abrdn?
Reach out to people internally to learn more about the company as you apply - usually employees are more than happy to give up some of their time. Applying to opportunities can be overwhelming, make sure you take time to prepare in advance of any recruitment processes and carry out research on the role/company you are applying for in order to demonstrate your interest in applying.
