Digital and Technology Solutions Specialist Review

My role is within Technology Strategy. My team provides clarity on the set of plans, actions, and goals of NatWest technology in order to provide value to our customers. I create Strategy documentation and present technology solutions to my stakeholders. My day involves liaising and engaging with stakeholders in meetings or email; facilitating discussions on innovation and wider market opportunities; reading up on Strategy materials; and undertaking independent admin tasks on either Strategy or Apprenticeship. I have daily interactions with my colleagues and line manager to provide support on ad hoc tasks. I also have a designated learning day to catch-up on my studies.

The programme as a whole is quite good. There is a designated learning day which accommodates for the required 20% of learning within the week. I feel that the work load is just the right amount considering all the commitments learners have to deal with work and studies simultaneously. The Digital and Technology Solutions programme is well-structured as the learning provider rolls out the programme overview and all the relevant uni information on a single platform. However, communication with the learning provider, QA, could be better. Furthermore, sometimes it may be difficult to directly apply the theory leant at university into practice unless these skills and knowledge are actively sought for and applied by each learner since each apprentice is assigned at different teams with diverse roles. (E.g. it may be hard to apply technical skills to non-technical roles.)
Furthermore, for the 2021 cohort, there is no buddy system with the older cohort, making it difficult to navigate onboarding and the first initial stages of starting at the bank. I feel that this part of the apprenticeship is not very organised.
I feel well-supported by the Early Careers Team as there are plenty of developmental initiatives rolled out each month. The management in my team is superb and there are opportunities to acquire a mentor as well.

My manager has been very supportive in my development. Management provides all the opportunities to perform well and set me up for success. This is done through mentorship, weekly 1:1, coaching sessions, internal and external qualifications and training courses, as well as giving tasks that are challenging enough to push me to strive for excellence.
The HR Team actively works to create a pleasant employee experience and the bank advocates for diversity and inclusion, making the bank accessible to all people from different walks of life.
Generally a positive experience with support I'm getting from key people.

The learning provider takes long to reply to queries and it takes a couple of follow-ups before an action or response is given. The individual tutors, however, have been responsive and helpful. There are designated office hours where questions can be asked specifically to the tutors regarding a specific module. Overall, support from the training provider can be improved.

I think that the Digital and Technology Solutions programme is very relevant with my role. Not only do I learn technical skills but also business acumen as well. My training with my learning provider informs me more in my role in technology. I feel that the skills and context are tailored and relevant to the latest and emergent technologies which not only looks at the present but the future of tech and oranisations as well.

Yes

NatWest really is a place to thrive personally and professionally. There are countless ways to grow your career in the bank. The management looks after their employees' well-being and there is a great emphasis on work-life balance. I would recommend this to a friend because it's a challenging yet rewarding environment that values collaboration, authenticity, and innovation.