Technology Apprentice Review
at NatWest Group
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Information Technology
Edinburgh
Review Submitted: May 2022
Overall Rating
3.5 /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!
3/5
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
3/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
3/5
My day to day role, alongside my apprenticeship, is Scrum Master to a public cloud engineering team. This role involves following the Agile way of working, facilitating meetings, and helping to remove blockers for the team in order to improve their ability to work. Normally this involves running daily stand up calls to discuss what the team have been working on and if they have any issues, coordinating sprint plannings and meetings with the team, monitoring team capacity, and reporting on the work the team have achieved during each sprint.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
So far, I have really enjoyed my programme. There were a lot of opportunities to connect with other apprentices starting out at the same time, which meant great networking and support. My team that I work with every day are really understanding and help me out with my learning as much as they can. I feel very supported in my role and have recieved a lot of encouragement in both meetings and through quarterly reviews. Everyone has been willing to help making it a really welcoming environment to work in.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I have definitely developed new skills since starting my role here. I have learned new concepts in technology, specifically in public cloud computing. I have gained certification in Azure cloud fundamentals, and have managed to achieve qualifications in several internal taringin courses, such as python. I have also learned a lot of new workplace skills, which I use daily. An example of this would be zoom etiquette and communication, as this was something I previously had not done, as well as microsoft skills. I have further developed my communication skills with daily calls and meeting new colleagues.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
The programme is well structured. Initially there are a lot of introductions and inductions that take place to make sure you are comfortable in your new role as an apprentice. For the apprenticeship, there is a lot of time allocated in the beginning modules, so that you can get used to the structure of them and learn what is required from you. This also gives you time to settle into your job role too in the first couple of months. I have received a lot of support in both my job and apprenticeship. There is also ample time for studying and training.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
Personally, I feel like I receive a lot of support from my employer. As I mentioned, everyone I have met has been very welcoming and willing to help. My manager has been really understanding and has checked in to make sure that I have the correct levels of work, that I am enjoying my role, and that I am pursuing the training and certifications that I want to.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
So far, I have had several calls with my training provider. These calls are normally check-ins to make sure that I am confident in completing my modules and I don't have any questions. My assessor has been very supportive and answered all of the questions I have asked so far, provided guidance for my modules and has given great feedback so that I know I am on the right track with my work. I have not completed a virtual course yet, but I do feel prepared to do so due to the support from my assessor.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
So far, the learning with my apprenticeship has not been key in helping me to perform in my day to day role. Though, as my role leans more towards management than technology, it may be difficult to access this. I do feel like I have more knowledge surrounding processes and regulations than when I began my role. Hopefully after some virtual courses I will be able to put my learning into practice.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
2/5
Currently, there are not many extra-curricular activities that I have seen or been able to get involved in. I will be participating in a volunteering day later in the year, but due to mostly working from home it has been difficult to get involved in many activities. There have been several virtual networking events that have been arranged for the apprentices, such as virtual coffee meetings.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend NatWest Group to a friend?
Yes
Why?
So far, my time at NatWest has been really good. I have been made to feel welcome by everyone and my work load has been good, meaning there is little stress. I feel like it is a very encouraging company to work for, with lots of opportunities and events to further your learning and/or career if you wish. There is also a lot of focus on wellbeing, trying to make sure that everyone has the support they need, especially working from home.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to NatWest Group?
I would say for the interview process, if applying for the apprenticeship, it's important to be able to be open and confident about who you are, with less emphasis on what you know so far (as this can be learned). Make use of the first induction week to make some connections with other apprentices, especially if the role is not based in the office yet, it's important to have people to talk to that are going through the same experience as you. Lastly, I would say to throw yourself into any experiences/opportunities that are presented to you- it's a way to get your name out there, it really helps to build confidence, and it makes you feel more involved in your role.
