IT Solutions Technician Review
at IBM
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Information Technology
Winchester
Review Submitted: February 2023
Overall Rating
3.3 /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!
2.5/5
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
3/5
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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:
3/5
It really depends on your job role, this apprenticeship can be applied to different roles. I started on the service desk where I would be taking customer calls, administrating via Windows AD and also generating SLA reports for our clients. This was not massively technical but a great way to enter the IT world and understanding the industry.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
2/5
There were ups and downs. On the upside, incredible exposure to IT Services and technologies, which really gives you a great visibility into all the paths you can take in this career. Something I didn't like was how 'apprenticeship coaches' cared more about how I wrote my portfolio than the experiences I had
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
Yes, we worked a lot with linux servers where we would be running data loads, configuring cron jobs or completing system health checks. AWS Administration using IAM, Directory Service and Organisations and Completing AWS Health-Checks using CloudWatch, Route 53 and S3 Buckets for
multiple client systems, Windows Administration using Active Directory, GPO’s and patching. Also using monitoring tools such as Grafana, Zabbix, Netcool and QRadar to maintain live
service.
multiple client systems, Windows Administration using Active Directory, GPO’s and patching. Also using monitoring tools such as Grafana, Zabbix, Netcool and QRadar to maintain live
service.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
2/5
My programme on paper was well organised but in practice it was executed with poor performance, my '18 month' apprenticeship ended up taking 2 years which was due to appalling time management and communication from the providers end. My company itself was very supportive however and really helped me get through it.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
Massive support, they were always there to help me and support me in any nature they could. I always felt I could raise concerns with them... which I did, and actions were taken to ensure I got through my apprenticeship. Our employer has a very high pass rate for apprenticeships.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
2/5
It was not the best, I had to do a lot of chasing and from the start it was dis-organised. There was poor structure to the program and all in all, there was just laziness from people. There would be times where they would ask if we had completed courses that they were supposed to have booked and spoke with us about...
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
In my honest opinion, the work experience gained has been the most valuable asset to helping me perform in my role, however, something the apprenticeship did give me was a wide range of knowledge which did help me understand different processes at work in a more clear way. Certain courses for example, helped with this.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
Yes! There are many things that can be done as well as work at IBM. Infact, I love doing things with the people I work with, we go on walks every day, and theres a great almost community-like spirit there. We have an entire room with pool tables, videos games, ping pong and arcade games.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend IBM to a friend?
Yes
Why?
The people are fantastic, IBM do tend to employee well and the opportunities are endless. If you were looking into starting at a company to begin your career, IBM is the place to be. It has really good prospects in education and you can get industry level qualifications that can carry far.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to IBM?
Get certs a much as you can in the area you want to pursue your speciality. Work really hard at learning your craft and be organised. The best ability is availability and your attitude is what matters most to your peers and managers. Get the work done but also have fun too!
