Infrastructure technician Review
at RWE Supply & Trading
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Information Technology
Swindon, Wiltshire
Review Submitted: March 2023
Overall Rating
4.4 /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!
4/5
-
Overview of Role
4/5
-
Skills Development
4.2/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
I have several meetings in the morning including Ops meetings to discuss issues, plans and concerns. After this, in between meetings, I complete work based on which is due. Examples include: completing a report on user license information and completing proposals for which software to consolidate if there is cost saving.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I have a lot of freedom to go towards more coding or if I want to stick to more GUI based work. Very much enjoy the programme as some skills learnt in the job are supplementary while also being not directly related to the courses I am learning
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
Before joining I did not know what SharePoint was, now I am an admin (albeit helping with the basic tasks) of this and responsible for assisting with other third party apps. I had never touched the CLI or powershell but have had to learn some commands to fulfil my role as a technician. I have been developing my experience with research and identifying patterns (a lot of data analysis) when concerning software consolidation as I need to understand overlapping functions and use cases for each
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
I clearly know when I can finish the programme and what courses/coursework I need to complete.
I have now in fact finished my apprenticeship as well sooner than the course expectations
I have now in fact finished my apprenticeship as well sooner than the course expectations
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
I have a lot of independence but know where to go if I get stuck. Due to being in a corporate setting it is almost expected to ask for help, even some senior managers will ask for support from me as they do not know who to contact etc. There are some staff I will not go to as I know this may not be their speciality ( I will ask the windows expert for windows support and ask the oracle expert for oracle support)
There is also a forum for apprentices to discuss challenges and issues with a manager who can provide assitance
There is also a forum for apprentices to discuss challenges and issues with a manager who can provide assitance
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
They have a portal with lots of additional courses I can complete if I get stuck. They have clearly set out which exams I will be taking and if I do not understand the course they can offer revision sessions which are a little bit shorter but condensed. I have regular contact with my supervisor who is able to answer most queries and guide me to getting the best grade possible
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
Some qualifications gained have directly assisted in my job as they are related ( I work in the cloud team and an exam was on the cloud) however some are not as the content of the training are remnants from how IT was 10 years ago. The training can feel outdated as there has been a sudden shift towards the cloud and away from physical infratructre
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
There is a social event fortnightly for some of the other apprentices, as well as occasional outings with the team. each year there is a christmas party as well as a summer party and winter party where the families of the colleagues can attend also
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend RWE Supply & Trading to a friend?
Yes
Why?
One of the best work-life balances I have seen in a company, I know of some colleagues who work early in the morning then drop their kids off at school, come home and work more then pick their kids up at school and do more work after. The perks are also very good as the provided laptop is very fast and accessories are readily available. The management is very knowledgeable and active
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to RWE Supply & Trading?
Instead of thinking why would a company hire me, instead consider why should they NOT hire me. That way you can show them why not hiring you would be a mistake on their part and you can focus on showing what value you will bring to the table rather than just trying to impress them. If you have shown your value effectively they will naturally be impressed.
