Cyber Security specialist Review
at UBS
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Finance
London, UK
Review Submitted: May 2023
Overall Rating
2.6 /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
-
Overview of Role
3/5
-
Skills Development
2.6/5
-
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
UBS themselves are amazing. I was given the opportunity to have a solid line of work in DLP and work with many teams within the enterprise to broaden my knowledge and exposure which allowed me to determine what i enjoy the most and the direction i would like to work towards whilst working with professionals. However the apprenticeship company has not been great. I am only rating lower due to issues with apprentice provider
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
1/5
I enjoy the actual working with professionals and learn from experienced people. However i have had many issues with Firebrand in regards to not marking my work in a timely manner and even when marking had to question the quality of marking (rush marking) which is not acceptable. this needs to be improved. Also had issue with first learning mentor and they had to change him.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
3/5
Yes, i have learnt how to conduct audits, risk assessments, create policies and conduct risk analysis on live incidents. I have also improved my python programming skills. None the less, i have also become more confident in my line of work and the assessments and recommendations i make based on assessments.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
1/5
Initially the structure was clear as we knew exactly what teams we had to work with and planned accordingly. The issue i would raise is that Firebrand themselves where unsure what will occur during gateway period such as the marking criteria for the coding exam i will be taking. This makes it incredibly difficult to prepare for such an exam as you have no idea what they will ask, the level is coding skill required is unknown.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
My employee has been amazing throughout. I would only say that when trying to find line of work that would meet specified competencies outlined by the apprenticeship provider. UBS themselves should organize these rather than the apprentice reaching out to lots of people who they think they can meet with team which is difficult as not sure of the right point of contacts/teams. This was also very time consuming.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
1/5
The training provider has been awful. The first mentor provided was unsure what tasks will meet secondments which defeats the purpose of the mentor. He should be aware of the tasks that will meet there own competencies. Due to this firebrand had provided a new mentor who was good however he left mid apprenticeship leaving me with the first mentor. Moreover the mentor highlighted many times that he is loaded with a lot of work hence delays which is not acceptable
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
1/5
I just think that i was able to move around different teams to understand different lines of work in cyber which was great. This allowed me to determine which line of work best suits and interests me in order to progress into the career i find suits me. due to the fact that i have a python exam, i have independtly studying python out of business hours
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
There are many different events i can get involved in. i also ran my own digital networking event in person which was a great way to network with individuals working in technology. Moreover, there are many volunteering actives such as helping bridge academy with sports day etc which is nice to get involved in. There is also a gym you can attend.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend UBS to a friend?
Yes
Why?
I will only recommend UBS the company i work for.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to UBS?
UBS is amazing, i love how i get to learn of experienced individuals. No real advice to provide apart from your working with a lot of professionals with plenty of experience where you can learn plenty. Firebrand as said before would never recommend and just want to finish as soon as possible.
