Business Management Apprentice Review
at BAE Systems
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Business Operations
Coningsby
Review Submitted: May 2023
Overall Rating
4.6 /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!
4.5/5
-
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
As an apprentice you are given tasks on a daily basis which contribute to the efforts of the team you are in such as conducting financial reviews, taking notes from meetings or collaborating with other departments of the business to complete projects that can be used by you to further your understanding of the business and provide material for internal departments. As well as this in some placements you are in regular contact with external partners to further your collaboration skills
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I have thoroughly enjoyed this programme in the 7 months i have been here, i have met lots of friendly people and have felt wholly supported throughout. Further to this i have also had some incredible experiences that would not be possible without being involved with this company and i feel very privileged to have had these experiences.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
The biggest skill i have developed is my IT skills particularly including using Excel spreadsheets, which before i joined i had no previous knowledge or experience with however since joining the business i have been coached thoroughly on how they work and have felt comfortable asking for help with this. Another important skill i have developed is my communication, learning how to communicate in a workplace environment was something i have had very little experience in so is something that this apprenticeship has allowed me to develop
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
there is a definitive structure to the programme where all apprentices are aware of what placements they will find themselves in as well as understanding that you will change placements on a six monthly rotation for the 24 month programme. Further to this it is clear that there are designated learning days on a regular basis and this is provided to you on a cohort timetable at the beginning of the apprenticeship.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
throughout the whole of my time in this apprenticeship i have felt high levels of support with any needs that i have had. The benefit of coming into an apprenticeship is that you are not expected to know the trade in an in depth manner, you are inducted on the basis that you are going to be supported throughout to learn a new profession.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
this has been a good experience for me as there are aspects such as assignment writing which has never been my strong point however everyone i have spoken to when it comes to training providers have been very supportive of my needs and offer their assistance and guidance unconditionally to help me complete any tasks towards getting my qualification to the best of my ability.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
All of the external training through the training provider is relevant to what i am doing day to day in my role and so the learning days are also very valuable to an apprentice as they further back up knowledge of things that are relevant to the organisation, ranging from the impacts of governance to personal organisation.
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 are plenty of opportunities for an apprentice to get involved in should it interest you. There is an opportunity to become a STEM ambassador which allows you to go to events in your local region as well as nationally to support events which can be in schools or other events such as airshows where you can go to provide insights into what life is like as an apprentice. This allows you to network with other people from across the business.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend BAE Systems to a friend?
Yes
Why?
BAE Systems is a fantastic company to work from as both an apprentice and later as a full time employee. they provide a multitude of different extra perks such as favourable pension contributions as well as their unique shares scheme which is exclusively available to employees. The job security is also a big contributing factor as there are always many different projects underway looking towards the future and the scale of the operations means that there is always going to be something that interests you.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BAE Systems?
I think for me in my personal experience the key is to make yourself stand out, make sure you include anything extra curricular you have done in your life whether that be captaining a sports team or doing the Duke of Edinburgh award, this is important for an employer as it shows you are putting yourself out for a good reason. On top of this it is key that you come across in a good way by showing a good personality, whilst academic grades are important your attitude to work and personality can tell your employer a lot!
Also very important is doing your research into the company before applying or going to interviews, BAE is a huge worldwide company and so there is a lot that can be found out about it online, if you can go into an interview knowing the purpose and structure of the company it will leave a good impression as it shows you are committed enough to be taking time out to research into the company.
Also very important is doing your research into the company before applying or going to interviews, BAE is a huge worldwide company and so there is a lot that can be found out about it online, if you can go into an interview knowing the purpose and structure of the company it will leave a good impression as it shows you are committed enough to be taking time out to research into the company.
