PMO Coordinator Review
at Department for Education
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Teaching
Sheffield
Review Submitted: May 2023
Overall Rating
3.6 /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!
3/5
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Overview of Role
3/5
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Skills Development
3.4/5
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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:
4/5
I am a PMO Coordinator. My role involves supporting and coordinating the programme for the successful end to end delivery of the National Curriculum Assessments test cycle. My role involves communicating with stakeholders, managing and mitigating risks, managing and updating Excel documents and following governance frameworks when reporting on progress.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
2/5
I enjoy the programme and learning more about project management however I find the webinars extremely long sometimes and I would prefer to have two shorter sessions in a week, rather than one long 3 hour session as I find it too long to focus for. I also would like to be given more resources such as model answers or suggested exam technique for answering exam questions as I feel there is not enough of this provided to us.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
3/5
The skills I have learnt have been how to communicate effectively with stakeholders and manage them based on their power and interest in the project/programme. I have also learnt about risk and issue management and how to mitigate risks as well as why sometimes risks can become issues. Additionally, I’ve learnt digital skills and become better at using software such as Excel.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
The programme is structured reasonably well. I particularly like Manuel, my TDO, as he discusses things in a lot of detail and allays any of my concerns. I find the webinars useful for teaching me new knowledge but there are not enough opportunities for face to face collaborative activities which I would find a lot more beneficial for my learning.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
3/5
I receive a good amount of support from my employer in terms of providing me with the allocated time off-the-job. I always receive Wednesdays off each week to focus on apprenticeship and if for some reason, I miss it, I am allowed to take it on a Friday instead. I would like more support with helping me get the exposures for certain aspects though.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
My TDO is very helpful with anything I need for the qualification. He always provides me with good feedback on any case studies I submit and gives me plenty of opportunities to discuss issues with him in our progress reviews over Teams. He also is timely when responding to emails. I feel well supported.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
My apprenticeship helps me gain the background knowledge of project management that underpins the PMO and this boosts my confidence in the role. It also helps me feel more able to apply for other roles in the future at a higher grade in project management. The qualification has helped me connect the dots at work.
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
I’m not sure if there are any extra-curricular activities to get involved in at work. I have joined one group that is for project delivery professionals which I have found helpful for networking with others in the same field as me across the department. I have also recently joined the apprenticeship network.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Department for Education to a friend?
Yes
Why?
I would recommend this company to a friend because you are provided with a good level of knowledge in project management if you are new to the field like myself. I’ve enjoyed getting the opportunity to speak to others working in different departments in similar roles to me and finding out about their experiences.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Department for Education?
In terms of tips, I would make sure you are very self motivated when it comes to your approach. The course is structured in a way that means you are responsible for your own learning. You have to make yourself accountable and manage your time effectively in order to get the most out of the course. For example, making sure you fill out the learning journals regularly and keeping up with writing the case studies.
