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St. James's Place

Technical Academy Apprentice Review

at St. James's Place

Level 3 Apprenticeship

Finance

Cirencester

Review Submitted: November 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
5/5 - Skills Development
4.4/5 - 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 am in the Technical Academy which means I rotate areas each month, I currently post articles onto an external site, summarise content and publish my own Tax, Trust and Protection newsletter each week.
I balance my day to day job with learning content for my exams, completing Early Careers experiences and apprenticeship tasks set by Davies.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I have really enjoyed the programme so far. As an apprentice, there is so much support offered to you and so many relationships to build while also developing your skills. I feel SJP does a really good job in including us in the wider company culture; for example: letting us attend seminars that would typically be available to those above our level.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
As an individual who is typically very rigid in their routine, I have learnt the skill of prioritisation of tasks and being more flexible and adaptable to change. I now understand the professional environment and have learnt lots of excel and written skills, especially while writing my Tax, Trusts and Protection newsletter.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
We are given a set of objectives by our placement manager to fulfil as well as objectives and learning outcome set by the apprenticeship. This provides a good structure and allows us to set goals. The only inconvenience we have had is that we were not given our learning resources upon the apprenticeship start but that has not happened in previous years and is an external issue.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
So much support!! From your manager to peer groups to other apprentices to the whole surrounding office - you can really ask anyone if you need help or have a question. Its a big part of the culture and comes naturally.
I would just like to add that as someone with health issues, they have accommodated without hesitation.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
There is a good amount of resources available, calls set up to explain tricky topics and you can send them an email with a query anytime. Closer to your exam date, they also hold all day learning recap sessions covering all of the content. I would say a good amount of support offered if you choose to take it!
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
My qualification is helping me understand my job better as I work with technical articles, formatting and checking them over so having that extra knowledge makes it a lot more efficient.
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
SJP have frequent events running for their charitable foundation - I am attending a quiz night soon! They offer a range of learning or social events for everyone.
In addition, my apprenticeship cohort (in the Technical Academy) has a peer group where we have a guest speaker and social event run by an apprentice which can be really interesting!

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend St. James's Place to a friend?
Yes
Why?
I think it is a very good entry into the workplace, the company has a really good culture and level of inclusiveness . There are also so many paths you can take! They will fund your exams and help you get to your desired area or role within the company.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to St. James's Place?
Be authentic and motivated, be prepared to do a varied series of interview styles and tasks and have a look at the vast array of apprenticeship options SJP offer to find what suits you best.
Confidence is key and no one wants you to fail, it is okay to feel nervous but genuinely just be yourself at the interviews and enjoy the process.
In This Review
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