User experience design degree apprentice Review
at AstraZeneca
Degree Apprenticeship
UX/UI Design
Macclesfield
Review Submitted: February 2024
Overall Rating
4.3 /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
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
3.8/5
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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
The UX team is amazing, they give lots of support and there is such a good work culture. AstraZeneca is also a great company to work for, lovely site and good perks. The degree programme is good, it isn’t too intense and staff are helpful
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I really enjoy it, it’s more work based than uni based which I prefer. I am in work completing projects and all assignments are linked to real life project work which is great. You only have two lots of assignments in your first year which is less than usual
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I have learnt lots, mainly from work rather than uni. For example, the research side of UX like usability testing. Also UI design principles. You also understand more about the process as a whole and different areas you can specialise in
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
It is reasonably well structured, I think that ultimately I’m here to get a degree and mmu is one of the most reputable unis that offer degree apprenticeships so the quality of learning I don’t mind too much. The teachers are excellent, they are super helpful with plenty of knowledge and you get lots of support from skills coaches with essay writing. I just think when we are in uni a lot of time is spent sitting round with no real work and we go over the same things most sprints.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
I receive lots of support. I couldn’t fault my experience at AstraZeneca. You have a buddy (someone a year further in your programme to give advice), a mentor (usually someone finishing or finished the same programme or an expert in your industry) and a line manager. All of these people you have weekly meetings with, they also pay for training outside of uni.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
Because I am so supported by work I have never relied on uni support so I don’t really know. I know they give lots of support with skills coaches who help with writing in the correct way. The uni lecturers will do one to ones at short notice with you.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
I think ultimately it will make me incredibly employable when I finish. Currently, I learn a lot more in work than uni. This means I find uni easier but I think the point of the degree apprenticeship is to secure a good job.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
Yes there is lots of networking events, clubs to join and sporting groups. There is a group for pretty much everything and we have online communities you can join through workplace (Facebook for work). For example, I am in one called “AZ cat lovers” where all AstraZeneca employees can share pics of their cats. When my cat died they were really supportive
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend AstraZeneca to a friend?
Yes
Why?
I couldn’t fault my experience at AstraZeneca. There is an amazing UX team, really good work culture, they fund training for you outside of work (at your managers discretion), have lots of perks, good salary for a degree apprenticeship, also lots of networking and a good community. Although only one UX person is usually taken on, you mix so much with the other apprentices that you have lots of friends.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to AstraZeneca?
Use the AstraZeneca values as they are really important in the process. Also research the team you want to join (LinkedIn) as the organisation is huge so each team is quite different. I would also try to get some relevant experience (for example volunteer at a charity relating to health)
