Junior Apprentice Review
at Mace
Degree Apprenticeship
Project Management
Manchester
Review Submitted: September 2024
Overall Rating
2.3 /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!
1/5
-
Overview of Role
2/5
-
Skills Development
2.4/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
1/5
General administration responsibility
Health & Safety enforcement
Site inspections
Attending client/contractor meetings
Managing budgets
Managing general progress on site
Health & Safety enforcement
Site inspections
Attending client/contractor meetings
Managing budgets
Managing general progress on site
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
1/5
My degree that I study is interesting, with a wide array of topics/modules to go through being especially insightful - However, the day to day job has felt rather isolating from the get go. I have had my line managers and teams chopped and changed consistently, preventing me from being able to feel a part of a team, or at all assisted by any manager.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
2/5
Improved communication skills
Improved time management skills
Approved attention to detail
Improved general management skills
Improved time management skills
Approved attention to detail
Improved general management skills
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
1/5
Pretty poorly. I can imagine that apprentices based in the main offices have a far more structured programme with plenty of managerial assistance to learn and develop, however being based on a project does not feel that way whatsoever, unfortunately, in my experience, it feels as though nobody really knows what to do with an apprentice, and therefore isolates and disadvantages me a lot.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
1/5
From the Emerging Talent Team, they are quite supportive in the sense that they run a fairly good amount of apprentice training/interactive events where apprentices can learn and grow together. However, away from this, the project specific team don't really seem to support me, and almost act as if I am not there.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
My training provider has been rather supportive in more aspects than just academically. The lecturers are always on hand to support 1/1, and the other departments are equally willing to help where they can
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
I am definitely learning useful industry related knowledge/skills in my degree, areas such as Law and People Management are applicable in my day to day role
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
2/5
There are early careers networking events which can be fun to get involved with.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Mace to a friend?
No
Why?
I want to be able to recommend Mace, because on paper, the apprenticeship scheme looks like a great avenue into the industry. However, based purely on my own experiences, I really cannot do so. I have had very little support from the management and have had no consistency with my line manager appointments. I have been changed teams (which I can understand on paper is to broaden project knowledge) however it has probably contributed to me learning less since the teams that I have been assigned to have never really tried to guide me, leading me to essentially try and learn everything for myself.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Mace?
Learn about the company and what it prides itself on. Mace is built on its purpose, which is to 'redefine the boundaries of ambition', so make sure that you understand the major points of importance for Mace, and what they believe sets themselves apart from the competition.
