HRA Review
at B&Q
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Human Resources
Newhaven, East Sussex
Review Submitted: February 2025
Overall Rating
3.3 /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!
3/5
-
Overview of Role
4/5
-
Skills Development
3/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
3/5
Being a bridge between the management and shop floor colleagues. Providing support and coaching to Managers and shop floor colleagues. Payroll, Errors, Data Entry, GDPR, Ordering uniform stationary, supporting colleagues that struggle on PCs with all of their training needs. anything else anyone asks of me.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
I am enjoying my Apprenticeship and its forces me out my comfort zone. I am not the sort of person that receives feedback or asks for it. But as part of the apprenticeship, I have had to ask through 2 questionnaires and in person for feedback. I have read many of our company policy documents but as part of your apprenticeship we compare them to others and spend time analysing it and comparing to other businesses policies in other retail sectors. this is helping me see the bigger picture that is B&Q and how we are really trying to make this a great place to work.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I have learnt how to use Excel in a more efficient way, I have become well experienced in the way our company intranet works and where to find almost anything. I have developed my Networking skills and confidence around talking to those in other stores and roles.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
the online account makes it really easy to follow and keep on track. I have fallen behind a couple of times, due to childcare and sickness but it makes it clear what i am behind and how to catch up. the set out is user friendly. but there are a couple of Covid notices that they missed to remove.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
3/5
I am given the time to do my apprenticeship and asked how it's going regularly.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
Any support I need. If I message my training coach she messages back usually within a few hours at max a day. we have monthly catch ups and i feel comfortable sharing with her and talking about my work life.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
I now know how much coaching I was doing before I started the apprenticeship with my colleagues as I have previously help Management roles and have a lot of B&Q experience. The apprenticeship has helped me to identify and fine tune those skills making me better at doing what I was doing. I have a lot been more confident in saying "no" to doing things for people and showing them how to do it themselves. Reading the theories and methods on the course have helped me figure out my best way of working and how i can be better at supporting others.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
1/5
No.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend B&Q to a friend?
Yes
Why?
It's a great place to work, Great benefits, not just the pay, but the pension, the happy app, the support. We are truly a funny functioning family. I have left B&Q twice to do what I thought was my dream career, but I came back both times. I've been back for 12 years nearly 13 and I don't think I'll be leaving anytime soon!!!
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to B&Q?
Be honest. If you want the job, show up like you mean it, be confident, we value our customers greatly and, in an interview, we will be thinking would I leave my regular customer with this person, and by regular we mean "Dave, how has been getting kitchens and tools from here for 10 years and I've seen him almost every week of those 10 years". Would I be comfortable letting them represent B&Q. Tip we do not hire based on your DIY ability, if you do DIY great that helps.
