Administrative Assistant Review

Item: Administrative Assistant at Department for Work and Pensions
Rating: 3.1
Author: Anonymous

at Department for Work and Pensions

Level 3 Apprenticeship

Customer Service

Bangor

Review Submitted: March 2025

Overall Rating

3.1 /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!

3.5/5 - Overview of Role

3/5 - Skills Development

2.6/5 - 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

Communicating with colleagues and customers, making sure payments get out to people on time and ensuring that customers are happy/that payments are correct through multiple ways. Working to answering people, getting payments out and when we have the time getting through everything to-do. Though we do speak to customers we do not have a leadership role.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

3/5

Somewhat, it's allowed for some interesting experiences inside of work and has allowed to create a community of learning within the group of people taking the course, though the course itself has been stressful and does not really support what would be expected of them in most ways.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

3/5

In the job? Yes - In terms of learning to speak to customers both through messages and on the phone, learning policies and problem solving skills
In the apprenticeship - Less so, they cover a good chunk of things that I've already gone through in school and though it has taught me new things, this is small in comparison to the job itself.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

3/5

Very structured, they give modules to do over the course of a month and smaller parts to do every week for you to complete. Once you get nearer to assessment times it becomes less organised, though it is very good up until that point. They are meant to call you regularly which was usually monthly or bi-monthly.

How much support do you receive from your employer?

3/5

Support was given when required as there were some times which I needed to speak to my manager about it or they needed to attend meetings in relation to my apprenticeship though as the apprenticeship had very little relation in terms to my employment not much support was presented after this.

How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

3/5

When I wanted to ask a question this was usually replied to with reasonable time, and meetings were monthly to bi-monthly and gradually increased closer to my assessment time (which I am currently in at the moment) but they cannot provide further support after this, and I am struggling a little.

How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

2/5

I do not currently have a qualification but this is meant to help me scale up in terms of the DWP. At the moment very little of what I have learnt is applicable in any way and applies to my job, as it is meant for those higher in DWP.

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

No. Nothing in relation to this, only thing that would be applicable would be the hour that we receive as a team once a month to relax and communicate without work being the topic of conversation, which although is nice it's not in relation to the apprenticeship in any way.

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend Department for Work and Pensions to a friend?

Yes

Why?

DWP is generally known for being a job where you can work for years at, and as long as you hit the requirements and you aren't lazy, you can excel in the job and do reasonably well, including climbing the ladder. Lifetime Training is meant for people further up the ladder when it comes to DWP and does not relate to my job, and as a result is harder to reccomend.

What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Department for Work and Pensions?

Make sure that you can speak to customers whether that be online, on the phone or face-to-face. Ensure that you can face potentially difficult situations when it comes to customers and for my job ensure that you have a somewhat good understand of basic and enhanced maths, and be empathetic.

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