Digital and Technology Solutions Apprentice Review
at Newcastle Building Society
Degree Apprenticeship
Computer Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology
Newcastle upon Tyne
Review Submitted: April 2025
Overall Rating
4.5 /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
4/5
-
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
As part of my role i spend time with various different departments, support colleagues with the larger department of IT Services. My role is largely tailored to my development alongside the apprentice learning. Currently i am positioned as a Cyber Security Coordinator which deal with the day to day queries and threats
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
i absolutely love the programme i am on because the company really supports my University Learning with on the job experiences in a real world working environment. All the colleagues across the society have been supportive, informative and helpful when it comes to my role in the business, making it as enjoyable as possible.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
From a technical point of view i have learnt so many brilliant skills that are applicable to my role as well as building upon my lessons learnt as part of my university course. Furthermore i have built up so many Soft Skills such as Communication, Teamwork, Time management and many more throughout my first 6 months on the apprenticeship and hope to progress more in the coming years
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
My programme has been structured brilliantly by my line manager, as to where my current team in the business aligns to the content i am learning on my University Course. I have the full 3 years of content planned out and if i decide i would like to spend less/ more time with a team then the society will accommodate to my needs
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
i receive constant support from my organization, with support from my colleagues and the teams across IT on a daily business as well as a Mentor and Buddy assigned to me for continued check-ins and support. as well as this the Early Talent teams have provided an excellent induction as well as reqular catch ups with the rest of the Cohort
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
The Support from the training provider (BPP University) has been good from a content perspective as well as the structure of the course, however there has been some issues with the University being solely remote learning which does take away some of the personal interaction with your lecturers as well as other students which can make it difficult to reach out or talk through any issues.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
I am learning a lot in my learning course that is very applicable for a business environment, helping me to understand what i am doing at work - supporting my role massively. i am yet to have my specific role defined but having the wide array of knowledge that the apprenticeship provides has been very helpful.
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
we have many volunteering opportunities as a society that people can get involved in as well as groups/ forums for people to share there interests (Hiking, Eating out, Pets at home). As well as this there are regular socials and events for you to network across the society - meeting new people and expanding your network of people
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Newcastle Building Society to a friend?
Yes
Why?
The Society have been incredibly supportive as an employer, putting my needs first always, from day one with the support from the Early Talent team and then as i progressed through my course more colleagues were there to support and help me adapt to a business environment. The atmosphere, the people and the support have been had a massive impact on my development.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Newcastle Building Society?
It may seem daunting joining a Financial Organization with a fairly large office and workforce behind it but the Staff and Society as a whole have been so welcoming, kind, and supportive from my first day here. Really there was nothing to worry about at all.
