GSR Apprentice Review
at Government Social Research
Degree Apprenticeship
Data Analysis
Manchester
Review Submitted: April 2025
Overall Rating
2.4 /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
5/5
-
Skills Development
1.8/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
5/5
Conducting, analysing and evaluating both existing and new research & data. Uncovering drivers in peoples actions to enable the government to have a rich insight into what makes people think and act the way they do.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
1/5
I love my role in my team at work. I find the university portion of the programme upsetting, stressful, poorly organised and generally a negative experience. I cannot wait for it to be done so that I can just enjoy my role.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I am learning the basics of social research in an applied environment. My team at work are incredible at sharing their knowledge and prioritising my learning.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
1/5
The university of Kent very clearly consider the apprenticeships to be free money, repurposing existing course content that is often irrelevant and has no thought for who the apprenticeship is aimed at, or even what social research is. The university work entirely reactionarily, not proactively.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
Infinite. My employer is wonderful and supplies support well beyond what I could have hoped for. Everyone in my team is incredibly keen to share their knowledge and their time with me whilst prioritising my learning and development as well and being pro active in ensuring my wellbeing.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
1/5
On the whole, its terrible. The module we're currently doing has a comprehensive study guide which is great but its an outlier compared to other modules.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
1/5
It doesn't. I learn most of everything I've learned so far on the job from other people in my team at work. So far much of what we've covered at uni hasn't helped in addition to this, it's become something we just have to get through on top of our weekly work load on the job. Most of our lecturers aren't social researchers and one even repeatedly told us she had no idea she was going to be teaching us. She needn't have bothered because the content she delivered made that abundantly clear. There is an overwhelming feeling that the apprenticeship has been viewed as easy money and they're banking on us learning everything we really need at work.
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
There's the civil service sports society and we have monthly lunches to meet other colleagues in our offices, but there's nothing specific for apprentices outside of the London offices.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Government Social Research to a friend?
Yes
Why?
I would recommend the department as an incredibly supportive place to work. I wouldn't recommend GSR in their application process, or the university and the way the learning is unfolding.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Government Social Research?
Ask for the support you need and if something feels difficult then reach out to your team to discuss it, everyone wants to see you succeed. When it comes to the application process, don't overthink it. Relax, make sure you're giving context to whatever answers you give, but mainly try to relax and have fun. Everyone that interviews you is very accommodating and friendly, no one is trying to 'catch you out'.
