Project Control Apprentice Review
at BAE Systems
Degree Apprenticeship
Project Management
Samlesbury
Review Submitted: April 2025
Overall Rating
4.4 /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!
4/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
4.2/5
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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
Typically my day begins with reporting, before I move onto looking at some spreadsheets and seeing whether or not they need to be updated to keep topical. I have catch ups with my manager and team members where I ask them if they have anything they'd like me to support them with, which becomes the bulk of my days work.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
I enjoy the work that I do day to day but I am not a big fan of the university aspect, it is simply something that I have to do as part and parcel of my scheme. It causes me a lot of anxiety and stress that I don't normally experience in my placements.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
Yes, my personal skills like communication have seen great development since I began my apprenticeship. I'm not much of a people person but in such an interlinked business I have been able to learn how to communicate more smoothly, both in general and professionally. I have also developed other employability skills, and technical skills such as my ability to make use of excel.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
I think it is very well structured, expectations and deadlines are clear, there is plenty of support in place that is offered to apprentices. However, we get one day for university each week, this day is consumed by university lectures whereas it seems a few people like placement managers and even the lecturers themselves sometimes don't understand how much time we actually have to spend on assignment work.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
Each apprentice has a skills coach who is there to support us with anything regarding placements, university or even personal issues. I personally get along very well with my skills coach and they are always more than happy to assist me if I feel that I need some more support.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
Our lecturers teach us the content that we need to learn to be able to pass the degree, there is support in place through things like 1-to-1's and there's a team that you can contact within the college to proofread and advise on work, but these things can come across as outfacing and sometimes even a little frightening. The support is there but I personally struggle to utilise it.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
I feel like day to day classroom activity within lectures provides useful knowledge for apprentices, but the real experience I believe comes from assignment work and events, these experiences have informed many decisions within my role. With that being said, I do still sometimes find myself stuck/confused but I am only a second year apprentice so I haven't had all of the experience yet.
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
There are some networking events that are hosted for apprentices, our team organises events like social activities too. I'm unsure of the full extent of the extra-curricular activities that the company provides but from what I know, there is no shortage of opportunity to find something to get involved in.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend BAE Systems to a friend?
Yes
Why?
BAE Systems is an incredibly supportive company, I can't think of a single instance where I have needed help and it has not been given to me. I have experienced personal and professional struggles since beginning my apprenticeship and the people that I have worked with, team members, managers and skills coaches have always been understanding, welcoming, accommodating and supportive.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BAE Systems?
I would advise people to be themselves. One of the most frequent comments that I get from my managers and skills coaches is that I am a very up front person. I am honest about how I feel about the work that I do, I do my best to ask questions, raise concerns and challenge things that I am unsure of. The ability to ask questions is highly valued at BAE.
