Product Management Apprentice Review

As a product management apprentice my responsibilities vary depending on the team I am doing my rotation with. Currently my daily responsibilities include setting up offers, setting up the Priority app, reporting on the performance of expired offers, managing relationship with partnership agencies, and occasionally doing some strategy work.

I really enjoy the structure and opportunities provided through this apprenticeship programme. We rotate across different teams every 7-9 months, allowing me to gain exposure to various areas of the business and pick up new skills and experiences. We have a dedicated study day every week to ensure we have sufficient time to focus on our studies - from my experience, these study days have always been respected and taken seriously by managers. We also have a scheme lead and sponsor who maintain a close relationship with us, they provide ongoing support and we are able to raise any concerns we may have with them with the confidence it will be addressed and resolved. Our training provider allocates each apprentice a coach who provides guidance and support from throughout the programme. All these aspects ensure we are well supported in this apprenticeship, allowing us to enjoy the experience and make the most of it.

I receive a lot of support from my employer. This includes the various managers i have had throughout my rotations, along with everyone involved in my apprenticeship scheme. Our scheme leads consistently check on us to ensure we are supported and getting the most out of our rotations. And managers work closely with us to understand what we are looking to gain from being on their team, and how we will go about achieving this. Even those who are not involved with the apprenticeship scheme show curiosity when I mention I am on the scheme, and always offer help.

We are allocated a coach from the start of our apprenticeship. I had review meetings with the coach and my managers at the time, roughly every 6 weeks- in these meetings we review my progress on the team and how I am getting on with my studies. Guidance & materials are provided by the coach to ensure we are able to pass our portfolios/exams. Once I complete a portfolio I receive feedback on what I did well and what to improve on. Prior to my exam and end point assessment, we are given mock exams by the training provider to ensure we are prepared. Overall, a lot of support if provided by the training provider.

I find it particularly helpful when I am able to apply the theoretical knowledge gained through my qualification into my role. I am able to understand how the knowledge from my qualification translates into real life scenarios, which further solidifies my knowledge. My qualification also really helps when I am working on a team that does not have many project management professionals- in these scenarios I am able to step in and apply my knowledge to support the work.

Yes

This is an apprenticeship programme that provides many opportunities for growth and nurtures us into well-rounded professionals, particularly for those who may not have worked in a corporate environment before. It is well structured programme that enables us to work towards a qualification whilst gaining experiences and skills by rotating around different areas of the business. The apprenticeship allows us to learn a lot about ourselves as professionals and helps us consider what our future may look like.