Finance Officer Review
at Rochdale Council
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Finance
Rochdale
Review Submitted: July 2025
Overall Rating
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!
5/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
5/5
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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
My role as an apprentice was within Internal Audit which included lots of things, admin, data analysis and communication. Day to day tasks included basic admin tasks (adding information to spreadsheets, responding to emails, sending out emails, speaking with people in person), learning new things by shadowing different members of the team and collecting data to provide evidence of our findings during an audit.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I enjoyed my programme a lot and learned so many thing that have made me a much more confident and capable employee. It was challenging at times, but my mentor and the team I worked with were so supportive. Our Apprenticeships team and the staff at Rochdale Training were also very supportive of me and this helped me to feel confident in completing my apprenticeship.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I learned so many new skills and also developed existing skills. I developed my communication skills as this was something I struggled with due to lack of confidence. I also learned about analyzing data and generating tests for data to represent how processes and procedures were functioning within the Council.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
Our programme was well structured and I found that I had plenty of time to learn and complete Apprenticeship work with my "Off the Job" hours.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
I received so much support from my employer throughout my entire apprenticeship - my mentor and the team I worked within supported me every step of the way and always made sure I felt confident with tasks and work set out for me. I learned so many valuable skills both as an individual and as Business Support.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
I received ongoing support from my training provider. I was unable to attend the monthly sessions due to regular medical appointments I had to attend on that day and my tutor went out of her way to visit me at work on a day that worked for me. I also knew when I contacted my tutor outside of the visits that she would be there to help me.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
My qualification has helped me perform better as a professional in so many aspects. I started Apprenticeship at 28 as I wanted to retrain after working in care settings for most of my career and my Apprenticeship helped me develop in a very noticeable way. I am way more confident, capable and proactive after my Apprenticeship and gained a Distinction qualification in something that was relatively new to me.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
5/5
Yes - we had a social/sports day on the first day of our Apprenticeship which helped us network and become familiar with other people in our cohorts - this broke the ice really quickly and laid down strong foundations for strong working relationships throughout the Apprenticeship. We also had other celebrations and meetups available to us throughout!
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Rochdale Council to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Rochdale Council has a refreshing working culture. There is a strong element of trust which allows you to work comfortably and my colleagues are really kind, hardworking individuals. Hybrid working is also a big perk of working at Rochdale Council especially when you travel far for work. The Council always has events you can attend to meet new people.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Rochdale Council?
My advice would be similar to the advice you will receive from the Apprenticeships team - what you put in is what you get out. If you want to do well you just have to work hard and focus. I now have a full time, permanent role within the Council after applying myself during my time as an Apprentice and have a qualification for life. I would also advise that if you are starting an Apprenticeship as a mature learner to consider the financial aspect of the Apprenticeship as my salary was £14,000 for 2 years which was very challenging as a 28 year old.
