Associate Bid Manager Review
at Howden
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Insurance and Risk Management
London
Review Submitted: October 2025
Overall Rating
4.8 /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
4.6/5
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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 is a Bid Manager Apprentice and the role of a Bid Manager is being responsible for winning new business and retaining existing clients through structured, competitive tender processes. Our role in this is being project leaders for these processes. My day-to-day varies from helping with content for the RFP documents, formatting the documents and attending meetings with the service team for these clients.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I have loved my time at Howden. Even from the assessment day I felt welcomed and all of the people have been friendly and interested in talking to me. I have also had many different experiences during this time including attending the Lime Street Festival with early careers and helping with the hiring and onboarding of new apprentices. I have also attended networking events and other opportunities which we were offered from the early careers team. I have also felt supported by my team when it comes to the exams and balancing my work tasks with revision. Overall, I have had a lovely experience at Howden and can't wait to see what else it brings me.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I have learnt various different skills since joining. A lot of them being communication skills and Outlook, word, PowerPoint skills. We were given training for all the Microsoft apps when we started, which allowed me to develop many different new skills. I have also learnt Adobe skills from within my team.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
The structure of our programme has been good since the start. We had an induction/onboarding month when we started, which allowed me to get comfortable with my team and the new environment early on. The structure since then has been good, with having our Friday study days and having training sessions within my team when I first sat with them.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
I believe that the support given from Howden has been amazing. Starting with the support from my line manager and wider team, to also the support from the early careers team. I have had catch ups with my line manager regularly ad have been able to get support from her when balancing the work load and revision. I also believe that I can talk to a lot of these people for support when needed, even those not within my team.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
We receive good support from them. Starting with a 3 hour call weekly and also extra 1-to-1 sessions with him if we feel we need them before exams.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
I believe that I have gained better understanding of the industry as a whole through the qualification. I also understand the structure of the company better and feel more confident when talking to other people about Howden and the industry. However, there isn't a lot I can take into my role personally, but it does help here and there.
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
There are many activities we can take part in. There are social groups and teams you can join, including the football team and also groups for diversity. There are also many events, including some set up by Howden Under 30's which have been very helpful in my time at Howden.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Howden to a friend?
Yes
Why?
I believe that it has been so welcoming and supportive. From the first day I felt comfortable with Howden and have consistently felt comfortable with my team and other teams I have worked with. I also believe that the opportunity for growth is good at Howden and I believe everyone will support me on my journey.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Howden?
My biggest tip is to be confident and be yourself. Howden is very people orientated and they are looking for people that have good work ethic but will also fit onto their teams and into Howden. Also as an industry communication and networking are key, so being confident to talk to people and meet new people is very important.
