Business Admin Apprentice Review
at EDF Energy
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Business Operations
Gloucester
Review Submitted: February 2026
Overall Rating
3.6 /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!
2.5/5
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Overview of Role
3/5
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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:
3/5
Business Admin is such a vague title, and before I started, I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into. 6 months into the programme, and it's proving to be equally as vague. The first 2 months of my position I had real trouble getting any work- I would be at home a lot of the time with very little to do. It took a few months to be assigned meaningful, fulfilling work. It was really quite boring and I have considered leaving the apprenticeship, it's not what I expected it to be.
The jobs I do are mainly admin based, dealing with emails that come in, processing forms and documents, filing these. I do a few bits with online training courses, such as booking people onto courses, withdrawing them from courses, or resetting them to re-take exams if they fail. I have to send out monthly reminder emails to encourage people to book onto outstanding courses, however, this usually falls on deaf ears, I get hardly any responses. It does seem to work in some regard, as the number of people booking onto these courses has increased, however it does feel pointless sometimes. This is a job which has been made up as an 'extra' thing, because the team had nothing to give me in terms of work tasks.
A lot of the work I do, I do on my own, and I don't really collaborate with other people. It's quite lonely and I don't feel connected to any of my team because I hardly ever see or speak to any of them.
The jobs I do are mainly admin based, dealing with emails that come in, processing forms and documents, filing these. I do a few bits with online training courses, such as booking people onto courses, withdrawing them from courses, or resetting them to re-take exams if they fail. I have to send out monthly reminder emails to encourage people to book onto outstanding courses, however, this usually falls on deaf ears, I get hardly any responses. It does seem to work in some regard, as the number of people booking onto these courses has increased, however it does feel pointless sometimes. This is a job which has been made up as an 'extra' thing, because the team had nothing to give me in terms of work tasks.
A lot of the work I do, I do on my own, and I don't really collaborate with other people. It's quite lonely and I don't feel connected to any of my team because I hardly ever see or speak to any of them.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
2/5
The team of my first placement (which I am currently in) had no idea what to do with me. They have never had an apprentice before, and when I started, half the team didn't even know I was meant to be joining them. I literally joined the first call and people were like "who are you?". My line manager was on annual leave the first week I started (poor planning?), and even though her manager tried his best, I was kind of left to my own devices and had no idea what to do. Once she was back, it was slightly better, but as previously mentioned it still took a long time, and a lot of asking to get anywhere. It just seems I was put in the wrong team as they have no idea what to do with me, asking me "so what will you be doing for us?" - and I thought they would be telling me, not the other way around. I do now have work to do, it's kind of just random jobs which they don't want to give to anyone else.
I am excited to leave this placement and move on. I've already had a few calls, and work explained to me, by my new team, and they seem more excited to have me and keen to make the most of me. Hopefully this means my second placement will be a bit more fulfilling. Honestly though I still don't know if I will stay, I'm not sure a desk job/corporate job/admin job is right for me. It's just so mind numbing! My office in Gloucester is over an hour driving each way, so I usually go in once a week. Working from home is lonely as I have hardly any contact with other people and some days I don't speak to anyone.
I have been thinking about leaving since the first month or so, but I am trying to stick it out to see if it improves with my next placement.
I am excited to leave this placement and move on. I've already had a few calls, and work explained to me, by my new team, and they seem more excited to have me and keen to make the most of me. Hopefully this means my second placement will be a bit more fulfilling. Honestly though I still don't know if I will stay, I'm not sure a desk job/corporate job/admin job is right for me. It's just so mind numbing! My office in Gloucester is over an hour driving each way, so I usually go in once a week. Working from home is lonely as I have hardly any contact with other people and some days I don't speak to anyone.
I have been thinking about leaving since the first month or so, but I am trying to stick it out to see if it improves with my next placement.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
3/5
I have learnt how to motivate myself to do work when I'm working from home (this is hard sometimes)
I have learnt that sitting at a desk all day is not my favourite thing in the world
I have learnt more Excel skills, and how to use other computer systems central to EDF
I have gained confidence in talking to people at work/professionally/in meetings
I have learnt that sitting at a desk all day is not my favourite thing in the world
I have learnt more Excel skills, and how to use other computer systems central to EDF
I have gained confidence in talking to people at work/professionally/in meetings
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
Not very. We are meant to have a review every 8 weeks with our Early Careers programme lead and the other Business Admin Apprentices. This is absolutely painful because no one ever has anything to say and it feels very forced - like we are just ticking a box for their department but it's not very helpful or useful at all. Not to mention we have zero contact with each other between these meetings.
I also have another 8 weekly review with my college assessor. This is much more useful as it's a 1:1 (with my manager involved for some of the call), there seems to be a better structure to the meeting, and we build on the points mentioned in the last meeting, so there is actually something to talk about. I find my college assessor (external to EDF) to be much more useful and supportive than anyone in EDF. We get on really well and I feel I could talk to her about any concerns/issues a bit more easily as she is not part of the company, but employed by the college instead.
I also have another 8 weekly review with my college assessor. This is much more useful as it's a 1:1 (with my manager involved for some of the call), there seems to be a better structure to the meeting, and we build on the points mentioned in the last meeting, so there is actually something to talk about. I find my college assessor (external to EDF) to be much more useful and supportive than anyone in EDF. We get on really well and I feel I could talk to her about any concerns/issues a bit more easily as she is not part of the company, but employed by the college instead.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
The support is there if I need it, but I think I have given up asking at this point in my placement - I only have 2 weeks left and I can't wait to move onto another team.
When I started I wasn't very good at asking for help but I have certainly improved on this and now I ask for help all the time. Usually someone, somewhere can help me, but it does go around the houses sometimes and gets passed around a bit before it lands with the right person
When I started I wasn't very good at asking for help but I have certainly improved on this and now I ask for help all the time. Usually someone, somewhere can help me, but it does go around the houses sometimes and gets passed around a bit before it lands with the right person
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
Loads of support from my college assessor! She is absolutely brilliant and I can't fault her.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
A lot of the stuff covered in my apprenticeship programme is generally either common sense or quite straightforward. As I am a graduate and have a BA in Geography, I think I should have either done a higher apprenticeship or a graduate scheme, as I don't find the work on this course challenging enough.
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
I have volunteered for one morning at a SSSI, digging out and maintaining a pond with other people on a graduate scheme/apprentice scheme. It was genuinely the best day of my apprenticeship because I was out of the office doing something I'm passionate about!
I am going to a networking thing this Friday night in Bristol, but haven't attended anything like that yet
I am going to a networking thing this Friday night in Bristol, but haven't attended anything like that yet
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend EDF Energy to a friend?
No
Why?
All the above points, the course really isn't what I was expected, I'm disappointed by it, and it didn't get off to a good start at all. I really do think this is down to the team I am in - the other Business Admin apprentices all seem to enjoy what they are doing and they get on well in their teams. It seems everyone got a decent placement apart from me - or maybe it's my fault somehow?
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to EDF Energy?
To be honest, don't!
