Higher Apprentice - Associate Project Manager Review

Item: Higher Apprentice - Associate Project Manager at BAE Systems
Rating: 4.4
Author: Anonymous

at BAE Systems

Higher Level Apprenticeship

Project Management

Barrow-in-Furness

Review Submitted: March 2026

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 - Overview of Role

5/5 - Skills Development

4.4/5 - Structure and Support

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

4/5

The apprenticeship is made up of 6 month placements which means I get to see plenty different areas of the business. This has allowed me to see work from different points of view and gain a better understanding of the business as a whole. Day to day involves using a planning software to complete weekly tasks that have been set by my line manager and point of contact, also attending weekly meetings with members of my team, sometimes going into these on my own if team member is off work.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

4/5

Apprenticeship has been enjoyable, however throughout there has been uncertainty around how we need to document our apprenticeship forms and evidence our apprenticeship. This is due to the apprenticeship being fairly new and also down to changes within the business in terms of personnel. This has been cleared up by our most recent skills coach and everything about the apprenticeship is now a lot clearer.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

5/5

Within the apprenticeship I have used a number of new software's that before the apprenticeship I hadn't even heard of and have become competent using these software's. These software's include a number of planning software's all which use different ways to present data and sitting with experienced planners looking at ways they work within the software has helped developed my skills. Being able to shadow a number of planners has also been key to this as even though they all use the same software there are many different ways to complete tasks, so from shadowing I have been able to see different methods and then use these to see which works best for me.
Also as the placements within the apprenticeship are 6 months is has given me the opportunity to communicate with a number of different teams, with some placements being in the office more than others this has shown me the different ways teams communicate with each other but also how they communicate to wider teams when both in the office and working remotely.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

4/5

As previously mentioned to begin with structure of the apprenticeship was a little all over the place, however with the new skills coach it all seems to have clicked into place. Which has helped with regular meetings with our skills coach.

How much support do you receive from your employer?

5/5

Support throughout the apprenticeship has been really good, skills coaches are only a email or phone call away. This has improved as the apprenticeship has progressed with cohort meetings now being every other week so we can get updates from our skills coaches more frequently and also having individual 12 week reviews with our skills coaches which we have had throughout our apprenticeship.
Support throughout the apprenticeship has also come from placement line managers with them always understanding that apprenticeship work comes first and if there was ever any questions around the apprenticeship or exam questions line managers / team members are always happy to help.

How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

5/5

When on training courses tutors are always on hand to help whether this is during the training course or after the training course. Many training tutors mention that they are open to being called or emailed for additional information after the course has finished or if any help in needed during the course they would always be on hand to help.

How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

4/5

Many of the courses that we completed link directly into a planning role. When completing training courses tutors would where possible always try and link the activity/course to the real world to make it more realistic for us, which would then benefit us as apprentices when back in our placement role.

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

Plenty of social events put on by the apprenticeship council within the business.

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend BAE Systems to a friend?

Yes

Why?

It's a great business to work for with a number of great benefits. Within the business there are plenty of career opportunities and plenty of opportunities to progress within the area of the business you are already working in. Many of the senior staff have been apprentices within the business which means that they are willing to help and put time into apprentices learning as they were once there, but also this shows that once you complete your apprenticeship within the business there is a career to be had.