Technician 1 (Data Analyst Apprenticeship) Review

My role at Computacenter as a Technician undergoing a Data Analysis apprenticeship has been a mixture of learning and hands-on project work. I am allocated one day per week to focus on my studies and this has been consistent throughout my time in the role. The remaining days of the week have been mostly project based and the work has varied depending on the project I am working on at the time. So far during my first 6 months in the role, I have been involved in 3 different primary projects: deployment of tech for an office relocation, a windows 11 rollout, and a power platform migration. Each project has been very different from one another and has helped me develop different practical skills and technical skills. More recently I have been involved in some internal projects, including updating SharePoint sites. My manager has made a conscious effort to find me more analytical work and I am currently spending time working on different internal datasets, which has been the most beneficial to my development so far. I am working remotely at the moment however the role does involve travel depending on the requirements of the project you are working on. I am currently really enjoying having more reign to work on datasets, and for the remainder of my time in the role, I hope to have the opportunity to do more shadowing within analytical teams or individuals working on analytical projects as I believe this would be a very effective way to continue developing my skills and understanding of data analysis in practice.

The programme with Firebrand is very well structured which has made the learning process manageable and not overwhelming alongside the full-time role. The learning path is set out clearly in the resources we have available and each sections nicely leads on to the next. The first section of the programme involved developing general knowledge around data and databases which subsequently lead to a CompTIA Data + certification. Since then we have started learning more about how to use the specific programmes which relate to data analytics. The assessments have been clearly laid out and there are several resources available to help you understand what is required for each one.

The support I have received since starting the role has been brilliant. My managers are always available for a chat and I have been set up with multiple 'buddies/mentors' who regularly check in to make sure I am doing okay. In addition the early careers team at the company do everything they can to support new apprentices in their role, helping them to balance work and study.

Firebrand has designated me a learning mentor who helps me keep on track with my progress and regularly keeps in touch in case I have any questions/problems. My learning mentor has been incredibly helpful and supportive since I started the programme and has made the learning path a lot easier to understand and balance with my work life.

The knowledge and skills I have developed so far with Firebrand have been very relevant to my role as an aspiring data analyst. I am currently getting the opportunity to apply these specific skills while working on a set of internal databases.

Yes

Computacenter is an incredibly supportive company to work for. Every person is incredibly friendly and always willing to help out. The opportunity to work on different kinds of projects give you exposure to a whole different range of technical skills. Joining the company as an apprentice I have surrounded by a brilliant network of individuals who are always there in case you need anything which has made the transition so much easier.