Project Management Degree Apprentice Review

I joined the BBC in 2022 as a Project Management Apprentice through the degree apprenticeship scheme. This meant I spent four days a week at the BBC and one day studying with the University of Cumbria.My start date was 19 September 2022 at Broadcasting House in London, but before that I spent a week in Cumbria for an induction with the other students on my course. As someone coming straight from sixth form, with previous experience only in a hairdressers, restaurant, and bakery, the whole experience initially felt quite scary and nerve‑racking.
Before the induction week, we were sent an email with the names of the other apprentices joining the BBC. This email chain helped us connect, exchange numbers, and arrange to meet in Cumbria. Although the six‑hour journey felt daunting at first, having that time together before officially starting made the transition much less overwhelming.After our induction, we began our roles the following week at the BBC. My apprenticeship was based in BBC News within the Business Operations team. During my first six months, my day‑to‑day work focused on learning about the BBC, understanding the context of how it operates, and getting involved in new projects. Throughout my first year I rotated across several areas including Sustainability, the Staff Survey Action Plan, and ITAM (IT Asset Management).My favourite placement was with the ITAM team, where I helped track the IT estate for BBC News. As part of this placement, I project‑managed the installation of a vending machine that dispensed IT peripherals such as headsets and chargers. My responsibilities included stakeholder communication, creating project documentation such as RAID logs and RACI matrices, running weekly working groups, and liaising with project sponsors.

The structure of my programme had strengths, but there were also challenges. When I first joined, the placements for my apprenticeship had not been fully planned or mapped out in advance. This meant that at the end of each rotation, it was sometimes difficult for the team to identify my next placement quickly, which caused some gaps and uncertainty. Although I gained exposure to a range of projects, the lack of pre‑planned placement structure made parts of the programme feel less organised.
Another challenge was that within BBC News Business Operations, there were no dedicated project managers. As a result, during the first two years of my apprenticeship I wasn’t able to shadow or learn directly from someone in a formal project management role. My development in project management relied heavily on self‑learning, university input, and learning through doing.
The structure improved significantly in my final two years, when I moved out of News and into areas where established project managers were in place. This finally gave me the opportunity to shadow experienced PMs, learn best practice, and develop my skills in a more structured, guided way.
Overall, while the programme gave me valuable experience, hands‑on learning, and exposure to many parts of the organisation, the structure would have been stronger if placements were planned in advance and if access to project management professionals had been available from the start.

I have felt very well supported by my employer throughout my apprenticeship. The team has always been understanding when it comes to balancing work with university commitments, especially around deadlines, exams, and key study periods. They consistently encouraged me to take the time I needed for my coursework and created an environment where my academic progress was treated as a priority.
I also felt that there was a safe and open space to talk about any challenges—whether they were related to workload, wellbeing, or university pressures. Managers and colleagues were approachable, willing to listen, and helped me find solutions whenever I felt overwhelmed. This supportive atmosphere made a big difference to my confidence and my ability to manage both work and study effectively.

I felt very well supported by my training provider throughout my apprenticeship. My TPR reviewer was consistently approachable and created a safe, open space for me to discuss any concerns or questions I had. I always felt I could talk to them whenever I needed guidance, whether it was about assignments, workload, or progress towards my qualification.
The University of Cumbria skills team were also amazing. They provided strong academic support, resources, and clear guidance that really helped me understand the project management theory and apply it to my work. Their sessions were always helpful, and they played a big role in supporting my learning and confidence throughout the programme.
Overall, the training provider offered a high level of support that made managing my studies alongside my full‑time role much easier.

My qualification has helped me perform much better in my role because the university teaching provided me with the theory, methodologies, and structured approaches that I could immediately apply in real project environments. Learning frameworks such as project lifecycles, stakeholder analysis, risk management, planning techniques, and governance allowed me to understand why certain processes are used and how to apply them effectively at work.
Having both the academic learning and on‑the‑job experience at the same time meant everything connected really well. I could learn a method at university—such as RAID management or RACI modelling—and the next day use it directly in a project. This helped me gain confidence, improve the quality of my project documentation, and make better decisions because I understood the reasoning behind each technique.
Overall, the qualification strengthened my ability to work professionally as a project manager by giving me structured knowledge, recognised methodologies, and a deeper understanding of best practice that I could bring straight into my role.

Yes

Yes, I would definitely recommend the BBC to a friend. I’ve become a real advocate for degree apprenticeships because of how much you learn through hands‑on experience. Working in a real role four days a week gives you practical skills, confidence, and an understanding of the workplace that you simply don’t get through traditional study alone. You grow both professionally and personally, and you develop the life skills needed for a long‑term career.
Another huge advantage is that you gain a fully funded degree without taking on student debt. Being able to earn a salary while getting industry experience and a qualification is incredibly valuable, and it opens doors that might not be accessible otherwise.
Overall, the opportunity to learn on the job, build strong networks, grow your skills, and come away with a degree makes the BBC an organisation I would wholeheartedly recommend.