Women in Leadership Review
at ISS UK
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Business Management
Stoke-on-Trent
Review Submitted: April 2026
Overall Rating
5 /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
5/5
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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 consists of managing suppliers, working alongside finance and operations to ensure PPMs and reactive tasks are completed to the best quality. I also work alongside procurement to review suppliers and manage them efficiently.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I enjoyed this programme so much - more than I did my Bachelors degree. Being given the opportunity to develop on my natural abilities as a woman was great for my confidence, and has been incredible for my career. I have had 2 promotions since starting the programme and I'm now in a job that I love and thrive in! I miss having the workshops, building my knowledge and network connections.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I learnt a lot about my natural attributes as a leader - as a woman I am empathetic, I can communicate and collaborate well, and I am emotionally intelligent. Building on these skills has been life changing for me. One workshop focused on networking and helped me to develop my natural communication skills, which has helped me to become a more confident person in the workplace and outside of the workplace. I have built work relationships from this; which in turn has also had an impact of my knowledge on the business I work within. A new skill I have learnt is how to be more inclusive in my work environment, in order to create a meaningful difference within my organisation.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
The programme was very well organised. Each workshop was put into my calendar before I had my introduction - this was great because I could see what workload to expect outside of my normal duties. If I could not attend a workshop due to annual leave/ sickness, I was always confident that I would be placed in the workshop at another time. It was also consistent with the workshops and check ins with mentors.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
I received so much support from my employer. The talent programme team checked in on frequent occasions, my manager supported me and made time for me to learn new skills/ develop skills. I was often given opportunities within the business to build on my skills, for example speaking on our countries townhall, and being able to present to a large team in person. I would often have 1 to 1s with my manager to see what support I required and to brainstorm ideas that could be great towards my off the job hours. Also, the amount of celebration from the whole business when I completed my apprenticeship was endearing and I have never felt more supported in any other type of education.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
My training provider was great at supporting me. If there was ever anything that I was stuck on, she would be there to guide me. They also ensured that we had frequent 1-2-1s and calls that involved my manager to see where they could provide support looking at my KSBs. If I hadn't reached out in a while, or submitted off the job hours - they would reach out and see if I needed help with anything which really helped me to get through the programme.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
I am a better manager, as part of the apprenticeship I could decide what type of leader I wanted to be based on the knowledge given to me in the workshops. I am a better manager because I am more confident in dealing with conflicts, saying no, managing my workload and delegating. I also became more approachable by building on my emotional intelligence and empathy and it lead to our organisation building better relationships with suppliers.
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 to get involved in. There are so many professional networking events throughout the year, and I have had the pleasure of attending many of these. These events have helped me to use the skills I had learnt about in my apprenticeship workshops. I have built networks with so many others in different areas of the business and this has completely opened my horizons.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend ISS UK to a friend?
Yes
Why?
The company has been more than accommodating when it has come to my development. They love having their placemakers develop themselves, and are so supportive throughout the whole process. I would not have even thought about doing an apprenticeship without the talent programme team and I have been so grateful for all of their input.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to ISS UK?
Ask questions. Reflect on difficult / new challenges, and learn from these. Remember that you are not alone and use the people around you for your development.
