Tess: What I've gained from my development programme

We talked to Tess, one of our Responsible Business Consultants about her experience to date and what she's gained from her experience on a Nationwide Change Delivery Programme.

Please introduce yourself

Hello, I'm Tess! I started at Nationwide on the graduate programme in September 2021 and rolled off 6 months early into my new role as a Responsible Business Consultant.

What were you doing before the programme?

Before the programme, I completed the 4-year Business and Management degree at Aston University. This included a placement year at SAP UKI in their marketing team (70%) and innovation services team (30%). Then after I graduated, I took a year off to travel, volunteer and relax a bit.

How have you developed as a person whilst on the programme?

I've massively developed my confidence due to rotating around the organisation on our placements and constantly working with and meeting new people. Also, the variety of the programme and the fact I tried so many different roles and tasks has helped me to develop an understanding of what I do and don't like and what I ultimately want my job to look like. Leading to me now having a role which is a combination of lots of different elements I enjoyed on the programme.

What new knowledge have you gained?

I've learned a lot about the financial sector, the products/services, trends and regulations - all things to be aware of in your role but are quite complex at first. I've gained knowledge in project management best-practice and methodologies and how to implement these, such as agile, waterfall, and scrum. Lastly, through opportunities I sought out alongside the programme and through networking across the organisation, I've built my knowledge in sustainability - supporting me to secure the role I have now.

What new skills have you gained?

I've built my skills in key competences which have supported me along the way and are core parts of most roles. For example, organisation; resilience; analytical thinking; and facilitation skills.

How have your relationships become more rewarding?

Rotating in placements across the organisation is quite unique so I have had the opportunity to meet people in completely different functions, roles and locations. As a result, I've built a really vast and strong network of relationships. These have become more rewarding as now I have finished the scheme, I still regularly connect with the people I met and we're able to provide value to one another - asking questions, supporting with advice and directing each other to opportunities we've heard about.

What's next for you?

I'm now 6 months into my position off the scheme and I'm feeling confident in the core elements of the role. My next focus is to further build my knowledge in this area and use my experiences to make improvements in the team.

You can find out more about our Early Careers programmes here.