Industrial Engineer Apprentice Review

For my role, I get given tasks and projects to manage the efficiency of the production lines. This involves contacting numerous different suppliers on a daily basis to design and order equipment for the production lines, creating operator work instructions so the operators understand and know the process they are working on and learning about the manufacturing process at the same time whilst having a big focus around health and safety.

I have definitely developed my communication, teamwork and leadership skills. My time management skills have been enhanced even further as I am constantly balancing university and a full time job. I have done a handful of presentations as part of my role which has really boosted my confidence and presentation skills. From doing work instructions, this has enhanced my documentation skills and I have become comfortable in using MS word and Excel.

I do really enjoy the apprenticeship in general, I have met some amazing people both at work and at university and it’s a great opportunity for me to kickstart my career in this field. Everyone around me is extremely supportive which makes the apprenticeship experience a lot better. I have been given a good amount of responsibility through the projects and tasks that have been assigned to me which I am really happy about.

I would say my programme is very structured. At work, my line manager has put a mentor in place for me who is an experienced member of my team. My mentor is the one who has been assigning my projects and tasks for me and we have meetings every 2 or 3 weeks to check on my progress. The university side of my apprenticeship is also very structured as I am working for 2 or 3 weeks then go to university for 1 week. My time table at university is also very structured so I am aware of the modules and content that is being taught.

There are several people put in place who are available to support me. For example: my line manager, my mentor, apprenticeship manager, my skills coach from university and many more! If I ever have a problem at work or at university, there are multiple people who I trust who I can go to. For my day to day tasks, I believe have sufficient support from my team, my mentor and my line manager if I ever need help.

Aston University’s support structure is extremely good. They have set up the LDC (Learning Development Centre) which you can go to if you ever need support with any of the modules. As someone who is a distant part time student, they are very aware of this and can offer online meeting to support the needs of students like myself! Their support from the lecturers and module leads are also very helpful.

The theoretical engineering knowledge that I will gain from studying my degree will enable me to apply the skills and behaviours which I have picked up through university into my day to day activities at my workplace. I have not come across a module at university which is specific to my role at Schneider Electric as of yet, however I have come across many general engineering principles, behaviours and skills from the modules I have completed and can apply this into my projects and tasks in my role at Schneider Electric.

There are many committees that are up and running at the Leeds site. For the apprentices, there is an Apprentice Social Committee where they plan different events for apprentices in the UK&I, both in-person and online over teams. There is also an engagement committee who plan different events and workshops for the site which encourages people to participate and try new experiences.

Yes

Since starting my apprenticeship, I seem to learn something new every single day and that is something I enjoy about my role. When starting your career in a field you are extremely passionate about, you want to make sure you gain the right experience and you are able to be around the right people who are willing to support you. From my experiences so far, I have learnt so much just from working with experienced members in my team and everyone is so welcoming and supportive at Schneider Electric. As it’s a global company, there are opportunities for you in the future to move to another country and still work for Schneider Electric.

I would say be curious and asks lots of questions. From my experience, I have gained so much knowledge by just asking questions. As well as this, be ready to learn something new everyday, have a passion for problem solving and think outside the box as this is what the apprenticeship scheme is all about.