Apprentice Fleet Vehicle Technician Review

My role at Severn Trent primarily involves maintaining, servicing and keeping our fleet running - with a general focus on vans. The tasks I get given on a day to day basis include carrying out routine servicing, diagnosing engine light faults on both vans and HGVs, and handling minor repairs such as replacing mirrors and light bulbs. Our workshop is always incredibly busy with light vehicle inspections which I get tasked with completing a fair bit. Me and the other apprentice at our workshop are often tasked with helping vehicle logistics by driving vans to different workshops when outsourcing work or taking them to MOT centers. Additionally, I carry out jump starts when needed and oversee other technicians when they handle jobs beyond my ability. Beyond technical work, as expected of an apprentice I try my best to maintain a clean and organised workshop, to ensure its safe and most importantly an efficient working environment for the team. My role mainly focuses on smaller but essential tasks that help the fleet keep running smoothly and efficiently.

So far in my apprenticeship, I believe I have improved and developed quite a few skills. My mechanical ability has increased, though I still do not believe it is nowhere near the level expected by my college. However hopefully I will continue to learn and refine my skills with the hands-on experience gained at my workshop in Severn Trent. Beyond my technical skills, I believe I have also grown more professional and social to customers. Ive significantly improved my business etiquette, especially when talking with colleagues and external companies. Finally, my problem solving skills have also gotten much better, though once again I realise that they are still in need of significant improvement to meet college standards. Overall, I am progressing, but I am fully aware that I'm behind in my learning times.

I Truly enjoy my apprenticeship, mainly because of the company I work for. Severn Trent has an amazing working environment with friendly colleagues, good company benefits, and strong values. I also really like the fast paced nature of the job, there's never really a dull moment. Most importantly I really like working on vehicles, so this really keeps me motivated! However there are aspects that seriously need improving. The training provider (Remit) is incredibly disorganised, and there seems to be a disconnect between them and Severm Trent. It quite often feels like Severn Trents focus is on clean water and wastewater apprenticeships ensuring they have structured support, whilst us vehicle technicians are not kept in the loop with in-house training or even visits from Severn Trents in house DCs. Amongst that it would appear my manager has no clear way to track what needs doing to complete my apprenticeship, making it really difficult to monitor my progress. Additionally, our workshop is designed to suit light vehicles, whereas my college work is focused solely on HGVs. Because of this, I rarely get hands-on experience with HGVs, which inturn makes my learning more difficult. Amongst that Severn Trents fleet is quite niche, unlike a dealership for example, which really limits my exposure to a wider range of vehicles. A major issue I have is with the college's online learning system. The website is always having problems, making it really difficult to quickly get tasks done. There is a lack of support for online learning, and although these concerns get raised every college block, nothing has changed in over a year. The teachers are all aware of the problems, but no actions are being taken to improve the system. Now another problem with Severn Trent rather than Remit. I believe our mentors really need proper training before being allocated an apprentice. Ive now had four mentors and not one has known how to teach effectively, making it really difficult to learn the practical side of my job. On top of that, Remit’s development coaches provide little to no practical help, often telling us to “make a job happen”, even when it's unrealistic. It just seems their role does not add much value since you can predict what they're going to say, and it's usually unhelpful. Additionally, both mentors and development coaches seem to believe if my Remit coursework looks good, my practical skills will follow suit. However, that really isn't the case. I struggle with the hands -on learning, and my paperwork looks really good. This gap in my understanding makes it hard to get their support and develop my practical skills. While I really enjoy the work itself and the company culture, I believe that with better structure, more HGV exposure, a functional online learning platform, and proper support from both Severn Trent and the training provider, the programme could be significantly improved.

I believe Severn Trents management of the apprenticeship programme is terribly organised. In-house support is almost not there, with visits from Severn Trent HR (Apprentice Buddies) only happening when an issue is raised about an apprentice rather than for routine progress check ups. When I first joined the company, the workshop I was assigned to had no idea they were getting an apprentice and did not want one. After a painfully slow month or so this led to me being reallocated to a workshop over 30 miles away from my original base. Additionally, Severn Trents induction ensured a guaranteed job, in-house visits, and strong support, none of which have been delivered. Supposedly even the job guarantee is now uncertain. Severn Trent also appears to have no insight on how any of their apprentices are progressing with Remit, whether they are doing well or struggling. On top of that, the workshop facilities are incredibly outdated and inadequate, as certain trucks do not even fit inside, limiting apprentices ability to gain hands-on experience. The training provider, Remit, is also really disorganised. Development Coaches, which are supposed to assess our work, contribute nothing more than ensuring paperwork is signed. Many jobs we need to complete to get our qualifications will never happen at our workshop, yet neither Severn Trent managers nor Remit’s DCs take any action towards fixing this. It would also appear that there is a major disconnect between the DCs and the college teachers, DCs claim that working on LGVs is acceptable for completing coursework, whereas teachers insist it is completely different and way easier to work on LGVs. Furthermore, the online learning platform that's provided by Remit is really poor. It’s filled with spelling mistakes, irrelevant content, and unstructured materials. Many of the online blocks consist of long YouTube videos rather than structured powerpoints / learning materials. Finally, the task sheets set for us are often impossible to complete due to the limitations of our workshops, yet no consideration is given to these constraints. Overall, both Severn Trent and Remit fail to provide a well-structured apprenticeship programme, leaving apprentices unsupported and struggling to progress.

I’m allowed to do my online course work throughout my working day. However, on several occasions, other staff members in the workshop have complained about me being on the computer too much this time, despite my contract saying 30% off the job is allocated for this. This sometimes makes my online learning activities a bit uncomfortable. After having some initial problems when starting with Severn Trent, I was eventually assigned two mentors. This was a very big positive step, but unfortunately i'm still finding it really difficult to keep up with my task sheets. Unfortunately, the only possible way I see myself catching up is by pleading with the manager for support, as he has mentioned that he is too busy to help us track our progress. Without proper oversight, it is really difficult to stay on top of the work required, whilst remaining friends with all other staff members. There is no support available from any external parties outside of our workshop. This has further caused me difficulties in managing my workload effectively. Due to the poor support of the training provided by Remit, I recently took the initiative to enroll myself in additional maths training at Severn Trent’s Academy. I only became aware of this opportunity through a colleague who mentioned it while having his van worked on, and not the Apprentice buddy that should have told me this. Overall, while some support is provided, there are significant gaps that make it difficult to stay on track with my training and development.

I’ve had many problems with the level of support that my training provider, Remit, gives me. Development coaches do not offer adequate assistance if you fall behind. Instead of helping their apprentices get back on track, they just tell you off like you're at school. On several occasions my DC has advised me to use Google to find maths answers for my EP work, rather than trying to get me additional maths support. Their role seems to solely check paperwork rather than offering meaningful support for learning and development. Efforts to try and obtain help from higher up at Remit HQ have been rather frustrating, as responses are incredibly inconsistent. While an initial email may be acknowledged, any follow-up inquiries often go unanswered, requiring constant chasing with no set in stone resolution. Additionally, all of the online learning materials are really poor quality, making independent study basically impossible. During class block releases, presentations frequently contain spelling mistakes, incorrect information, and unrelated topics. Some necessary subjects are not covered, and even the teachers at Remit acknowledge these issues. At times teachers turn a blind eye on students to cheat at the end of each block release, which really undermines the legitimacy of the qualification. Classroom discipline is also not great, making it difficult for those who are trying to take their training seriously to focus. As a ‘mature’ learner in my 20s, I find this especially frustrating, as Severn Trent is investing in my education, and at the least they should be providing a productive learning environment. Practical training is also limited, amounting to only about 30 minutes a week. Since block releases only occur once every two months, this results in roughly three hours of practical work per year, which I think is really insufficient. Furthermore, no support has been provided for catching up on workshop tasks, despite the potential for additional sessions at college. Overall, the lack of structured support, poor communication, and subpar learning materials significantly impact the quality of training. I hope these concerns can be addressed to improve the experience for all trainees.

I should be equipped with the skills to work on trucks, light vehicles and plant machinery. This should allow me to diagnose faults and fix them effectively. Additionally, I’ll have the correct licenses to drive vehicles for MOTs and Inspections, which will enhance my overall contribution to maintaining the fleet. This qualification will almost definitely help me perform my role better, as it should allow me to work safely and quickly whilst resolving issues in the fleet. However, I realise i’m going to need some serious support to ensure that I do pass my apprenticeship. I am committed to putting in my full effort to succeed, but will definitely need guidance to ensure I use my full potential.

There are loads of extracurricular activities throughout Severn Trent that any member of staff can get involved in, catering to both social and professional development. Employees can join in on volunteering days, such as Discovery Days, where they show children about the company and hopefully teach them something interesting. There's also a Christmas meal, football tournaments for events like Movember, and roadshows led by the CEO, Liv, where she discusses the company's goals and vision. Severn Trent offers in-house academy courses such as: 4x4 driving, first aid, and fire marshal training. Employees can also be involved in work experience programs, helping to show students what big companies are like to work for, and you can even enjoy an environmental lunch every week. Additionally, there is a fleet monthly call for the transport team. These are just some of the many activities employees can take part in at Severn Trent.

No

I would suggest Severn Trent to a friend who’s qualified, but definitely not to be an apprentice. The companies got great values and a clear aim, and the colleagues are friendly throughout the business. It almost feels like a “walled garden” where you get absorbed into Severn Trent’s culture. Severn Trent is really health and safety focused, and there are plenty of roles that you can move around to make it really easy to grow within the company. I also have two family members who are qualified and love working at Severn Trent, and we have plenty of friends who work there as well, even though we didn’t meet them through the company, making it great to discuss what's happening at different parts of the business. Another positive aspect of Severn Trent is its commitment to sustainability. I'm particularly interested in their aim to have a fully electric vehicle fleet by 2030. This focus on reducing environmental impact is a very forward thinking initiative and is really in line with the company's values, which I appreciate. However, I do have my concerns, particularly about the future of the vehicle tech role. With the company moving more and more to a leased fleet, I'm unsure about the long-term job security in that area. There are always maintenance tech roles that my skills would be usable in, but the transition would raise some uncertainty. Additionally, while Severn Trent is great for qualified employees, the support for apprentices, especially those in non water related courses, is lacking. I don’t think they should allow more apprentices to start in those areas due to the lack of support.

If I was getting a friend to join Severn Trent, I’d first suggest they really take the time to revise and get a full grasp of the company's culture. I believe Severn Trent places a huge emphasis on teamwork and safety, so it's crucial that you are a good fit for that. Everyone here is super friendly and supportive, so being prepared to work closely with your team will make a huge difference. I’d also recommend highlighting any courses or experience you have related to health and safety. Severn Trent values safety a lot, and demonstrating that you take it seriously would definitely work in your favor. If the job you're interested in isn’t available, I'd advise you to stay open to other opportunities they have. There are so many different roles within the company, and sometimes being flexible can open up new paths you might not have considered. Lastly, showing your passion for the environment is a big plus. Severn Trent really values sustainability, so if you have that in mind, it will align well with their goals. And of course, be positive and enthusiastic! Severn Trent values people who are eager to learn, grow, and contribute to the team.