Electrical Engineering Degree Apprentice Review

Currently, my days involve working closely with maintenance and system engineers on site. This involves ensuring relevant plant is working correctly, defects are being managed, and improvement of plant through modification is being considered.

Development of communication skills from the very beginning, through organising block release with line manager to day to day activities across site. Development of team work with uni work. Some module coursework completed in groups. This consists of shared presentations and reports. Also, there is constant team work on site, general input from various colleagues. Various university skills: referencing, report writing, critical analysis, conveying technical information, and time management.

I enjoy being able to link university learning to on site activities. A prime example of this was learning about electrical supply and machines in the classroom, and then being able to aid in some switchgear maintenance. This helped in solidifying learning. I enjoy the fact the programme leads to greater financial freedom. The lack of student debt along with having a salary is great for someone my age.

Block release to uni are set and modules completed at relevant points in the apprenticeship. However, due to variation in sites, work often varies and therefore the organisation and structure can be different.

Requests and issues are often followed up relatively quickly by both the central team (management of apprentices) and on site (line managers and other team members). Well-being support is always offered, however often the lack of support from university leads to the employer trying to step in - which is not always successful and often more communication is necessary.

Support during block release can often be very good, although guidance around assessment briefs can differ depending who is asked and who asks. In the lead up to block release, module material is often not released until the day before the block starts.

The qualification I am in the process of obtaining greatly leads to improved performance at work due to having a greater knowledge of the theory. Also, the nuclear college tries to mirror sites in terms of safety. An example of this is the 'pre-job briefs'. To begin classroom sessions, safety discussions are held and knowledge between different companies is shared. This is similar to the beginning of practical sessions, however, usually they are more closely linked to the task at hand.

I play a role in the NRS Women's Network. This has been great for developing various skills and meeting new people in the company. There are also other external institutes with sub groups for younger members of the workforce. This again is good for networking and career development, often with opportunities to attend events. My advice would be to join what you can in order to put yourself out there to find these opportunities.

Yes

It is a friendly company providing opportunities for young people to progress not only academically, and professionally, but as people. Allowing for own growth while aiding in overall company targets. NRS allows for shared goals to make an impact on the nuclear industry.

Be your authentic self during the interview and ensure you convey your passion for whatever part of the industry excites you the most. Knowledge and processes can be taught, motivation is what is needed. Try and provide a fresh perspective and show how NRS could benefit from employing you.