Engineering Higher Apprentice - Civil Large Engines Review

As a higher apprentice,you start out life in the training school learning about the basics of engineering including machining, sheet metal welding, assembly, electrical & engineering drawings. For these first 10 months all your basic skills will be aquired ready to put you out into the business areas. Whilst out in the business you will organise series of placements in which you go around the different business areas. This experience is unique as it offers a detailed insight into the industry in which Rolls-Royce operates within whilst also nuturing your technical knowledge, communication skills & personal abilities. Day to day roles may include creating models, using industry standard software for anaylsis, verification of design guided by test data and industry specialists or process improvement.

With the training on the apprenticeship scheme being very detailed you go through many different courses whcih focus on important aspects of training to become a Rolls-Royce Engineer. examples include; engine familiarisations, developing personal integrity, outward bound. all the different courses focus to develop your skills and become more independant, confident and knowledgable.

The programme is very enjoyable overall, some parts are better than others and i feel like this is all down to personal preference in what areas of learing you enjoy most. The best part would be knowing how your work impacts projects, people and products down the line and its a very rewarding experience.

As the apprenticeship scheme is one in which you are encouraged to be independant you will be trusted to manage yourself especially on placement. Peronsally, i find sometimes that time with managers can be quite scarce and they dont really spend much time with you, but i think its a good chance for you to find your own way. This is not to say you will get no help whatsoever but you definitely wont be 'spoon-fed' the information you need.

The apprenticeship structure is very good; training in the business and getting industry experience whilst pursuing higher education for a degree is a brilliant concept. the workload is quite intense but with the right time management skills and motivation this is an obstacle which is possible to overcome. in terms of organisation, this is an area which could be improved in my opinion. With the sheer volume of apprentices and the large amount of responsibility placed on the ADL's (apprentice development leader - essentially an apprentice manager) its hard to co-ordinate simple tasks such as course booking or questions which need answering. this isnt always the case however, at busy times of the year i.e. christmas or when a new intake is inducted its not a good experience.

training provider support being a reference to futher education, there are many avenues in which you can recieve support and guidance. this is a good resource for higher education based issues and its relatively good on problem solving in terms of the training school, as previously discussed, overall the experience is okay but does lack when times are too busy and could be a more personal in terms of your manager (ADL) getting to know you more as a person and not just a name but this is something that happens over time, its a shame this isnt more focused on in the earlier stages of the scheme.

the support from people in the business is very good, my personal experience has been great. I have close links with my aligned business and they know me quite well and respect me just like any other employee. they help me alot in my development in the business and also provide me with anything that i need whilst out on placement.

The salary scheme is good and quite competitive. from figures seen at other companies such as Jaguar Land-Rover & BAE systems we are not as competitve however comparitive to JCB and Toyota we are better off. If an apprentice is to relocate for the scheme they may find it a little difficult financially until they hit the higher paystages as the first pay stage is quite low. So in summary the salary is middle-market in terms of pay, taking into consideration of pay stages as you progress through the scheme (which all other companies seem to also do)

there are excellent social opportunities outside of work to get involved in and this is common throughout. these include; sports clubs, gym's, events etc. these are all useful things to help you network and get to know people within the company

Yes

The scheme is overall a very lucrative concept and well worth doing if you see yourself as a committed, motivated and independant person looking for an alternate route than full time education or a full time job.

make yourself stand out - what skills, experiences or attributes do you have that fits the generic skillset of an engineer! what sets you apart Know your facts - naturally as an engineer you like to know how things work and also knowing the facts to support it!