Apprentice Review

I am a year one apprentice, based at HMS Sultan. We attend the training academy daily, learning subjects based on engineering. We live in rooms of four to six other people, and share a class of 16 peoples. Our responsibilities involve completing all our work on time and getting the best grades we can achieve in the classes. Every day, we travel to HMS Sultan to study in class to gain the knowledge we will use in years 2 & 3 of our apprenticeship.

We will leave the course with a BTEC level 3 in engineering and NVQ. They have taught us practical skills, such as creating a clamp and stripping down and rebuilding a points machine. Outside of that, we have gain a large amount of knowledge which can be applied to our future careers and also develop our personal skills within a team.

The programme has given us plenty to do, with enough subjects to be interesting and challenging. Team work has been heavily emphasised to get us used to this part of our future career on track. Our time here has been a challenge, and posed new environments which very few people are used to, but overcoming them is a very satisfying part of the course.

The management take care over individual problems and ensure, to the best of their ability, that everyone is comfortable and happy. They give out regular rewards to recognise hard work, and make sure people are aware that their work will be useful in the future.

Induction was useful to get to know the layout of the base. Due to circumstances within the apprenticeship, a lot of changes have been made which have affected the year and how the course has run, but through regular meetings and support, the management have done their best to keep the course running and the apprentices in a healthy working environment

Babcock have been very useful, creating a VLE to provide documents and resources. The instructors are willing to help in any way they can, despite a large amount of pressure in them. Every instructor has been kind, willing and hard working.

As above, they have done their best despite large changes within the scheme. They provide individual meetings to overcome any issues, and they are handled professionally and respectably.

We are provided with meals and accommodation, meaning the large amount of our pay is our own to spend. Therefore, our living costs are nearly 0, travel is paid for those days when we can no longer stay at Collingwood. Any other expenses are our own to spend, and provided that you are careful, there is enough to enjoy yourself.

The local area has enough to enjoy yourself, with cinemas and shopping centres to provide entertainment. There is also space to go out for walks and go to the gym for healthy living.

Yes

It is a good opportunity to get a valued career within a company with plenty of opportunities to advance yourself and achieve the best you can do. Network Rail will do their best to help you succeed.

Do your best. During the application, we were asked to complete several tests and complete interviews. So long as you work hard to make a good impression, do some research and hold yourself confidently, you are very likely to do well. So far, not many opportunities to advance have been shown, but this is because we are not in an environment where they are available. When we move to our depots, the opportunity to improve and advance is in front of us, we just need to take it.