Mechanical Engineering Apprentice Review

My role involves supporting the delivery of various engineering projects across the world, as well as being on a day release course with a college, studying towards a level 3 diploma.

Through working with Atkins I am able to acquire knowledge specific to my role as a mechanical engineer, as well as further develop on my problem solving and people skills. I have also had experience with computer software.

I think the programme is very enjoyable as it allows me to balance out my workload from college and the company itself fairly well. There are times where pressures due to deadlines make the programme a little stressful, however that is expected from a job in this field.

The support from Atkins is second me to none. This is largely due to my line manager providing me with great support and advice. The company as a whole is very keen on apprentices and provides inumerous ways of supporting our development.

As previously mentioned, the day release programme works fairly well for me. At times it can be a struggle to accomplish college/work tasks during periods where deadlines clash, however this is something that cannot be avoided.

The support from college is substantial. At the moment, I find the course to be relatively easy, thus no real support is required, however some tutors seem more keen to provide support than others. This could be a problem when the course becomes more challenging.

As mentioned before the support from Atkins is great. The company caters to my needs very well, be it technical advice, or general line management/HR issues. The time spent at work is highly enjoyable.

This is an area which could be improved on. Whilst I think that for an apprentice, the wage is great, some of the work which I am expected to do is very high level. This is only an issue as travelling to London is very expensive for me.

Yes there are plenty of events which I am able to attend throughout the year. Some of these are provided by Atkins, and some by other societies such as CIBSE or Young Engineers. These range from technical seminars, to apprentice events.

Yes

For someone looking to get into engineering without the intention of wanting to go to university, I believe the apprenticeship with Atkins to be a superb choice. The experience gained during my time here has proven to be invaluable, and the company itself is incredibly supportive. Working in a professional environment has also provided me with skills which I would have otherwise not been able to get.

The main piece of advice I would give is to show interest in your interview and be able to back up your interests with evidence. The interviews are competency based, and the interviewers want to see evidence which proves that you are the right person for the job.