Apprentice Design Engineer Review

I am an apprentice Design Engineer specialising in the electronics field. I do two days a week at college and three days at work. I usually get given a placement for 3 to 6 months where I will be given a set task or challenge to overcome. I usually report to my placement supervisor or project manager which changes depending on the placement. Additionally I can report to my manager for any HR needs. Due to the nature of our business, external interactions are relatively rare. However, I am sometimes part of an occasional conference or visit to sub-contractor's sites. As an apprentice I am responsible for my own Health & Safety, I also have to consider other people's actions on site, I'm also obligated to attend college twice a week as well as pass the required courses. Most projects I undertake are/will be based on working under a more experienced coleague or manager. As mentioned above, the projects normally last between 3 and 6 months. There are also Professional Development Opportunities where I undertake self-managed projects such as organising trips to conferences or expositions (Such as the Engineering Design Show 16) My everyday tasks usually involve checking emails, then working towards the objectives of my placement. At college I have to study and complete the HNC Engineering assignments along side the PEO Machining course.

I have learnt and developed my Computer Aided Design skills alongside project management and report writing skills. I have also gotten a lot better at orgaising my time and personal resources. Due to the HNC Machining course I have learnt how to use lathes, mills, and bench fit. I have also learnt a great deal concerning workplace ettiquete and the working environment. This is mostly because this apprenticeship is the first real job I've had.

I really enjoy my time in work and on site. However, for the most part I dislike my time spent in college. This is mostly due to the college having bad teachers and the lack of practical work in the HNC. In terms of the company culture, I believe that there is a positive ethos amongst the other engineers, apprentices and team members. The workplace is not as formal as I was expecting at the start of the apprenticeship, however, I think there is a good balance between formal and informal here. Overall, I feel as though the apprenticeship has exceeded my expectations. I gave this a 7 out of 10 because of the college being inadequate.

I feel appreciated by my manager and the people I work under. We get formally recognised once per year as an apprentice and once per year as an employee in the chairman's awards. Obviously, trophies and rewards are given based upon performance in the Chairman's Awards. The larger your contribution to the business, the more rewarded you are.

The induction was reasonably well structured. However, my manager did inform me that they had difficulty getting everything set up for my arrival. The training was good as I got mentored by the other apprentices which helped me get to know them as well as learn how the business operates. Teams are loosely structured here so that decisions aren't decided by engineers that are "Stuck in their ways" opening up new ideas into the decision making process. I feel like this works most of the time. In terms of the overall program, it could have been improved but more information at the start of the apprenticeship would have been nice.

We recieve barely any support from the training provider outside of the lessons. They provide no financial support for apprentices and I do not feel as though I would know where to go if I needed any other form of support. There is also very little guidance with problems such as incorrect coursework. The teachers would give the coursework back with notes about where we went wrong but give no extra teaching.

On the other hand, I recieve lots of support from my employer including financial support with travel expenses and hire cars. There is also a lot of flexible suport from my manager concering core hours. I decided to go for earlier start and finish times so that I could beat the rush hour traffic. I also recieve lots of support from other employees in my team especially if I am struggling. While it does feel like I am inconveniencing them, they will happily take the time to help me when possible.

Unfortunately, my salary does not cover all of my living costs at the moment. I do have support from my parents to cover the rest. As mentioned previously, BAE Systems will cover my travel costs when I go to other sites, expos, and events. This also includes Hotel and food costs. I had to move from my family home to continue working at the site. I did commute for a short period of time which was cheaper but impractical. As such, my living costs have risen but I am coping adequately.

There are a plethora of opportunities such as various volunteiring events related to the STEM fields in which childern are encouraged to pursue careers in engineering. There are also opportunities to attend expos, either as a visitor or a stand attendant. When I am not working I usually have to cook, clean, and maintain my flat as that takes up the majority of my time when I live alone. I was hoping to set up an electronics workbench so I could design my own prototypes, however, I am usually far too busy or tired to pursue that.

Yes

Because of the structure of the scheme, the ethos of the other engineers here, the industry that we work within is incredibly interesting and cutting edge, amongst other reasons. I mainly believe that apprenticeships with lesser know multinational companies such as BAE Systems are much more benificial than university or more well known employers, such as JLR.

The bare minimum you need to know is what position you are applying for. One of the other applicants didn't know what role they wanted or what time their interview was. Secondly, have a portfolio to hand that shows you can do things BAE Systems is looking for. Thirdly, research the company and what we do. While BAE Systems does not have a lot of information on exactly what they make, there is enough information out there to nail that question in the interview.