Advanced Technical Apprentice Review

As an advanced technical apprentice at Rolls-Royce, for my first year my daily activities include practical training in one of several sections (milling, turning, sheet metal, electrical etc...) where I learn skills which are used in manufacturing departments at Rolls-Royce. Variety in work is good, as every month I'm learning a different set of skills, so if one section is something I struggle with, then I know that it will vary often. These workshop sections while enjoyable, can be challenging for me as a person who prefers technical work. Every 3rd week I spend time at college completing a Level 3 BTEC. In the 2nd and 3rd years, I will be rotating around on 12 week job placements in a technical role, however I cannot give comments on this yet.

There are several skills which I have learned so far. Of these I've learned a lot of skills in regards to manufacturing, so this involves concentration and hand skills. The Outward Bounds course at the start of the apprenticeship has taught a lot about teamwork and communication, however in the workshop these skills aren't exercised a lot. Roll-Royce has provided a lot of training courses for fundamental skills such as manual handling and presentation skills. These skills help ensure that a base understanding of these is achieved. The qualifications which I am/will be working towards are a Level 2 and a Level 3 NVQ, Level 3 BTEC and a Foundation Degree. Overall I've learned a wide range of skills which are useful in and outside of work.

So far the training within programme has been mostly enjoyable, although certain elements can feel excessive and tedious. The work is varied and enjoyable, though the amount practical work is not always for me. At the end of most days I feel satisfied with the work I have done, so even though not all the work is for me, it is rewarding to complete. Everyone I've met is friendly and welcoming, from the apprentices, instructors and to the managers so it is a pleasant place to be. There are hiccups within the programme, but overall it has been enjoyable for me so far.

At Rolls-Royce everyone is treated individually. The management really values the apprentices on an individual level as well as on the highest levels. Personally I feel welcomed and my apprentice development leader does care about my progress as well as my welfare. The only part which I feel could improve in this regard is if I received more frequent feedback.

The programme is organised in a rough way. While I rarely find myself with a lack of things to do, there often is confusion in communications, ambiguity in what has to/doesn't have to be done and courses being poorly planned (such as staring one course in October last year and being scheduled to finish it August this year.) There is a lack of communication between the college and Rolls-Royce, so time has been wasted and assignments have been delivered over a month late. A lot of these problems seem to have been a one-off experience for this year, namely due to trying new things, however this can really throw off the programme.

There are a lot of methods of receiving support, although it isn't from one source. The individual instructors generally provide sufficient information to get through workshop sections and ensure that you understand what you are doing. If there is a problem that cannot be solved easily, then each week there is a meeting where these issues can be raised and they are proactively fixed. There is a lot of responsibility in managing oneself, but there is also plenty of support to be found. Support isn't handed over on a plate; so if you don't seek support, you won't receive any. Overall there is a sufficient amount of support for the responsibilities one is given, and if one needs some more then it is possible to find more.

My apprentice development leader is very supportive, but also very busy due to the amount of apprentices he is responsible for. (This is an exception, but it affects a lot of people.) I rarely see him and have the chance to speak to him, so he isn't my 'go to' for support, however he is always happy to help proactively if it is required. At Rolls-Royce I have access to a wide range of tools on the local intranet to communicate with HR. So far I've not had any problems which have been needed to be reported to HR, however the options available are frequently mentioned. As for the IT support, it hasn't been as responsive as I would have liked. There has been difficulty organising arrangements with them and as such some problems have dragged on.

As a 16 year-old living with my parents, the salary is plentiful, so I personally am satisfied with it. I frequently hear some older apprentices talk about their struggles with money, however I have not had any problems so far.

There are numerous opportunities outside and inside of work, from apprentice/graduate organised events, representing the company at the Big Bang Fair and for Prince William amongst others, the Rolls-Royce Leisure Centre, a German exchange and more. All of these are available to many apprentices and they are an exciting way to break up work.

Yes

If you have a small interest in engineering, I would recommend Rolls-Royce to you. There is a huge variety in the amount of jobs available at Rolls-Royce and Rolls-Royce will support you in whichever direction you go. The course provides you a lot of useful and skills and qualifications which are recognised outside of Rolls-Royce, so if in the small chance that you do not find any work that you enjoy here, the time spent at Rolls-Royce is time well spent. A job at Rolls-Royce is a job for life, before coming here, I had a very vague direction of where I wanted to be in 5 years, now I do. The people I've spoken to at Rolls-Royce enjoy their jobs and the apprenticeship provides an open view to a wide range of roles. There are countless opportunities at Rolls-Royce and Rolls-Royce really care about their employees. To sum it up, it's great, beneficial and useful.

Be honest, be sincere and ultimately, be passionate about joining Rolls-Royce. The application is a long and thorough process and it assesses a lot about you and your capabilities. Be sure to reply and check your emails and complete the online tests, as I've known people who have missed their chance at applying due to this. If you are invited to an assessment day then be sure to stand out and be confident about what you do and who you are. There are 3 different interviews assessing different competencies and a team-exercise. In these it is important to be yourself, as they are assessing who you are, not who you aren't. If you get in, congratulations, but also be prepared for the long and tedious on boarding process. You will be required to have your GCSE certificate scans (or proof of your grades if you haven't received them yet) so prepare for this. Expect a lot of forms to fill in for the apprenticeship, Outward Bounds programme and a health check to attend. It is a lot. If you don't get in, don't worry! I have met people here who have applied 5 times over. That means being turned down 4 times. Don't let stress get over you, it is a very competitive scheme. Overall I wish that I was told more about what the programme entails before applying, especially about how the work will be structured.