Advanced Power Engineer Apprenticeship Review

My role as an Advanced Power Engineer is to learn all aspects of power from health and safety, isolating AC/DC sources to servicing large generators. I buddy with different colleagues and get a wide view of the role I will be competent in at the end of my apprenticeship. Everyday can be different and there is always lots to learn!

In my first 7 months I have learnt a lot about myself, the company that is BT, the apprenticeship I am on and the courses I am studying. There is so much yet to learn but I feel confident I have the encouragement and support to achieve every success.

Everyday is different and so I enjoy the variety of both job roles and also the places I could be working in. I couldn't have imagined it would be like this looking forward before I started and I am confident there is a lot yet to come that I cannot see!

I feel very valued here and we are often told that as apprentices we are the future of BT. As a company they invest in us heavily with training, tools etc. despite the fact that we are operationally unviable until competent and qualified, they put everything into us.

As a Power engineer apprentice there is a lot of study involved as there is so much to learn. We attend regular blocks of study away at college and also have external courses for which accommodation is provided where necessary. I am confident everything will fit into the 3 year length of the apprenticeship and that it will continue to be organised and structured.

Support is great as an apprentice. Where ever you turn you can find someone to help whether it is your buddy, your line manager or your apprentice coach there is always someone there for you to get in touch with.

As an employer BT couldn't do any more in my opinion to support apprentices on their enrolment to the company and throughout their apprenticeships. Support is always there from my line manager even with the silliest things I know that I can ask and I will always get a response.

As an apprentice you obviously start on a lower salary due to the learning of the role. However this is actually a lot higher than other minimum wage apprenticeships about and it means I am much more able to sustain myself in the first year as opposed to an apprenticeship on a wage of £3 an hour!

Opportunities is a word you will be saying in your sleep after joining BT! From the moment you join you are encouraged to want and to take every opportunity you can. They genuinely want you to be hungry for success and to progress throughout the company.

Yes

I have never felt this valued in a company and feel like the opportunities of progression and variety of job roles etc. means it is a no brainer for a career choice.

Put everything into it! Be yourself, this is the best version of you and who will be successful. Face your fears, sounds silly but put your name forward for things you would never have dreamt of doing even if they scare the hell out of you. You wont regret it and further opportunities can come from it. Enjoy it, too!