Apprentice Technician Review

I am an apprentice Technician. I am required to create both 2D drawings and also 3D models that are used for a range of purposes including the development of designs and also on site for construction purposes. I have worked on a range of projects around the world and so I have gained a lot of valuable experience.

I have a gained qualifications as a part of the apprenticeship programme which I know will be extremely helpful and important when moving on to further education through Arup. There are several external courses available through Arup, however, these are not always geared towards technicians/apprentices. These training courses are not always encouraged either, it is best to look off of your own back and then try to chase up the appropriate people to ensure you can get involved with the courses. Arup pushes apprentices and technicians to gain recognition from the Institute of Civil Engineers, this is an EngTech qualification and can help with increased income in the future. I have developed my ability to speak about modelling confidently when explaining to others and trying to work out solutions with regards to the projects that I am working on. I have learned lots of Revit and Rhino since working at Arup and this will be invaluable for my future development. I hope to continue to develop my skills with these long into the future. It is particularly exciting because BIM is becoming more and more prominent within the engineering world.

I enjoy the most of the people that I work with and feel I have learned a lot from them. The projects can be very interesting and can look great on your CV. It seems that a lot needs to be done off of your own back at Arup and I do not think that the apprenticeship structure is particularly well set up. It is imperative that individuals are willing to work hard and seek things out for themselves, however, I feel that Arup can fail to meet apprentices half way in some cases, making it difficult to gain experience etc. This doesn't seem to be the case for graduates that join the company, their personal and professional development seems to take priority at Arup. Luckily, in terms of my personal experience, I have worked with a great team who have been set on helping me develop my skills. I enjoy my programme as I am able to use a range of different software packages and develop my skills with regards to these. I have also worked with some fantastic people that are always more than happy to support and guide you when trying to learn. The training provider where apprentices complete their level 3 qualification is not great. They are extremely unorganized and staff can be patronising/unhelpful. The course is not delivered particularly well and as a result work can begin to pile up, no matter how much of an effort apprentices make to keep on top of it. Furthermore, college does not align too much with the work that apprentice technicians undertake at Arup. For example, technicians do very little engineering and college focuses on engineering and construction.

I do not feel valued by Arup as a whole, I do however, feel valued by certain members in the teams that I have worked in. THe people that I work for specifically are always very impressed with my work and constantly show their gratitude which is great. However, in terms of Arup as a whole, this is not always the case. There is very little discussion or talk about technicians within Arup. Engineers make up the majority of the companies image, regardless of the amount of work and complexity of works undertaken by technicians. I also feel that many members of staff forget that there are apprentices at Arup who are in training and may not be always able to complete tasks without help. Arup are extremely proud of all their engineers and are somewhat 'old school'. There is little commendation for the work of technicians and a lot of the talks and activities set up by Arup focus primarily on the engineers and their achievements. I have achieved a lot whilst working at Arup and have been lucky enough to work in a team where I have felt extremely included and have received lots of recognition. However, I have worked in other teams where this is certainly not the case. The projects I have been involved on, have however, been a lot of fun and I have really developed my skills, particularly with the software Revit.

The programme is poorly structured, other than learning software there is very little other opportunity in terms of areas of development. For example, apprentices have great access to software packages and other technicians that they can ask for help. However, there is little effort made in terms of developing basic engineering skills or personal skills via meetings both external and internal. The college course does not align with the work that apprentices undertake at Arup. Completing the NVQ (work based portfolio) can be particularly difficult as a result of this. This is because the NVQ may require the apprentice to complete engineering calculations/ understand how finance works on a project, however, it can be tough trying to get this opportunity at Arup because it simply isn't your job. In terms of study and work support you will be provided with a mentor and buddy. Tasks are delegated well, however, more communication is needed and apprentices must be confident in saying 'No' when they are aware they are being given too much work.

The training provider used by Arup is terrible in terms of organisation, quality of teaching and willingness to take on feedback. Staff at the college can be patronising and very unorganised. For example, part way through one of my years our tutor essentially started completing the work for us because he knew it was merely impossible to get certain topics across in the time allowed. Security staff are rude and the other people that attend the college can be disruptive. I did not enjoy college, however, I very much enjoy the work I have at Arup.

You are assigned a buddy and a mentor . HR are not great in terms of replying to queries about the apprenticeship which is a shame. It can take a long time to get responses for simple queries which is unhelpful. It is best to find people within your team/you mentor when looking for help or guidance with regards to work or college. The team I worked with at Arup were very supportive and have helped me develop my software skills and knowledge of BIM. I have also had a very proactive and helpful mentor who has helped me get experience in the appropriate places where possible.

The salary is standard and increases every six months. When qualifications have finished, I believe it goes to a performance based set up. The money is not high but you need to understand that you are there to learn as well as work. In time the salary will increase, especially as you become more valuable to the business, this is understandable. It would be nice if Arup were more transparent with their salary packages for apprentices (in terms of set increases).

Arup excels in terms of its external opportunities. These are mainly social, however, there are a range of clubs and societies that people can join. This is also a great way to meet people form other areas within Arup. There are also lots of work events that are set up as a thank you for various projects.

Yes

Overall, a good place to work. I also feel that the apprenticeship will improve due to the introduction of the opportunity to study a degree.

- Show an interest in engineering and Arups projects - Talk about things other than the usual school qualifications etc. Talk about hobbies and extra curricular events.