Design Engineering Techician Apprentice Review

My Job title is a design engineering technician apprentice. My day to day task involve doing independent task and tasks under the supervision of other employees in Leonardo. The Jobs are determined by what placement you are in which for the first 2 years will change every 3 months giving a wide overview of the company which ultimately helps you decide what you really want to do and gives you an experience of doing that job. Daily interactions will be with many people around the company from a wide range of departments. External daily interactions could be speaking to suppliers or arranging to perform a service on a piece of equipment. Responsibilities within your role as an apprentice in Leonardo includes looking after small aspects of a project within the business, carrying out daily jobs and acting in a responsible and safe manner. There are too many projects to just pinpoint one! As I am currently in quality assurance every day I carry out checks on equipment entering and leaving the work area to make sure that it has not voided warranty or is safe to leave the factory.

In the apprenticeship I have got my performing engineering operations level 2 certificate and from just working I have collected many valuable testing skills which are relevant across the whole site and beyond.

They work is mostly good. The team are always great to work with and make you feel as if you are fully one of them. The culture in Leonardo is great and if offers a friendly working environment. It has met my expectations fairly well. I enjoy my apprenticeship

I feel as if I am valued by Leonardo as other employees will ask me what I think on a problem as they believe I may know the solution and as an apprentice that makes me feel valued. The involvement in tasks is good as I am constantly given new and challenging activities to complete.

The induction is a 3 day brief before you start at college. Training is tailored to the workplace at Leonardo during the PEO course. The support is there for you at all times during your apprenticeship should you need it. All the placement managers I have had have been very accepting of the need to study and will slacken on workload if you need to study. Meeting with assessors are helpful to really pinpoint where it is that you are in your apprenticeship. Task delegation works fairly well however some tasks fail to be delegated on occasion and you will end up with no work. Team hierarchy is definitely present however everyone is approachable. Yes, I would say the apprenticeship is well organised.

When at college the support to pass your courses is there is you need it and ask for it but if you do not actively seek help you will not receive it.

Leonardo offer a good amount of support to us as apprentices and we have regular interaction in the form of team briefs with the apprentice manager and other apprentices. The HR team will not interact with us unless there is an issue but if there was an issue they seem approachable. In general the attitude towards supporting apprentices in Leonardo is good.

The salary we earn is reasonable and it is enough if you are not paying rent. however with the high cost of flat rent in the Edinburgh area it would not go very far after you had payed rent.

The apprentice group hold social events and this is encouraged by the company

Yes

As it is an enjoyable way to work through to what is almost degree level with a salary on top.

You should always make yourself as approachable as possible and not be cared to ask questions.