Engineering Techincian Apprentice Review

My role is an Engineering Technician Apprentice and during my first year of the apprenticeship I spend my time in the apprentice training workshop learning valuable skills that i will use in my future roles. I learn the mechanical and electrical aspects of engineering and also hand-fitting and machining skills. There are a number of weeks during the year where I am team leader which means i am responsible for delegating roles for the cleaning of the workshop and partake in a health and safety walk on a friday morning. After the first year i will be doing placements around the business.

I had a very basic knowledge of enigeering before I started and the apprenticeship has helped to develop both my theoretical and my practical knowledge of the subject. It is gaining me a number of qualifications including a BTEC and a degree in the future. The apprenticeship has enabled me to learn about electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic application whihc i had no prior knowledge on. I am also a lot more confident and better at communication.

I find the apprenticeship programme i am on extremely enjoyable. Not only do i enjoy working in the engineering environment but the team i am a part of also makes it more enjoyable. It has surpassed my expectations.

I feel that as an apprentice i am valued by the BMW Group. I feel apprecition from the managers and the tutors when i complete my work. I also have the oppurtunity to get involved in different tasks set by the managers.

The programme i am on is extremely well structured and everything is set out from the offset. There is two days induction before going away for a week on a team-building trip. The first year is then set out in the best possible way to develop my skills. There are after work hours lessons to futher develop and improve my knowledge. There are regular meetings with managers and tutors to discuss how the programme is going for me.

There is a lot of support given from my training provider, numerous tutors are available each with different specialities so that i can be supported in the different topic areas. Any problems i have outside of work i can still speak to my training provider about and they will asisst me in any way they can.

I feel a lot of support from my employers thorughout my training programme. There are regular meetings to discuss my progress and anything they can do to supoort me and improve the programme. There is a non-prejudice approach to guidance with any problems inside or outside of work.

The salary that i am recieving is suitable for my needs and i am able to pay rent to my parents, afford travel and other social costs while still having some money leftover. However, if i was to move out of my parents home i would struggle with money. The incremental raise system is a good system to have included in the programme.

There are various oppurtunities outside of work including a residential hiking/camping weekend. There is a fitness class available nearby that i can attend adn i attended a charity 5-a-side football tournament.

Yes

I feel that the programme and the company as a whole is extremely good. The company value you and the programme provides you with detailed knowledge and information which is more than enought to begin a career in engineering.

When applying to BMW Group research into the company must be carried out before attending interviews. During the assessment days and assessment centres it is important that you remain calm and be yourself so that the company do not get a false impression of you. It is important to be prepared for these days and bring anything that BMW Group asks you to bring.