Comissioning Engineer Apprentice Review

I am a Higher apprentice with SIEMENS training to be a commissioning engineer. I am currently studying a HNC in electrical and electronic engineering on day release and am due to finish in June 2018. Since the start of my apprenticeship I have had plenty of opportunities whilst doing my rotations around various workplaces. This can vary between site work and office work which means you are always doing something new.

Since being with SIEMENS I have acquired 6 PEO's, will soon have my HNC in Electrical engineering and I have also completed lots of training courses for example, MEWP training, Safety passport training, first aid training and also harness training. Along with these I have also picked up many new skills along the way such as AutoCAD and Wire testing.

I find my programme very fulfilling it has provided me with opportunities which I would never have thought possible before. All of the staff who I have had interaction with have been very friendly and always willing to help and teach you. The culture at SIEMENS is excellent as everybody is encouraged to treat the company as it is there own so everybody is very responsible. Overall I am enjoying my apprenticeship very much and it has completely exceeded my expectations.

I personally feel very valued by SIEMENS there is constantly lots of effort being put into the apprentices and the apprenticeship scheme which involves a lot of investment both financially and by peoples time. I feel like I am more a part of the team and valued than just another apprentice. There is also other ways of being shown that you are valued such as the champions awards which I and a few other apprentices have received and also the wall of thanks which anyone can put you on to say thank you for something you have done.

At the beginning of my programme there was a bit of confusion due to it being a late intake and our programme being the first of its kind at this site. However once the initial teething problems had been addressed the structure of our programme became clear and we are now on a well defined path to be trained to become commissioning engineers. There is lots of training and support available readily at SIEMENS with support meetings and reviews every 12 weeks to make sure that you are getting on ok. Because of a manager changeover early on in the programme the organization of the full programme was not fully defined at the beginning but it has now all been laid out clearly and is easy to see the direction we are heading in.

There is always plenty of support should you require it from the training provider both from the college and from SIEMENS because they provide their own training so have training support officers on hand to assist you with any problems. I have never felt that there wasn't enough support and it is very easily accessed. Any problems which I have ever encountered have always been met with excellent advice and solutions from the training provider promptly.

There is always a lot of support from the employer, this comes from both my manager and the field team which can aid with any requests/problems that you may be having. Not only is there local support but there are many options which SIEMENS provides to its employees such as AskHR and other employee support options. They always make this fact very well know that you can and should request support from SIEMENS should you need it.

At SIEMENS the salary is very competitive, when I first got offered the apprenticeship I was surprised by the initial salary as it exceeded what I have previously earned by a fair amount. During the apprenticeship scheme the salary increases yearly as your experience grows. A few apprentice colleagues live independently I however still live at home as it is more convenient. Any costs incurred whilst travelling for the company are reimbursed (not commuting).

There are many opportunities that can be taken when not at work. For example every employee at SIEMENS is allowed 2 fully paid days in which you can volunteer for anything you would like to do that interests you. This is widely encouraged and many employees take this opportunity. There are also football teams and car clubs etc which you can join if they interest you and there are always flyers and posters for other events on notice boards.

Yes

I would recommend SIEMENS to a friend and have done in the past because I believe that they are a company that really believe in and support their employees to no end. There are so many opportunities within SIEMENS that I would not have thought possible before starting this apprenticeship. Working for SIEMENS has improved me as a person and has given me skills which are also useful in other areas of life. I feel very lucky to be working for SIEMENS.

To apply for SIEMENS You apply through their website where you can create a portfolio. This is your chance to sell yourself so make it very detailed and include everything about yourself especially things such as hobbies, skills and volunteering. I had a group interview and a one-on-one interview. Be confident during these and showcase yourself.