Engineering Technician Apprentice Review

I am in my first year which has consisted of full-time college (5 days per week, 9AM - 4.15PM). Three days a week I study HNC Engineering Systems - this includes classes such as maths, statics, dynamics, electrical principles etc. as well as studying for my graded unit exam. Two days per week I am in practical classes working towards my SVQ Level 2.

I have learnt many new skills and developed existing skills. As well as the classes mentioned above I also studying welding, pipe fitting and wiring and other practical classes. These are skills I never would have picked up without this apprenticeship and I feel are beneficial to have on my CV and will help when I am working on site with the company.

I really enjoy the apprenticeship. I have learnt many valuable skills and am only 1/4 of the way through the apprenticeship. I can't say much about the company culture as I haven't spent much time on site, but the little time I have spent was enjoyable and it appeared that the morale was quite high and the staff seemed to be happy and enjoy their job, which I think is a strong indicator of a company being a good place to work.

I feel very valued by BAE Systems. It is very clear that the company takes a great deal of pride in their apprentices, this is shown by how much time and money they invest to ensure we have a great experience. The salary is very competitive which again shows how much the company values their apprentices.

I think the program is well structured but it would be beneficial to receive a bit more information from the company. I only found out I would be attending college full time just before I started the job and I think it would have been nice to have known this either when applying or when receiving the job offer. I also was a quite unsure about what I would actually be doing day to day when I accepted the job and even now am still unclear about what I will be doing after this year.

I believe my training provider gives me plenty of support. The vast majority of lecturers are friendly and approachable. I feel that I can discuss anything with them and don't feel nervous or uncomfortable. I am provided with lots of material to help me study and am confident I can pass my course well due to the support from the college.

This is hard to answer as I am not on site this year I don't get to see my employer very often. However my training officer comes to visit us approx. every 1-2 weeks to check in and see how we are getting on, and he always makes it known that if there are any problems or issues we can call him at any time.

This year I am struggling with costs but I am confident once my salary increases I will have more disposable income. I am older than most apprentices and so have more costs eg rent, bills, paying off wedding debt. I am sure if I was younger and still living with my parents I would have tons of money left over every month. I am very happy with my salary as I am earning the same as I was in my last full time job, with the benefit of learning many new skills and getting salary increases every year throughout the apprenticeship.

This question is not applicable, as I am not on site this year and am unaware of opportunities outside work.

Yes

I would recommend BAE Systems as it is a well respected company and their apprenticeships are highly rated by Ofsted. My own personal experience has been fantastic so far and I have no complaints. I think any apprenticeship is a great way to gain qualifications while also gaining valuable experience in the industry.

Make sure you spend plenty of time on your application to show why you would make a great apprentice. Look at the company's values and try to ensure you show in your application how these tie in with your own personal values. The aptitude tests are really difficult - I was upset after I completed the tests as I thought there was no chance I would be hired. Turns out I must have done better than I realised! The interview is not scary, everybody at the company is very friendly and wants you to succeed. Try to remember to ask lots of questions, don't be nervous!