Technical Apprentice Review

As an Engineering Technical Support Apprentice my daily tasks usually involve me either shadowing a senior engineer or carrying out work tasks the same as the engineers around me. My interactions daily internally are usually with my immediate team however there are cases when interaction with other teams and BAE sites are required through either email or telephone communications. My role also comes with an amount of responsibilty, you are expected to carry out all the work you are given to a high standard and be able to time manage so that you can hit the deadlines.

I have learnt many new skills whilst on my apprenticeship, some of these in the form of qualifications and also proffesional and personal development. I have completed a PEO Level 2, Level 3 BTEC, Level 3 NVQ and am currently studying Part Time for a Mechanical Engineering Degree. With regards to my personal and proffesional skills I have developed my communication skills and improved my engineering knowledge.

I mostly enjoyed my program because with the rotation plan you get a variety of different work tasks over the length of the apprenticeship. The teams that I have owkred with aswell have proven to be very friendly and easy to approach which has made the experience all the more enjoyable. For me personally the main down side is the lack of any major 'hands on' experience after finishing in the training school. I had hoped to be a bit more involved with the manufacturing side of things however this is only really achieveble in a minimal of placements. Overall I have enjoyed it though as the work can be interesting and the people around me are very friendly.

During my apprenticeship I had both ups and downs when it came to feeling valued. On the whole i was never made to feel undervalued and often recived praise from my immediate line manager and training team which was a good feeling. I was also heavily included in most of the work that was being undertaken within the departments which did make me feel like a vlaued mameber of the team. Unfortunetly there were a few times though when I did feel undervalued especially through internal recognition, there was a couple of occasions where I had been putting in significant effort to meet a tight deadline and although I recieved praise from the team there were times when other apprentices were given more recognition even though it appeared they did significantly less. Luckily these occurances were on the rare side and overall I feel more valued than not.

I personally believe that the Training Programme is very well structured. The Training team here have put together a rotation plan so that we are able to see where we will be going and who is the point of contact and they also provide excellent support for us. I have had regular mentor meetings to make sure that I am happy and to also go through my NVQ. Also the departments have a solid plan in place for apprentices with a list of the tasks that will be carried out. this is helpful as it helps to plan the evidence that we will be able to collect for our NVQ.

The Training Team here have always been very supportive, they have been able to help resolve issues that have been work and education related. They have always seemed happy to help us and have shown a positive and honest attitude towards us. The only downside is that due to a recent downsizing of the team it is not always possible to see the team straight away, however they will always endeavor to see you as soon as the physically can do.

Generally the level of support that is given to us is very good. The team leaders are approachable and are happy to help with any tasks that you are undertaking. There is the odd occasion when support can dwindle however this is usually due to important work that they are carrying out, even during this though they will try their best to support you.

The salary is very competative for an apprenticeship although with the cost of living rising even being careful with money it can sometimes feel like a struggle. I do believe though that the salary is very good for an apprenticeship scheme and so long as you can budget (especially for the 1st two years) and live within your means then the salary is good.

There are a few opportunities outside of work however due to my own personal commitments I am unable to partake. There is however a charity group and local sports club.

Yes

I would recommend BAE Systems to a friend because you can receive training and get paid for it, with the added bonus of getting work experience. Also if you show you are capable there is the opportunitiy to get a degree funded by the company meaning that you can get a degree without getting into debt.

For anyone applying to BAE Systems i would recommend that they research the company, get a feel for the products made and for the type of work carried out. I would also suggest that they research the different types of apprenticeship offerd so that they can find the best fit for the type of job that they want to carry out.