Design Apprentice Review

For the first 6 months of my apprenticeship I went to college. This involved going around different classes doing different subjects that we would use in the company. At work, in my department I help out with different tasks and undertake tasks of my own, such as testing and rewiring. When I'm not busy, I have to type up reports on what I have done in my placement for my SVQ.

Even though I have not been in the company for a full year yet, I still feel I have developed new and existing skills. During my time at college we were working towards a PEO level 2 which covered a wide range of subjects from machining to electrical work which helped with practical skills. Since being at the company I have developed skills such as problem solving, decision making and responsibility as most of the jobs I do are on my own.

I personally do quite enjoying the apprenticeship so far. The work that I get given is work that actually affects the company and I feel that's the same for most apprentice work. This means you are being given responsibility by the company at such an early stage in you're career. From what I have experienced, my expectations were lower that what I was expecting as I do get quite a lot of work and get to work with different people.

As a first year, I feel as though it is quite hard to be valued by the company due to lack of experience, knowledge etc. but Leonardo is good at given you tasks which are not only to develop you as an apprentice but to also benefit the company as the task you may be doing, may be small, but could have a big impact on the product.

I think the structure of the apprenticeship program has pros and cons. It is well structured in the way that they have a level of expectation from you for work, participation etc. The only thing I would say is not structured are the smaller details such as placement plans (although they are expected to change) and appointing you with assessors for SVQ, although that will be fixed in the future I think.

Even as a first year apprentice you get a lot of support from others, whether that be at college or working in the company. If you need support there is always someone to help. This can be anything from giving you extra time to complete a task or giving you a tutor to help you out at college.

Within Leonardo, there are lots of different ways that the company support you. This can be from different departments, such as HR and an onsite occupational health team, or by the flex working hours, where you can come in at any time between a certain time so you are not bound by certain hours. There are many ways to access this support so you do receive quite a lot of needed.

The starting salary as a first year apprentice with Leonardo is very good. The company is very easily accessible so you never have to pay much to get to the site. Even though you are at college for six months you still get paid so that is an other benefit. Side benefits are also in place, things like free Edinburgh leisure which are also a benefit.

While working with Leonardo as an apprentice, there a wide range of things to get involved in. The company is always looking for you to volunteer, which can sometimes be a bad thing, but the opportunity is always there. Outside of work completely, Leonardo has a free Edinburgh Leisure membership so as an employee you get it for free and they also give discounts on different stores.

Yes

I think there are many benefits to working with Leonardo. The wage is good, you get different company benefits, flexible working and good amount of holidays to name a few. They also give a good opportunity for career progression. There are a lot of people here you say that this is a job for life, so the company must be doing something right.

The application process and interview process are much like other places. The interview involve a lot of high ranking employees who were also apprenticeships and they are happy to answer any questions. There is a lot of opportunity within the company, whether volunteering or career progression. I would recommend researching the company a bit and trying to talk to people who know it as it is not a very well known company I believe.