Process manufacturer Review

My job title is an apprentice process manufacturer, this means that I am training to operate a chemical plant within Syngenta. My daily tasks can include operating the plant using the computer systems that are in charge of the equipment we have, taking and testing samples from the equipment to ensure that we are making the required quality of product and using these results to make changes to the process to maintain quality. Other jobs can include risk assessing potential engineering work and creating a permit to work document to allow them to carry out the maintenance.

Throughout the 2.5 years training I am gaining a level 2 and level 3 NVQ and technical qualification for process manufacturing operations. These qualifications are helping me build the foundations of my career by giving me the knowledge and theory behind what job role I will be fitting in to. I have also developed many of my exciting skills like English and maths as well as developing my confidence. At the start of the apprenticeship I was very quiet and in my shell but since progressing through the apprenticeship I am a lot more confident than I was to the point where I can lead plant tours for graduates by myself.

I really enjoy the programme I am on. Before joining the company I had taken chemistry, business and economics at A level as I really enjoyed those subjects and working for a global chemical manufacturer and developer ties in all of those areas which I had previously enjoyed prior to employment. I also enjoy the course as there are new aspects to learn about which I have had no prior exposure to so I like the challenge of learning new information.

I get very positive feedback from both the apprentice manager and supervisors that we work with. Other managers and employees are known to have given our apprentice manager good feedback about me when I have good placements and settle into plants well. I feel valued through the events and activities like events nights for awards or open evenings where the apprentices are getting high praise for the efforts we put it.

When we started we had a 3 week induction plan which was used to give us an introduction to the company and apprenticeship, within these 3 weeks we spend a week at the CATCH facility to introduce us the general idea of the apprenticeship in a level which we would understand. This 3 week period was really helpful to introduce us to the world of work and the line of work we will be working in as it is a job role that is not well known in the apprenticeship world. The manager is really supportive of our work and constantly checks on us to ask if everything is alright in and out of work. We get given feedback regularly we what we have done well and what we can do in the future to stretch our self's and develop our self's. If we ask we can receive extra support from managers, operators and college if I feel that I need it. We have our own study room which we can access at any time, there are resources in there we can use to help us with NVQ and the technical qualification. We have placements all around the site to help us get an understanding of all the departments roles in the industry as well as to help us learn about different processes.

The support I get from the operators at work is very good, they all believe in me and want to see me do well in the apprenticeship. The college also wants me to well in the NVQ and technical qualification, although there has been some difficulties with the college in the past I feel that now is behind them and they are highly supportive of the apprentices and are doing everything to give us the correct training.

My employer and apprentice manager is really good for giving support, he really believes in our abilities as apprentices and gives us credit where some may doubt our skills. If needed he can readily give us support for any aspects of our apprenticeship, all we have to do is ask for extra sessions or for some guidance and he will sort out help from assessors, college, operators or other apprentices so that we can get the right help and achieve the best we can.

It is one of the higher paying apprenticeships in the area and the salary covers everything I need to spend every month. The good thing about our salary is that it increased every year based on our progress through the apprenticeship as a percent of our final grade value, this helps my salary cover costs even more.

The company is a global company which has opportunities to move both within the site and within the company. There are many people who when asked will help you to achieve your long term goals of moving to different sites or jobs within the company if it’s within your capability. The Apprenticeship also gives good qualifications and experience so that if I wanted to I would have the correct skill set to move to many different processing industries.

Yes

Syngenta is a really good provided of quality apprenticeships where you can gain a NVQ level 3, a level 3 technical qualification while getting a higher level of work place experience over many different plants and departments within a global company. It has also given me a full time job for when I come out of the apprenticeship which is a very large perk of the apprenticeship. The payer is higher than the local average for apprenticeships of its kind and it’s generally a good experience.

Have a bit of time in a part time job role beforehand as this will increase problem solving skills and the ability to deal with responsibility. Another good tip is to generally be interested in the apprenticeship and what the job role is, being interested will help you perform through the apprenticeship.