Civil Aerospace apprentice Review

On the first year my apprenticeship I am set to go on several placements in different areas of the business. E.g Development, test and measurement, engineering for services etc. Therefore the day to day work can vary. Nevertheless on my first/current placement in development I amkeeping track of different pieces of instrumentation set to go on one of our development engines to record test data. This requires the use of a lot of organisation software like excel and communicating with different specialist to understand the status of different pieces of instrumentation.

During the first phase of the apprenticeship my time was spent at the Learning and Development Centre (LDC). Here I attended various three or four week long courses to gain basic skills in different engineering operations. E.g Computer Aided Design, Electronics/Electrical, Welding, Business improvement techniques etc. There also many shorter courses designed to develop you as a person. E.g. Presentational skills, High performance culture etc. However as I now move between different placements within the business I believe I will learn skills which are valued in each of these sectors.

The work given is something that I definitely enjoy due to the responsibility it comes with and the interactions involved. My only criticism is the quantity of work I am given, it isn't quite enough. I often find myself near the end of the end day with not much left to do. However as I gain more experience (only in my first year) I believe the range of work available for me to do will be greater.

I defiantly feel valued, which I believe is reflected by the tasks given and by how much time others are able to commit to assist me in completing my tasks. The manager that I am currently placed with has done an incredible job of introducing me to the team and making me a part of it.

I mentioned earlier in the skills developed section some of the training that I underwent in the Learning and Development Centre. Although I enjoyed this training and definitely gained some new skills I am not all sure all of it was relevant, e.g. one course was a sheet metal and welding course in which we created a chiminea out of sheet steel, in contrast my current role is office based. Throughout your apprenticeship you have regular meetings with your Apprentice Development Leader, who tracks your progress to make sure everything is going well, this is also a person you can speak to if you have any concerns.

Most trainers I came into contact with during the training courses at the Learning and Development Centre were very helpful, with maybe just one or two exceptions, nevertheless their are processes to raise these issues. The people you work with within the business are incredibly helpful, they do a good job to getting you up to speed during your time on different placements and make sure that the work you do benefits your personal development.

There's always multiple contacts you can talk to you if you have any concerns, E.g. Apprentice Development Leader, Different people within HR, Placement leader, Placement manager, buddy etc. A good support system I believe they have in place is the buddy system in which you are assigned a buddy from the previous apprentice intake, this is a good person to talk to if you have any questions about the apprenticeship as they have most likely experienced it before.

The salary is extremely good, the system works by giving you a pay rise when certain milestone are hit. Personally I have not found a problem with the system, however others have mentioned that the starting pay might be slightly low when accommodating various different costs.

As an apprentice you get the opportunity to join the AGA (Apprentice ? Association), the group holds a variety of different events for apprentices e.g. social gatherings, trips etc. They also have their own sports and running clubs. Additionally when working in different areas you will find that the teams also hold their own activities. The Rolls Royce site also features a leisure centre, housing different spots facilities.

Yes

For a young person starting their career a Rolls Royce apprenticeship can be seen as a un-miss-able opportunity. The company invests heavily in their apprentices to develop competent word-leading engineers. However sometimes it is a little too laid back.

One tip would be to take any opportunity that would help you get role, for example if your interested in CAD work, then bring your CAD portfolio, just show that you're really interested. I know for a fact that the number of people that apply for the apprenticeships is huge and many don't get the role. To those people, apply again, as it truly is a great experience and I too was rejected the first time.