Advanced Technical Engineer Apprentice Review

My role within the company is a Advanced Technical Engineer Apprentice where I rotate through a large portion of all the technical departments within Darlington's technical operations. Each department is different and requires a matrix skills tracker to be completed. By doing this, you can learn about the department you're in, pick up new skills and knowledge and understand how different departments integrate. The technical rotation includes desk based departments such as design as well as hands on departments such as Test Ops. There are opportunities where necessary to be involved with projects, deal with customers, travel to customer sites or to off-site test facilities should you want to. Overall the role is to support associates and engineers in the department you are in.

You are constantly learning new skills while on the rotational apprenticeship. If you're leaving school or college with A-levels you generally take the route of one year full time off-site at a local training provider to complete a NVQ in Performance Engineering Operations. This was an electro-mechanical-handskills qualification which gives you the knowledge and basic hand tool skills to preform basic maintenance of machines, basic understanding of electrical systems and the ability to create tools from using handskills. Furthermore, you'll study a BTEC in engineering if you haven't already got the qualification. This is predominatly class room based and is usually day release till it is completed. Following on from this, the company will often put apprentices through additional training where you will learn turning, milling, welding, working at heights, manual handling, further electrical safety, grinding, PLC basics. In the second year, you return to work 4 days a week and spend 1 day a week at college finishing off the BTEC qualification. Furthermore, the final two years you start and complete a HNC in either mechanical or mechatronics. Again this is day release. While onsite there are many projects within each department to be involved in. Skills picked up in one department are often transferable.

I enjoy many aspects of my apprenticeship program. One aspect is the ability to keep on with education and the option to propose any training we think we may need. I enjoy coming to work and feeling like part of the team within the departments I am involved in.

In Cummins you are not *just* an apprentice, you have real work to assist with which the team you work with appreciate. Management and HR are approachable with any issues or concerns.

The structure of the program is outlined with a spreadsheet to show which departments you are in and how long for. Monthly appraisals are often planned to go over any issues or concerns and to ensure you are getting the most out of the apprenticeship.

There were issues at the beginning of the year with the current training provider however they did their best to cater for us by coming to our workplace to provide additional support to assist us with our BTEC/HNC qualifications. They also run sessions in half term if needed, these are not mandatory but you are free to attend if you want to.

Monthly meetings ensure we can discuss any issues and concerns - these are not with the same member of management each time, they rotate which can sometimes be benefical as some concerns relating to different departments or different aspects of the apprenticeship program can be met. This is not to say any member of management or staff cannot be approached between these meetings; everyone is happy to help. With regards to education, if you're stuck with assignment work, by contacting someone they will either help you or find someone to help you with your assignment work. There are plenty of skilled associates, engineers and specialists which have a mix of post apprenticeship, university qualifications who can help.

Starting salary depends on what year you are entering the apprenticeship scheme. In some cases fellow apprentices have already completed BTEC qualifications before starting and skip a year of the apprenticeship. However, the salary is competitive for advanced apprenticeships. Every member of Cummins is entitled to the bonus which happens after the tax year.

With Cummins everyone takes part in EEEC - which is scheme they have in place to ensure everyone completes 4 hours of volunteering work per a year. There are plenty of choices to make with the volunteering and it can include visiting schools and colleges to premote apprenticeships, working with local children to build go-karts and race them at test tracks, helping with local park rejuvenations, maintenance work with the local pumping station to name a few.

Yes

Cummins are a global company with lots of opportuny to excel in engineering or which ever department you are in. They provide you with a free education as part of the apprenticeship program with opportunity to progress and finish a degree if you wish to choose this path. They offer a good, competitive salary. They open their apprenticeship programs to everyone regardless of their age, gender, race, whether you have a disability or not.

Ensure that you target your CV and cover letter towards the company - ensuring you're talking about all the relevent skills you have which would benefit Cummins. Do some background research into Cummins; how, why, what, when and where. Also look at the different products since Cummins do not just build engines and how you can make a difference to the team?