Advanced Engineering Apprentice Review

I am a Technical Apprentice currently based in Metrology, my normal day to day tasks outside of college release days are constantly changing based on the needs of the department. Some days I shadow more experienced Metrologists in my department, to develop a better understanding of how different parts of my department work. We have constant internal interactions between different members of the Metrology team and the Analysis team. We also have a department wide morning meeting, where each member discusses their individual tasks for the day, and cross discussion on different tasks can happen.

I have developed existing skills in Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Bench working and Communication. I have developed new skills in Turning, Milling, Welding, Health and Safety, Mechanical assemblies, Mechanical Maintenance, Hydraulic Assemblies, Hydraulic Assembly Maintenance, and Metrology specific concepts and skills. Whilst not all the skills I have learnt ae directly related to my department, all of them have given me a greater understanding of engineering as a whole, and the skills I have learnt, and the way I have learnt them, have made harder concepts easier to learn and understand.

Work is always interesting, as there is always something new to work on, or a new set of challenges as the company moves forwards with new products. Whilst every car and product produced by the company has its production timetable and plans mapped out well in advance, there are always teething problems and integration issues that need to be solved, which means that every day, week and month provides you with a new set of interesting problems, each different from the last. The team and department I work in are all very supportive, friendly and generally good people to work with, the Company fosters a professional, yet friendly and personal environment to work in, with a culture focused on the quality of the work and the individual, rather than quantity of tasks to be carried out. This rewards dedication and perseverance, whilst punishing rushed and poor work.

Regular internal reviews provide good feedback to both myself and the company, and give a chance for praise and reward for good work, and reflection and evaluation on bad work. We have a dedicated HR staff member who solely looks after apprentices and interns, so any issues, problems or questions we may have that are not department specific can be answered or solved quickly and personally.

Our program structure was made clear to us at the beginning of our apprenticeship. Our first week was spent away at a team development centre, this gave us all a chance to meet each other and get comfortable working with each other whilst not actually being in a work environment. For the first year we have been on full-time college release, going to work during college holidays. For Years 2-4 we will spend 1 day a week on college release, the rest of the time spent at work. After the first year we start getting internal placements, where we go to different departments to further develop our skills, and make us more internally marketable. Some of the organisation surrounding our college has been lacking, although this is mainly due to the college administration.

We have a dedicated student tutor that supposedly mentors our entire group. However the turn around on this job has been quite high, we have had 4 different College mentors since in the 9 months we have been at College. When we are presented with a problem our first port of call is our lecturer, if they cannot solve the problem we go up the food chain to the College department head, who will listen to any problems and act accordingly.

We receive a good amount of support from our employer, we have regular contact with both our managers and HR, and have good access to other support, from both in our departments and out. If we have a problem it is solved quickly, and usually in our best interests. The company have a very good attitude towards supporting us.

The salary and package of this apprenticeship is on the lower end for advance/higher apprenticeship, however if you can budget yourself properly it is possible to live independently during the first year, just don't expect to have a lot of money left over at the end of the month. If you plan to live from home then the money is fine. Costs of food at the plant are quite high, so it is best to bring in lunch to eat.

There are a number of opportunities outside of work, and at the College. The company hosts a number of events a year, and offer discounts for local gyms, leisure centres, and the nearby Goodwood racecourse. There are also company sports teams available to join, as well as the Goodwood car club and Gold club.

Yes

The company has a great ethos, it provides very good career progression, both within and outside of the BMW group.

Be honest with your application, give your best on all of the online tests, and when you get to the interview give it your best and dont worry about making mistakes, you're applying for an apprenticeship, so they don't expect you to give a perfect interview. They are much more interested in seeing you potential, where you could be with their training, than where you are at right now. Make sure to ask question when being shown around, infact ask as many questions as possible whenever you can!