Rating
- 1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
- 2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
- 3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
- 4. How well organised/structured is your programme?
- 5. How much support do you receive from your employer?
- 6. How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
- 7. How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
- 8. Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
- 9a. Would you recommend Severn Trent to a friend?
- 9b. Why?
- 10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Severn Trent?
I am an E2E tester, this involves taking calls from contractors on out sites to test various signals to check that the telemetry settings are correct. These tests can range from simply failing the asset to force a signal through to adding signals to existing configurations and then testing them.
I have learnt how to use our ESCADA systems which is what Severn Trent use as the base for all the monitoring of our plant signals. I have massively improved my communication skills, as I am on the phones most of the day I have o communicate clearly with the technicians on site what we are seeing and if there any issues.
The beginning of the program was a bit rough as we realised we weren't sure what training would be required to get the correct authorisations. After this was sorted out the program ran smoothly and I was able to get on with what I needed to do. Now I have settled into the role I am enjoying my work and am looking forward to improving my skills.
There was a lot of structure while at EEF college in Birmingham, this consisted of structured units that covered off various engineering skills hat were relevant to the role. After this it took some time to work out what on the job training I would need to complete the apprenticeship, after these areas were identified it was then a case of finding where I would have to be, site wise, to get the necessary experiece.
I have received huge amount of support from Severn Trent both in terms of personal help and work. They have been very understanding with medical conditions and mental health treatments always saying that they are there if I need anything from them. From a works perspective they are always willing to give me support as long as I am the driving force behind it and don't expect them to do it for me.
At times it felt more like being back at school rather than a college as at times they were more concerned with health and safety than what we were trying to do. During the assessments however they would point out what we needed to add if we wanted to achieve a higher grade after we handed it in and allowed us to attempt it again.
It gave me a sense of what I could expect from the role and some of it has helped, particularly the programming and electrical units, there were some units however that did not have any relevance to what I am doing now and have not contributed to my participation in the role.
There are the opportunities to participate in extra activities, the main ones I have taken part in are going to local schools for careers fairs to provide information about Severn Trent's apprentice programs to younger generations that may be interested in a career in engineering. Severn Trent also get involved with water aid to help them out during fund raising events.
Yes
With the opportunities they offer within the company and the ability to move between departments, the competitive pay they offer even at an entry level and the variety of training they provide for various roles within the company. There is also a great feeling of a collected company that is working towards the same goal of great customer satisfaction.
Make it obvious why Severn Trent should employ you, give a variety of examples of your strengths and how you can relate them to the role you are applying for. They are looking for people that want to make a career out of their time at Severn Trent rather than someone who just wants to use them for the training.
Details
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Engineering
East Midlands
January 2019