Engineering Technician Apprentice Review

My role involves spending 4 days a week on a placement in my workplace and one day a week at college working on my HNC/HND. I am currently on my second out of six four month placements and work alongside mechanical engineers in the Auxiliary department and learn by shadowing them and assisting them where possible.

In my first year I learned many new practical skills including both industrial and domestic wiring techniques, tig welding on a variety of different metals, a number of different pipe fitting processes including working with copper pipes as well as threaded steel pipes and welded steel pipes. I learned maths.

I enjoy my programme to a good extent. I enjoy the varied structure of the week, having the day at college breaks up the week and gives us something different to focus on. I enjoy that there is a variety of work that I can be given on my placement.

My programme is fairly well organised and structured. My week is structured so that I spend one day a week at college working on my HNC/HND. I am also given time on my placement to work on any folio work or anything relating to college should I need it.

I receive enough support from my employer. If I need help with anything or any information I can talk to my training officer to find out whatever it is that I need. I am always kept busy on my placement by my line manager and am able to go to them for any help.

I am given one day a week to spend at college working on my HNC/HND and am given any time that I require on my placement to work on any work from this. I also have to complete logs for other qualifications and am also given time for this.

In my first year I learned a range of basic practical skills including domestic and industrial wiring skills as well as tig welding and pipefitting techniques. I think that this has given me an appreciation for how the product is manufactured and will put me in a better position for designing.

Through my work I have became a STEM Ambassador and will be taking part in different extra curricular activities at schools and apprenticeship/skills shows. Through this I will be helping to promote careers in STEM by spending time with school students and talking to them about my apprenticeship experience.

Yes

I would recommend BEA Systems to a friend who is interested in a career in engineering as I believe an apprenticeship is a much better route for some people rather than going to university. BAE provides a number of different qualifications as well as on the job experience whilst getting paid.

I would advise someone applying to BAE Systems to take time to do their research on the company and to look into all the different options before applying so that they know whether an apprenticeship is the right route for them as some people will learn better on the job.