Apprentice fabricator Review

I am an apprentice fabricator. I help welders prepare their work and make inserts for jobs. I also cut and file objects that are too big down to a required finish and tolerance ensuring they are de-burred so that they do not cause injuries. I also mark out and drill holes. I may also be asked to grind a surface to clean it, ready for work to be completed.

I have learnt and developed many skills, skills I only use at work and skills I can take with me into the outside world. Working for BAE has helped me improve my team building skills and also helped me with decision making. Skills I have developed include filing and sawing accurately, as well as being able to mark out precisely.

I enjoy my programme a lot. There are many aspects that make it enjoyable. This includes the people I work with, what I am doing for work that day as well as the where about like seeing different places and learning about them. I also enjoy learning about how engines work and why things are done one way and not another.

My programme is structured well now. At the beginning of the programme things were a bit un-organised and lead to an un-settling start. It made us all feel as though we were forgotten about until the last minute. An example of this is that when we joined, our course was still being put together. Dates/times were also given to us incorrectly. That was the first few months, since then it has improved significantly.

I receive all the support I require. If I need help finding where to go, I just ask and I am given directions or an address. If I am struggling with something, if an instructor notices or I make known, they spend a bit of time going into detail about where I went wrong and how to improve it as well as trying to reduce it from happening again.

I received all the support that I needed from my training providers/ instructors. I struggled with my paper work, once they had noticed a pattern they asked me if I needed help. They would tell me where I am going wrong, what they believe is causing it and how to prevent it. They were very helpful in guiding me through my paperwork.

The qualification helps me because it gives me a huge insight into what too expect and givens me general knowledge of how to get round the issue. They have given me skills, both physical and mental that help me to perform better in my role. I can also use these skills to help eliminate issues and highlight others.

At my place of work there are no extra-curricular activities to get involved in. There are no sports teams or social events. The only way there is a social event is if it is set up by us and is usually done outside the work environment. I feel more could be done in this element of the apprenticeship.

Yes

I would recommend it because of the skills you gain, as well as experience. You also have a chance to work with very knowledgeable people. On top of all this, it is a good salary, you can still pay bills, afford a car, and also enjoy yourself whilst also getting a qualification at the end whilst also gaining knowledge and experience.

Go in with an aim and keep pushing for it. If you want it you can get it. BAE are very good at offering help if you may struggle so don't be put of by the paper work or lack of knowledge you go with. Your knowledge will grow significantly and you wont even know it.