Apprentice Review

My day to day roles change daily depending on the placement I am doing at the time, for example I am currently with the tech team so I am mainly learning surveying techniques and offering a support role to more experienced members of the team. Previously when I was with a gang out on site for a period of time I mainly observed, helping where I was permitted.

Yes for sure, whilst being with the tech team my knowledge of surveying has grown massively as they have provided me with enough time to develop my skills with effective training from the team. in a broader sense my knowledge of how the railways runs (paperwork, standards e.t.c) has also been developed as with guidance I have been shown a broad range of railway activities.

I would say in general I enjoy my program, the program itself has offered good guidance and not once have I felt "lost" in terms of coursework. and on a daily basis I enjoy it as it involves different activities on a daily basis as well as travelling up and down the LNE route which is an aspect I enjoy.

Year one of the programme is very well structured, coursework at out stay in Westwood is clear and support if there if you require it, post westwood when we are given the WOBL's these are also well organised and clear. Unfortunately year 2 task books seem much less clear and were poorly explained.

Network rail gives us good support, they Provide us with ADF's who are helpful throughout the first year for tracking progress, instructors at HMS Sultan are very knowledgeable and many are Ex apprentices who have been through it before. Whilst at depot everyone is always helpful and usually willing to help with any problems I have.

Babcock offer little support other then the classes they provide. Network rail on the other hand provide several avenues of support weather that's trough ADF's, support we have through the trainers we see down at HMS Sultan or colleagues at our depot, either way I have found this more then satisfactory.

Personally I feel that the training we received at Westwood throughout our 6 month stay from Babcock was not that helpful, partly because of the very basic nature and lack of relevancy to my role the qualifications often had, but also due to the lack of rail experience with in the trainers. This often lead us to being told information that was incorrect as it was essentially a guess, this does not happen at Sultan where the trainers are experienced with track work.

No, not really, around the Christmas period parties and other activities were arranged both across the entire team and between smaller groups but this doesn't seem to happen year round. To my knowledge there are no sporting teams within the depot or networking events arranged within the depot regularly.

Yes

For someone who wants an apprenticeship that offers a wide range of different opportunities this is ideal. its also good that there is always the opportunity to move around within the company, from changing disciplines to obtain a different format of work or moving up through promotions network rail offers its apprentices a lifetime career.

To be open minded, if at first you don't get what you want, such as discipline you desire, there will always be a chance to move and be in a role you are more happy with at a later date. The apprenticeship program itself also offers many different opportunities and experiences from working with different teams and disciplines to working away and living away from home for periods of time.