Laboratory Process Chemistry Apprentice Review

In my role in the labs, I carry out various projects. For example, I produce small scale versions of what happens on plant, to trial any new materials which may be used on plant, without wasting tonnes of product and raw materials if it were to be tried out on plant straight away. Most of the projects I do require me to test samples from plant to check that they are within the specifications.

I have learnt lots of new skills while in my role, for example, before I came to this apprenticeship, I had not spent much time in a laboratory, so all of the skills required in this workplace, such as using a balance, pipetting, etc., I have learnt. I have also developed existing skills such as teamwork, working independantly, and my communication skills have improved.

I have thouroughly enjoyed my programme so far. Everyone has been very welcoming and I recieve lots of support from my co-workers, manager, HR team, supervisors, and other apprentices. The programme has been well planned and thought out, and my job role is very enjoyable as there is something different every day.

My apprenticeship programme at Solenis lasts for two years, and is very well organised and structured. We have regular visits from our training provider assessor to support our NVQ qualification, and the college aspect of the apprenticeship is structured well, with the handing out of assignments and preparation for our exams.

I recieve a lot of support from my employer, for example, we hold regular meetings to discuss my college work and the progress I am making with my NVQ qualification, and enough time is allowed for us to get on with these aspects of our apprenticeship. Our employer also provides us with organised get togethers with the other apprentices around site to network.

I recieve lots of support from my training provider while I'm working towards my qualifications. My assessor for my NVQ qualification comes to my workplace regularly for reviews on how my progress is going. For the BTEC aspect of my apprenticeship, the tutors at college are very supportive, and have really helped us with preparation for exams and given us plenty of support to enable us to complete assignments to a high standard.

The qualification through my training provider helps me to perform better in my role as it provides the underlying knowledge and theory behind the chemistry that we do in the laboratory. This means that I am not just blindly following test methods that someone else has written, it allows me to be thourough in my work as I can know why each step is important.

At my work there is a 'Sports and Social' club available to join, where for a small amount of money a month, you can get access to discounted deals on trips, theatre tickets and all sorts of different activities. Some of these are independant and you go yourself, however others are like a work trip, where a coach is organised to collect and drop back off at work, but out of work hours of course.

Yes

I would recommend Solenis to a friend as it is a very good opportunity to gain experience in a working environment, while also recieving a good qualification at the end of it all. Working alongside going to college is a bit more difficult than just going to college, however there is lots of support and it is definitely worth it.

I would advise people applying to solenis that they will need to work hard once they get here but to apply and they will hopefully really enjoy it as I have done. A tip would be to put everything on your CV, including hobbies or activities you enjoy or are good at, as lots of things use multiple skills involved in the workplace, such as communication, team work, and problem solving.