Manufactoring Apprentice Review

My day to day job is not one of an apprentice. I am currently working as a focused improvement specialist within the factory and the industrial performance specialist for the site. This is obviously a job way above that of an apprentice but as I have fallen and proven myself in this role it is the path I have taken.

Of course, I have learnt all about the manufacturing process on site. I have also learnt many Lean and Six Sigma methodologies becoming a trainer for the site in some. learning these things puts me ahead of many other applicants who have formal training offsite. I understand industrial performance to a managerial level and am the onsite specialist in this area. The offsite training is very very limited, to the point in the last two years i haven't been to a college, university or another nestle site for training.

The programme I signed up to is obsolete. what the company promised me at the start they couldn't fulfil and ultimately has led to the site and company not recognizing me as an apprentice anymore. I have set my own path by getting in a department and working hard to understand and learn the basics which has led to me becoming a specialist.

Very, very poor. I haven't had a conversation with the dedicated on site apprentice support for about a year now. I have well and truly been lucky in how I have found myself in a department and not left on the shop floor to be forgotten about. I am now waiting on a contract which may or may not come.

from the apprenticeship side of things... NONE. I haven't had a conversation about being an apprentice in over a year now. The support i do get is not about my apprenticeship its about getting me off of it because it clearly is of no benefit to me and i am doing a job which should pay at least £10,000 more than what I am currently.

So I am on a 3 year apprenticeship but was only connected to a college for the first 8 months. During that period they were the best support I could want. Always there to answer questions and support where they could. Unfortunately got the basic qualifications and since then Nestle are not interested in putting me through any more education.

It gave me some of the basics but nothing that I hadn't learnt about before through the copious amounts of food safety and health and safety courses I had been on during previous jobs. In my current role there is very little correlation to the course I studied. It would of been better to learn of six sigma, excel skills, automation/coding and industrial performance management.

Yes, they have what is called a social club. This provides trips out of work time for staff at reduced cost for a contribution before tax of £1.30. There is also a running club every week for anyone to join (only day staff as shift workers work later). No professional events .

Yes

Lets get it clear, it isn't for everyone. You have to be thick skinned and a clear ability to work on your own. I would only ever recommend it to people who I know would go out of their way to learn for themselves and push people on site to help them and sort things out which wouldn't be under their control. Working hard and not allowing to be pushed around has set me up for a great career.

Make sure this is really what you want to do. Do not believe the promotional videos you see with really clean environments and everyone wearing shirt and tie. This is only in about 2 sites in the UK. be prepared to work hard and make sure you put yourself out there and stick up for yourself. At the end of the day you are working in a factory and will be eaten alive by the veterans of the company.