IT Apprentice Review

I have been on two 3-month placements around two IT departments (Production Applications and Software Development), and am now on my third placement in the Networks and Infrastructure teams. I am involved in the heart of whichever team I'm in, joining in on meetings and picking up/getting involved in projects, as well as having projects of my own.

I have developed my coding skills, as well as learnt about networks and infrastructure on a large scale. I also have Splunk training, Java training by Oracle, and also completed an A1 German course in Dresden, Germany to kickstart my German learning, as it is important for working your way up in a German company.

I enjoyed certain placements more than others, due to personal preference, however all of the placements I've had so far have been pretty enjoyable, I feel like I get on well with the teams and have integrated well into working life. I feel like I have learnt quite a bit, and am excited about future plans.

My programme is quite organised, considering I work for an ever-changing department in a important company. I know my plans for the year, and as extra opportunities pop up, we have the chance to get involved. The dialogue is pretty open between me and my managers, and so if I wanted to take something on, or branch out to another department, I could speak to them and have this arranged (within reason).

We have fortnightly meetings with our apprentice lead to discuss our placements, and anything that could be improved/changed. We also can speak to our managers if we need to, as I did in my second placement when I felt I wasn't being challenged enough - this was immediately rectified and I was then put on other projects.

Our training provider was not disclosed to us until a month into our apprenticeship. We were told that we would be going to university with Oxford Brookes to complete a BSc in Computer Science, however a month into the apprenticeship it was disclosed that we were going to the University of Bedfordshire to do a Digital and Technology Solutions degree. I had asked beforehand about the university and was constantly told we would be going to Oxford Brookes, and so the change in university was a shock. I was told that there was nothing that can be done, and I feel like my education and social life has suffered because of the university choice (which is based in Milton Keynes). The University of Bedfordshire are quite slow when it comes to support and asking questions, it seems unprofessional at times. Because we are based in the Milton Keynes campus, there is usually no-one around, and the main focus of the university is on its main campuses in Luton and Bedford.

My university course and my job role feel like seperate entities. The course being taught at the university of Bedfordshire sometimes seems outdated, and is quite slow compared to the types of work and projects we are involved in. I have been learning new things at university, however I feel like I gain more from work.

We have the occasional IT pub meal, however there are no other extra-curricular activities to get involved in. I do hang out with my work friends outside of work sometimes for a meal, but this is not organised through work. All the extra curricular activities I do are seperate from the work place and university (it is too far away, and due to the campus we study at, getting involved in the uni life and societies is impossible)

No

The communication about the university was not clear - I asked about the university in the interview, when I started to the head of apprenticeships, and also in my department, and everyone had said that we were studying in Oxford Brookes. I moved from Birmingham to Oxford with the hopes of a good local university to study at, where I could get involved in the university life as well as make new friends. When I brought up my concern about the university choice, I was told there was nothing anyone could do. This made me feel insignificant, as I feel I am expected to work as an adult, but then treated like a child in terms of the company advertising the apprenticeship with the university of my choice, and then changing the university once I had settled into Oxford and signed a housing contract. Had I known that the university was the University of Bedfordshire, I would not have applied to this apprenticeship, as I value the university as 50% of the apprenticeship. Although I love my placements and my working life, I am truly upset about the university situation.

Do your research, ask for work experience beforehand, as this is something that is offered. Speak to the teams to see if you would be a good fit for the company. Hard work is rewarded with more projects, and working for BMW opens many doors for your progression. It is an excellent company to work for, and you get to see many new types of technology and how it works in the whole company. There are opportunities to travel, and always new opportunities to learn.