Electrical Engineer Apprentice Review

I am an Electrical Engineering apprentice in the Environmental sciences department of DSTL. I am currently in my first year so am doing my training at Qinetiq Apprentice training school (QATS), Boscombe Down. We do a micture of classroom learning and workshop/Electrical workshop activities.

Since we do quite a lot of workshop activities, I feel i have much better hand skills than when I started and better attention to detail.

I enjoy it very much as a lot of the time we are learning things relevant to what we will be doing after the apprenticeship. The work DSTL do is very interesting and extremely important so it makes it more enjoytable knowing that I will eventually be working on these projects.

I do feel vewry valued by DSTL as they are in constant communication with us whilst we are at QINETIQ and come and have meetings with us.

Because we are part of DSTL, but do our training at QINETIQ, we had two separate inductions which combined took about 3 weeks. Straight after, we were satraight in to the learning which we get a timetable for, and is very well structured- we even get to do sport on a wednesday afternoon.

We have monthly one on one meetings with our tutor . In these talks we get to go through what has gone well, and what I need to improve on.

We receive a good amount of support as we can always conmtact them if we have any problems

The salary is enough to cover all costs (as a student) so long as you don't go on a spending spree too much and our reasonably sensible with money. The pay does compare well with other apprenticeships though.

There is an on site gym and other sports facilities, so you are well catered for in the respect. I am not aware of many voluntary activities, or events DSTL gets involved with yet, however I haven't been here long so that would probably be why.

Yes

Interesting and exciting work, unique place to work, and within a militiary/government atmosphere so very different to working in your average company.

Definately look in to DSTL, do your research. The interview is quite long, however was quite relaxed and was made as informal as possible, whilst covering neccessary interview questions so just prepare and do your research.