Civil Engineering Apprentice Review

The apprenticeship is split into 6 monthly placements, and in my current placement I spend my time primarily on AutoCAD designing new road layouts for schemes that I am working on. I am encouraged to have a lot of input into the projects I am working on and I am only 6 months in. I also talk to higher management to review my designs so that they can offer me feedback, and I fill in reports to document the planning process and technicalities of the scheme. I really enjoy every day here as there is always something new to get involved in. Given that I have had no previous experience with CAD, I am picking it up quickly on the job through help from technicians.

The main skill that I have learnt is how to use AutoCAD effectively. I have learned how to draw simple shapes at university and then put this knowledge into my work, as well as getting guidance from my manager and other colleagues. I have also been able to develop my interpersonal skills through talking to a range of people about my work and networking with people in higher positions.

I very much enjoy this programme, and I cannot imagine ever having gone to university. I love the hands on approach to learning on the job, and being able to take what I learn during my one day a week at university and putting it into use at work. I have made some great, like-minded friends here at work. I really enjoy having my own input into live projects too, it makes my work feel like it means something and gives me a sense of pride.

My programme is very well organised. I have a large network of people here to support me at work in every aspect, and the university course is shaped with us in mind, and the fact that we have work 4 days a week, while still being challenging. I have regular meetings with everyone who is here to help me including my sponsor, line manager and mentor. Each person is in place to help me with a different aspect of my apprenticeship, and everything that I need to do is well explained to me. I never have nothing to do, and the work is not what stereotypical apprenticeships would have you believe. It is structured, allows me to progress, and is real work, not just emptying filing cabinets but creating content to go into them.

I receive a massive amount of support from TfL. There is someone in place to help me with every aspect of the apprenticeship including a mentor to help me gain ICE qualifications, a sponsor to ensure my university work is going ok, and a buddy from the year above who has helped me to settle in well. I am constantly being pushed by my manager to undertake more and more complex tasks as my skills develop, and the placements that we are put in are targeted at specific attributes that I need to show competency in in order to complete my apprenticeship.

I receive a lot of help from university, and even though I am only there one day a week I feel that I learn a lot because I am able to use the knowledge at work. They give me loads of resources, and the coursework that I get is designed to help me to build on what I have learned. There are drop-in sessions available to me every day whether I am at work or university which I can use to ask questions about lectures or coursework. They also put on trips to engineering companies and exhibits in order to broaden our appreciation of what is out there and how our field has developed. Overall the support I get from university is huge considering that I only go there once a week.

I feel that doing the qualification gives me a much better understanding of the work that I do in the office. It gives me a more technical idea of what I am doing and makes my work more efficient. Doing my university course also teaches me about construction practice which is one of my modules. This includes things like health and safety and sustainability, which I am able to apply when I go on site visits with my job. They both tie in together really well and complement each other.

One area that my organisation is very good in is giving me lots of extra curricular activities. We have a Graduate and Apprentice Committee who organise trips to site, museums, training courses not involved with our jobs and lots more. For instance I am not a tube driver but I have been able to have a go in the simulator they use to train the drivers in. I have also been to several depots. The company also hold events in which people in higher positions speak to us about their experiences through the ranks and they give us their advice on how best to progress within our careers.

Yes

Transport for London offers a brilliant apprenticeship. They are a huge organisation and this means that there is a large amount of roles to move around. Part of the reason I chose TfL was that there are many placements to move around in, so by the end of my course I will have had a taste of a wide range of roles, which will help me decide what I do and do not want to do in the future. It was for this reason that | chose it over university, as I did not want to come out having no real world experience. By doing an apprenticeship here you can earn a very good salary for this age, and come out with a degree, real world experience and a professional qualification, all while having none of the student debt that comes with going to university. The one downside to this is that there is a lot of work to do, university coursework must be done in your own time in the evenings, but I would not use this fact to try and put someone off as it is absolutely worth it! TfL treat me so well, give me every opportunity I could ever ask for, and have made me feel a part of the team from day one, even if that team is 27,000 people strong. I don't think I could ever get bored of TfL. My work makes a difference to the lives of Londoners and those who visit, giving me sense of pride and purpose. So if you want to make an impact on the world around you, I would definitely recommend TfL.

Be yourself! TfL is a large organisation but what makes it run so well is the people inside and their diversity. Make sure that your passion for engineering comes through in the application process, and don't be scared to put yourself out there when it comes to interviews or personal statements. At TfL they want fresh voices, fresh ways of doing things. Never be afraid of expressing your opinions or views on how things should be done, or on how to tackle problems. If everything had a perfect answer they wouldn't need young minds and new faces. But there is no perfect answer, which is why TfL have an apprenticeship to find the best talent out there to help in their ambitious journey to make London a better place to travel in. Do not be daunted by the size or reputation of this organisation, but rather show them how you can get stuck in. Remember; you have to believe you have what it takes to become a great engineer. I came here with just A-levels and no practical experience under my belt. But I showed TfL my way of thinking and my ambitions to be the best I can and to learn, and those are the types of people that they want to invest their time into.