Advanced Engineering Technician Apprentice Review

As a Technical Apprentice I spent my first year within the training school at Samlesbury where I learnt basic skills in engineering such as fitting, electrical, CAD, 3D printing, machining, fabrication and carbon fibre. Once I had completed my first year we move out into the business and complete six 16 week placements across different technical engineering roles such as support, design, engineering, manufacturing and test. Within these 16 week placements we learn the roles and develop our skills in order to work towards completing our NVQ. Each placement actively supports your learning.

Yes massively. The first year within the training school provides you with the core skills you will need out in the business on your placements. I completed an NVQ Level 2 in my first year and am now in my second year of completing my NVQ Level 3 in advanced manufacturing engineering. We get released from placement one day a week in order to attend college, which is on site at Samlesbury within the training school. Each placement is different and you get an opportunity to work within different aspects of engineering and with the different aircraft BAE Systems supplies so you are constantly learning throughout your entire apprenticeship.

The programme which BAE Systems provide is mostly and enjoyable experience. It is a great opportunity to learn and become qualified whilst working hands on and receiving a salary. The transition from the training school out into the business can be a bit daunting and feels as though you are thrown into the deep end however in hind site this was probably a positive thing as it helped my confidence grow and become more independent. Each placement is 16 weeks which sometimes I feel isn't long enough to learn a role and really experience the work and get stuck in however overall it is a fantastic programme to be apart of.

Sometimes the programme seems disjointed. We began our apprenticeship on a Level 2 qualification which we now know we did not need to complete and no previous years had ever done so in effect we are now a year behind within our qualification compared to all other years. We are now required to complete End Point Assessment which was not explained to us until the end of our first year and there was a lot of unanswered questions regarding this until recently. There has been issues regarding pay rises and uniforms. The 16 week placements are generally well organised however until the apprentices began asking for support in finding engineering placements we were able to go to none engineering placements however we are not able to come out of our time there. Overall some aspects of the programme is organised however I feel a lot of work needs to be done in order to improve it.

Overall BAE Systems actively encourages apprentices to learn and is very supportive in both work related aspects and personal life aspects. We have assessors who do 12 weekly reviews in order to assess our progression and make sure we can receive any additional support we may require. All placements actively support the apprentices learning and are always happy to take on apprentices and take time out to teach us new skills. BAE Systems offer a Employee Assistance Programme which is a call line which you can call 24/7 which offers support and counselling for any issues you may have such as bereavement, financial and mental health. However on a few occasions there has been times where we have had to request union support as we feel some issues we raise have been ignored but overall as an employer they are very supportive towards the apprenticeship scheme.

Throughout our apprenticeship we receive great support from BAE Systems when it comes to working towards our qualifications. Whilst completing your first year at the training school the instructors and very knowledgeable and helpful in teaching the fundamentals of engineering and provide you with tasks which are towards your NVQ. When you move out into the business the placement managers actively support your development in order to provide work towards your NVQ and help with any areas which are you are struggling or lacking knowledge. Our assessors read through our write ups which go towards our NVQ and provide constructive feedback along with the 12 weekly reviews we have. We attend college one day a week which is provided by Longridge Training Centre although there has been some issues with the teaching that has been provided by them this has improved slightly over the years.

By completing a NVQ Level 3 in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering the work we our provided with by BAE Systems to achieve this is a fantastic way to ensure we receive all the fundamentals to become a qualified engineer. By completing placements in different areas we get a great appreciation for engineering as whole rather than one specific area i.e. design.

Yes BAE Systems offer a wide range of extra-curricular activates. Which include German Exchange, Prince's Trust, STEM Ambassadors, World Skills, Community Projects and Outward Bound. Within your first few weeks of joining BAE Systems you attend Outward Bound which really pushes you out of your comfort zone and a great way for team building and bonds to form with your peers. Towards the end of the first year you take part in the Community Projects where you spend a week at a chosen charity carrying out work to give back to the local communities. Later on in the apprenticeship there is chance to apply for German Exchange, Princes Trust, become and STEM Ambassador or take part in World Skills which really helps improve different skills dependant on which you would like to work on.

Yes

Overall BAE Systems is a fantastic company to work for. The salary is good with increments occurring at each milestone you reach with comparison to other apprenticeships. You are able to become an all round engineer whilst learning on the job. There is some fantastic opportunities available within a business who strives to look after their employees. I take great pride in working for BAE Systems and it would be a fantastic opportunity for anyone to do.

Make sure you research the company prior to any interviews may be asked to attend. It is also good to get involved in something engineering related to show off the skills you have when attending an interview. There are many different open days which BAE Systems do so I would highly recommend attending one of these and talking with the current apprentices to gain a better understanding of the programme and to help you chose the best one suited to you!