Engineering Higher Apprentice Review

Currently I am studying bench fitting, engine maintenance and electronics at the SDC (skills development centre) while attending college once a week. Our course is provided by CEMAST (Fareham) college but accredited by Portsmouth university. Around Easter time I will be moving onto doing work placements around the company with many different opportunities available.

Working along side many experienced engineers has allowed me to not only develop my existing engineering skills but also learn lots of new practical and theoretical engineering. Most of my skills prior to the apprenticeship were theory (engineering principles etc), through the day realise to college I have been able to further these skills while simultaneously learning new practical skills.

Since I am on a higher (academic) course it has been good learning practical skills which will give me a greater future understanding of theoretical engineering application. Although engine maintenance and electronics is personally more interesting to me than bench fitting. This is a very nice transition from college to the working world, providing a work structure with education, then easing you into working full time.

There is a clear plan about what we will be doing in the near and far future. We were given a time table showing key objectives/events that will happen over the next 3 years. Although it took awhile to get security clearance, but this is more related to background checks and MoD.

Our line manager is very supportive and friendly, we also have "toolbox talks" every week where we can discuss any issues we might have. There is also a safeguarding officer on site to speak to if we have any wellbeing issues. There are regular audits from our employer at the college to make sure that they are providing us with a high standard of learning.

Our training providers are happy to answer any additional questions you might have in regards to your training. While you are learning practical skills trainers if you are struggling or would like them to give you advice about how you can improve they will give it to you, they will also assist with the "knowledge questions" you need to complete.

Learning about the engineering theory via the college relates really well to what we are doing within our placements and while at the SDC (skill development centre). We will do practical skills on sight then learn the theory of them in application of tools and machinery at the college. I have also done a short placement and I used knowledge I had gained while in the SDC and college.

I personally have partaken in the Royal Navy engineering challenge in which you must produce an remote control boat from sheet metal to meet specifications. There are other events which you can partake in such as career events or the schools engineering challenge in which you help schools to build boats, this is similar to the RN challenge but run by BAE Systems

Yes

I have enjoyed working for them and everyone I work with is friendly and supportive. There are a large variety of engineering job roles/placement available and this has helped me to understand what type of engineering I enjoy and developed me academically and as a person. The field of work is also very interesting since you get to work with some of the most cutting edge technology which has to survive harsh environments.

I would make sure that you prepare well for a group interview and don't leave your application to the last minute since it can take time to fill out all of the paperwork and forms. Since they need to do background checks this process can take quite awhile. Also make sure to be social and talk to other candidates on the interview day!