Technical Apprentice Review

I role in the business is to provide support to the manufacturing sector by analysing machinery and putting management plans in place to ensure they can deliver their capability to the business. This is done through planned maintenance, service contracts or refurbishments or replacements. I define what maintenance needs carrying out, and work with production managers and maintenance managers to ensure this is suitable and will be carried out at given frequencies. I have several projects in different areas which allows me to get a wide experience of the business.

I have developed many skills during my apprenticeship, I have developed my communication skills having had to have talked to several people in both my placements and when talking to various customers and managers. This has helped my confidence when talking to a variety of people in the business and has helped me develop networks.

I enjoy my programme a lot as it allows me to be very free with where I want to experience and how I want my apprenticeship to be conducted. I was able to pick placements and carry out work in these placements almost as if I was an employee. I was treated well by all teams and achieved a lot in the work I did, this was great for me as I felt a sense of achievement in each area I was in.

The program was well organised and structured, I knew when I was changing placements, sometimes however I did not know where I was going until a week before I was due to move, this could have been improved. However I felt that my objectives in each placement were structured well and that I knew what I was meant to complete in every area I went to.

I received a lot of support from my employer. I had 12 weekly reviews to determine how I was progressing and how the placement was for me. I also had first contact reviews in each placement to ensure I was ok and completing work. this made me feel more secure in each placement knowing I had support throughout my apprenticeship.

The support for my further education was not as good as the support for my apprenticeship completion. I felt the teaching was not that great for all subjects and I found myself researching a lot of work to complete assignments, which potentially could have been explained in the class. This was not in every lesson and I received support in the majority of them, but sometimes I felt I could have received more assistance with work.

I feel the qualifications I am working towards help me to perform better in my role as I have a better technical understanding which I can apply to my work, whether this is actual technical knowledge, or how to approach problems or communicate with different customers and partners, it provided me with guidance on how to complete work generically, which I could then tailor for my role.

Yes, I have become a STEM ambassador, this role allows me to work with people of all ages at air shows and prepared event to discuss science, technology, engineering and maths in the world and how these apply to careers in BAE systems and in several jobs in all applications.

Yes

I believe this is a really good company with great potential to grow myself as a person and as a worker in the business. I also think there is a lot of opportunity for work and there are several roles that suit me and I am given the freedom to move in the business, which is better than a lot of other companies.

I would tell others in my position to apply as early as possible in their life. I would tell them to take as many opportunities as they can in order to progress themselves. I would also tell them to talk to as many people as possible to gain as much knowledge and advice.