Product Safety Engineer Review

During the apprenticeship I rotated through many roles, viewing all aspects of the development life cycle and a range of projects throughout the company, including environmental testing, production support, obsolescence management, design and verification & validation. This involved taking ownership of some tasks as well as supporting larger team based work.

During my apprenticeship, I learnt many new skills. These included practical skills like electronics work and design skills as well as more soft skills such as time management, and task accountability. These skills were provided through a range of classroom based training, academic lectures and on-the-job training and learning opportunities.

I enjoyed the programme very much. There was a lot to learn and achieve, as well as plenty of interesting opportunities to get involved in the many volunteering schemes the company participates in. The culture at the company was also geared towards supporting you, in your learning objectives.

The programme is very well structured, with a clear plan for learning and job roles. However this includes plenty of flexibility for you to direct your job roles towards your area of interest. As well as this, the company provides a very good induction and support network that really helps you to familiarise yourself with the scheme and the company and supports you throughout the scheme.

There is plenty of support from the employer. The apprentice manager is always available to lend assistance and guidance. As well as this you are supplied with a range of mentors both within and external to the apprenticeship scheme to support you in academics, the apprenticeship your job roles and even your future career.

The training provider was very accommodating to the unique challenges of the apprenticeship, providing more support options and access to tutors than would normally be available to students located on campus. We were able to borrow equipment and remove it from the labs to enable us to complete lab work without the long commute.

The skills and qualifications I obtained during the apprenticeship have had a big impact on my current role and have given me the confidence to perform my role and to accept the responsibility of my actions within that role. They have also given me the technical knowledge in order to complete my role succesfully.

There are countless volunteering oppurtunities available that you are strongly encouraged to participate in in order to develop your soft skills as well as taking on responsibility in a less risky environment as there are fewer pressures. There are also a range of discounted and free classes, events and memberships available either provided directly on site or through our benefits provider.

Yes

It was a great experience, with lots of learning opportunities and challenges. The company is great to work for and encourages you contently to improve yourself. there is also plenty of support once the scheme has ended allowing you to direct and actively pursue your chosen career. It also has a great community feel despite being a large company.

I would strongly advise you to be yourself in interviews and don't be afraid of using less obvious examples to demonstrate competency of particular skills. The technical knowledge is taught during the scheme, so a keen interest is more useful. Also import is to have a strong desire for problem solving and team work.