higher apprentice operations management Review

My role involves me spending time at various parts of the business to gain a more holistic understand of how a large minerals business works. I spend 3 or more months at a time in different sections of the business, in my time this has seen my spend time in asphalt plants, a laboratory, with the fleet planning team, a sand and gravel quarry and the compliance team. Part of the course sees the higher apprentices complete site improvements which we must plan, organise and oversee.

In my time with the business I have gained hands on knowledge of how various processes work from how to plan trucks to asphalt production. The core skills course that higher appretnices at tarmac are required to attend helps us to develop some of the personal skills that some struggle with, these involve presenting skills, planning skills and a strong emphasis on health and safety development.

The side to my apprenticeship that i enjoy is spending time with people who have vast knowledge of processes and have spent years in the industry. I love spending time learning about actual processes as this is what interests me. Whilst I do see the value of the core skills course that we do I do not enjoy the sessions. I sometimes find myself frustrated with the course as i sometimes feel that i'm adding no value to the business and that i'd rather be in the business as a regular worker and earn peoples respect that way rather than climbing the ladder by completing this apprenticeship.

At face value it would seem that the program is well structured, however in recent times i feel that the course has become less and less well organised. the degree course that i do is mineral extraction technology which is really the bones of quarrying, the fundamentals of essentially digging large holes in the ground. it would logically follow that i spend time learning about actual quarrying rather than the support teams that come along with quarrying. i often feel that i have been placed in an area because it is convenient for HR to do so.

The support i get comes in different forms, should i have any issues with the apprenticeship, i speak to my HR rep who is always helpful with any problems i am facing. If there is anything to do with the actual work that i dont understand i can speak to the operatives i have gotten to know so they can help me understand why they do certain things. thirdly i am supported by my manager/ mentor who always reassures me when i doubt anything.

the university of derby tasks us with completing assignments on various topics related to our course which we must complete within a specific time period. whilst i have never tried to contact them in regards to help with assignments, our tutors are available to make things clearer should we require help.

the degree and the apprenticeship should aid each other, the qualification side of things helps us understand the principles behind some of the processes that go on at quarries whereas the apprenticeship side gives us practical knowledge that is reinforced with the content that is taught at the university of Derby,

part of the apprenticeship requires us to attend the core skills modules, during these sessions we meet up with other higher apprentices and graduates which enables us to build our networks. Other activities have been organised by the quarry such as indoor cricket tournaments, volley ball and wheelchair basketball.

Yes

tarmac is a good company for offering opportunity, it allows individuals to show their excellence and be rewarded for it. the company is also eager for staff to improve their skills and is willing to pay for courses and further education. the company takes the safety of its employees incredibly seriously and always holds this as its number one priority.

be open to learning about new things that you may have no previous experience of. be prepared to focus on safety not just of yourself but of others. i would advise that whilst the company is trying to be progressive, it is still stuck in some of its ways which is an industry wide problem so be prepared to meet all kinds of people that think and operate in different ways.