Apprentice Offshore Wind Turbine Technician Review

We are currently learning the basic skills that will underpin our knowledge on site. We are working at college covering units such as Maintaining Fluid Power Systems, Complying with Statutory Regulations and Organisational Safety Requirements, and Wiring and Testing Programmable Controller Based Systems. We will be doing this for 16 months before moving out to our individual sites.

Before coming onto the course I had little knowledge of what we are doing. Therefore, I have learnt a lot of new skills and techniques in many different sectors of learning. Within the course Siemens Gamesa have been preparing us to move onto site by getting us to complete our GWO (qualifications such as First Aid, Working at Heights, and Fire Safety) so that we are ready for the eventual move onto site. We have undertaken skills that are not engineering related which are taught to encourage our communication and presentation skills.

The work we have in college seems to be not like the work we will be doing on site. However, we are assured that it is knowledge that we will need to learn more on site. Our team is from all over the country, from Wales, to Kent to the very top of Scotland, there are many different people in the group and it is very interesting to have this mix. The companies culture is one of the best i've seen. It's focus on health, safety, and wellbeing is overwhelmingly good. I didn't have many expectations for the course but the course at college is very much theory based rather than practical which I have found tedious but I believe this will change when I am on site. Overall, I am enjoying the course and hope to enjoy it even more on site.

Our programme from Siemens Gamesa is structured and organised, we visit the SGRE Training Centre in Hull once every month and it always has everything prepared. However, at college as I believe it is a new course that they are teaching I think the structure is lacking and needs to be worked on. Although, we are progressing through the course as well as expected. There is a lot of support for individuals from both the college and Siemens Gamesa and we have a meeting with college and our line manager once every 3 months to discuss our progression, how we are feeling, and our accommodation.

Our line manager and their team are very helpful and interested in how we are doing while at college. The HR team at Siemens Gamesa are more than helpful and have helped deal with a lot of difficult problems. I could not ask for more support and interest from our employer and I believe they are doing a great job at it. We always can contact our employer and they joined us for our Christmas meal and other activities within college.

Our tutors are always in contact with how we are getting on and progressing. We took a test at the start of our course which indicated for some people areas that they can work on to get the most out of learning. Our tutors are on hand when we need them and are willing to help us.

I currently am not too aware on how helpful some of our qualifications, but I have been assured by other apprentices and previous apprentices that they are the underpinning knowledge that we need to fully understand and get as much knowledge out of the training on site. Within the college, the qualification requires us to do the practical that our theory mentions.

We have had a few extra-curricular activities, one being a trip to the Krypton Factor Assault Course in North Yorkshire for a day with college. We have also been invited for a Christmas meal with our employers. Almost all of us live together as we have been accommodated by our employer in Hull, so we are continuously in a social environment when we want to be at our accommodation.

Yes

Our course is very different to many I have seen before. It's a unique opportunity to get into an ever growing industry across the UK. The amount of effort Siemens Gamesa put into us feeling valued in the company is priceless and they work tirelessly to provide us with the things we need (food allowance, Amex cards, transport to college). The college content is varied and interesting, and we are learning a lot of new skills. Our salary is competitive and becomes more so in the future years. The various people from around the country within our course is a small sample of the cultures and countries we can experience with Siemens Gamesa. Also, we are working towards a healthier planet with green renewable energy.

Ensure you know what type of industry you are getting into and what skills you will need. You need to know what Siemens Gamesa is and what it stands for. Don't let qualifications or age lead you to not apply, there is a range of qualification levels and ages on this course. It is inclusive and the company is looking for the type of person you are rather than the qualifications you have (just ensure that they meet the requirements). After applying and passing the application, a video interview is conducted which is you talking and answering questions to a computer, these are recorded and you are not speaking to a live feed. The questions include common interview questions of showing times when you have displayed certain skills and a question or two which may be unpredictable. Assessment days are very nerve wrecking but Siemens Gamesa will do the best they can to keep you at ease, there is an exam on these days based on some topics such as features of wind turbines, some calculations for energy, and problem solving questions. There is also a team working exercise to complete a goal, and an interview with your employer. I believe the key to these assessment days and applying process is to prepare for questions in the interview (scenarios where you have shown teamwork and skills) and the exam. But most of all to be yourself, people can see straight through a persona.