Aerospace Engineer Review

In my current role as a Design Apprentice, I spend most of my time using advanced, industry standard 3D design software to produce 3D model and drawings of solutions to any of the tasks that I am set.

Throughout the apprenticeship I developed a multitude of new skills whilst developing the core skills that I already had. The main I feel I have developed is my Confidence, this skill has improved the most as you are regularly pushing the boundaries of what you think you are capable of, leading to you developing more confidence in yourself.

I thoroughly enjoy the programme that I am currently on. In my day-to-day role I get to work on real-life engineering projects, I work on topics which actively affect the business, this feels you with a sense of pride in the work that you are doing. Combining University studies with the activities you conduct in the workplace can be challenging, however, the experience you get from the workplace assists you in university and helps you to achieve.

My programme has a very clear structure. There is a very clearly laid out plan for how you will combine your time between work and studies, this helps us to manage our time and remain organized (which can be challenging at times). Within our work placements there is a clear structure, yet there is still enough flexibility to allow the apprentice to choose their own placements.

We receive a large amount of support from our employer. Any problems that we have are dealt with efficiently and quickly, which helps us to get the best from our programme. Often communication between the stakeholders of the apprenticeship (University, Training provider etc.) can be challenging, however, this is managed exceptionally well within our company.

When we are completing our work in university the responsibility for providing support that directly affects our studies, is the responsibility of the training provider. However, any problems or difficulties that we face can be easily discussed with our managers at work and they will offer there full support to resolve the issues that we are facing.

The work that I complete in university and through my training provider helps me to perform better in my placements. The topics that we study as part of our Degree all relate to the work that we undertake within our placement, allowing us to develop a greater understanding of the work that we do.

I am regularly involved in volunteering the STEM engagement activities, this helps me to develop my key skills as well as giving me the opportunity to show younger people how amazing a career in the engineering sector really is. Within the company I work for there is a dedicated team responsible for organizing social events, there are also internal sporting events which I like to get involved in.

Yes

The schemes that they offer have been running for such a long period of time, that the company have been able to refine the programme and ensure that they are able to offer the best to every apprentice that they hire. The projects that you get to work on in work are some of the most exciting and challenging engineering projects of any company, meaning that the experience you obtain is highly valuable and will set you up perfectly for a future in the engineering sector.

Before attending any interview or making an application, ensure that you research the company and the role to gain an understanding of what the role actually is. In order to achieve in the programme you must have an interest and desire to learn, so ensuring that you research the company and role before hand will help you discover if you have this or not.