Engineering Technician Review

My first year as an Engineering Technician requires me to learn and complete an entry-level qualification in "Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (Level 2)". The course is run by the locally-based Swindon College, who provide their Engineering department to teach the 14 individual units. We are taught basic engineering principles in areas such as pneumatics, hydraulics, electronic circuits, consumer electrical installation, electronic control circuits, hand-fitting techniques and mechanical assembly techniques. These basic engineering principles will all be useful when work at the Plant from the second year begins. The units are taught in sections of both theory and practical based work. This level 2 qualification is taught alongside a Level 3 qualification, taught one-day a week in the form of assignments to introduce knowledge in mechanical principles, mathematics, health and safety and more.

From an engineering perspective, there's lots to be learnt in both practical and theory work. Level 2 is a fun and interesting method to learn basic hands-on engineering, the lecturers do a fantastic job at making the principles learnt relate to real-life scenarios. The majority of the level 2 qualification requires me to research and complete practical projects alone, which helps me grasp a true understanding of the purpose of some practical elements, such as wiring a motor circuit in electrical installation. Level 3 allows my current knowledge of mechanical/physical principles and health and safety to be reinforced.

There is a lot of work to in the first year as a Level 6 technician as the second year sees technicians being sent off to being their foundation-degree in control and statistical engineering, meaning they leave other apprentices behind. Level 6 technicians have a large workload so it's important to be prepared. Teamwork is key when it comes to high workloads and luckily, peer apprentices are always on hand to provide help. The company make the programme very worthwhile by providing many incentives such as competitive ever-increasing salary and a car scheme programme. It is fully what I expected from applying and I am enjoying the experience.

It's well structured, starting with an induction to guide you into how the 4 years will plan out. Followed by the first year being divided into individual units which are timetabled for you by the college. You are given self-study time to reflect and improve your current skills. Tasks are set with fair deadlines so they can be completed to high-standard and lecturers are always on hand to provide advice.

The employer provides a lot of personal support for all workers. They have a great managerial team who are available to contact and discuss problems with. They provide great mentoring and guidance when required. The company HR portal allows for easy contacting of people within the business.

Lecturers are well-experienced and well-picked by the company. They all come from engineering backgrounds and can provide correct and well-picked advice when it is sought. They're always available in their spare time and can offer one-on-one sessions if required. The college system allows virtual mentoring when needed, I found this useful during the Coronavirus pandemic. I enjoy being taught by the college as they provide a lot of personal experience which can come in handy.

The way the qualification is structured allows the majority of theory to be completed before in-plant work begins. The qualification is best learnt beforehand as the job role is very advanced. Once the majority has been learnt, this qualification can be enhanced and improved by using personal on-hands experience in the plant.

Professional networking events are common at BMW. The company allows internal offering of Skype meetings and talks from both the UK and abroad. Each year there is an opportunity to raise money by partaking in a "Mountain Challenge" involving a weekend spent camping at a popular UK walking destination where teams compete to get the fastest course time.

Yes

A great company to start working for overall. They provide some of the best training in the manufacturing sector allowing skills to be developed. The skills learnt at the company can be taken elsewhere and also out of the engineering sector if that interests you. The people skills learnt are second-to-none and great confidence and leadership can be picked up while you're working. The group car scheme is also a great incentive to be able to drive and experience the amazing work that is being put into the manufacture of their vehicles. The salary is extremely competitive too.

Always be on the ball when positions open, they don't tend to be open for long. When applying, the website is the best route to take, where positions are open around January time for a couple of months. Be prepared to have team-working and conversational skills available, as a group task is included as part of the interview process.