Engineering Technician Review

During the apprenticeship you will be placed initially into your home department, the department who are offering you a position at the end, you will then proceed to do 3 month placements across a variety of departments gaining different skills and knowledge from each. I am currently working in a vehicle validation testing department. Day to day work includes performing operational checks of various electrical systems and driving the vehicles to ensure they are performing to the level of development they are currently at.

I began the apprenticeship with a strong background in physics and engineering. During the apprenticeship I have expanded my academics in fields such as Big Data/Anlaysis and often use business analytical tools to provide an insight into the departments operational performance. In personal skills I have gained experience in presenting to members of management up to technology director level. I have also gained a deeper understanding of targeting an audience with regard to the information that will be pertinent to them.

I enjoy the apprenticeship and the varied nature of the work. There are departments which can have little available work due to the pipeline of vehicle development but this can be utilised as an opportunity to focus on University work or developing existing skills. The university side of the apprenticeship is well structured and most of the lecturers can make the topics involving to ensure you retain as much of the syllabus as possible, prior to exams.

The programme has been in place for a number of years and so has become, for the most part, a clearly defined and efficient process. Anomalies do arise in which management has to react to something which has not previously arisen. In my experience responses to developing situations are swift with clear and constant communication with apprentice management to ensure everyone is confident and able to work at their capacity. On the academic side there can be difficulties with changes of course material and training providers as is to be expected in a constantly developing field. Fortunately management are adept at resolving issues with minimal disruption to the course.

BMW Group is a large organisation and as such has a great number of support resources available to all employees. As an apprentice you will be supported at all times by the training team and will be able to find support from the various departments you work within and build relationships with. A good time banking method is in place which allows apprentices to save extra time for when it may be most necessary. One aspect I found especially poor is that the first three days of sick leave is unpaid, I believe this can pressure people into returning to work before prepared and lead to further spread of illness amongst the work force.

The training provider for the apprenticeship is Birmingham Metropolitan, they have a representative on site working with the training school during the academic year. The course with BMET is clearly defined having had sufficient iterations to ensure a smooth progression. On the academic qualification side training is provided by both Abingdon & Witney College and Oxford Brookes University, for the degree top up during the last year. I have only experience with A&WC so far during the apprenticeship but find there is a discrepancy between tutors regarding how much support they are willing to provide.

The qualification I will gain come the end of the apprenticeship will ensure I am qualified for my role and provide me the necessary background and engineering understanding that I will be able to help develop the department alongside emerging technologies. The training and development during this time ensures that I am well rounded with a good deal of knowledge around the core engineering principles found within the working environment. This ensures that I am a suitable candidate for career progression or transition during my working career.

There are a number of activities to get involved with outside of working hours, due to the facility having around 4000 staff this is often split into technologies/departments but tends to include common sports like football or golf. The MINI Plant Oxford has it's own race team which apprentices can volunteer to help with. This includes prepping the car for the racing season and attending the events as support for the driving team. Other activities to get involved with include mountain challenge events or various charity events ran through the company. You can also set you're own charity event and receive support from the company.

Yes

BMW Group is a fortune 500 company with a large network across a variety of fields. An apprenticeship is a gateway into a good career and ensures you receive invaluable experience in the working environment whilst also pursuing your degree. Scope for movement across the company is good and can even working abroad on various projects. Another benefit to having a BMW apprenticeship on your CV is that it is a well known company and premium brand, this will ensure that should you seek external employment in the future; you will have an excellent company behind you.

My advice would be to be confident in yourself and your skills, ensure you have been involved in suitable projects that will ensure you stand out as a candidate during the interview selection. Academics are important but aren't the only distinguishing factor, a willingness to learn and a drive to constantly improve are desirable traits for any good employer. Other traits that can help during application include leadership in bringing candidates together during personal assessments/interviews, make conversation and play quick icebreaker games before the assessments commence, during group activities put forward ideas but don't drown out others. Everything is watched during this time and will play its part in the selection of the best prospective apprentice.