Electrical engineer Review

I am a field service engineer working in the north east region, I cover 100ish miles and work on installation and maintenance of hospital equipment. The type of equipment I work on is mainly X-ray equipment such as mammography systems and ultrasound systems. We are classed as working from home and often travel long distance to site. The purpose of the role is to get the machine back up and working as quickly as possible so the customer does not have any down time as in a Hospital it is very critical the equipment is always functioning correctly.

The main thing I have developed is in technical side, I have been able to complete my BTEC level 3 and my HNC in electrical engineering as well as a level 2 and 3 nvq for electrical installation and maintenance. I have also learnt the importance of self motivation as you have to be willing to go the extra mile for the customers to ensure that you provide them with the best service possible. Also I have learnt Organization because I have to be prepared for each job and have the available tools at all times.

I found the programme very enjoyable from start to finish, I got the chance to Complete training in Germany and meet many colleagues from around the country in a social setting. I also enjoyed learning on the job with my mentor and gaining valuable skills Which I apply In my work today. I also enjoy the fact that being field service every day is different you go to a different site every day meet new people and face new challenges.

The program is well structured and suits the needs of the job role which it offers at the end should you be successful. The first year entails college and the second third and fourth are one day at college and the rest in the field. Personally I like this because it allowed me to gain valuable experience and go into the field with a multitude of engineers and see how each one of them works. The program is organised and communication is always easy if ever I was stuck I knew exactly where to go.

I receive a lot of support from my employers both in regards to work and out of work activities. I. Feel confident that I can contact my line manager if ever I have an issue and if there is something I am not sure of I can contact other apprentices and failing that management and I know they will try and come to a resolution for me. They also offer support for personal issues mental health and well-being which I have used and have been beneficial

The training provider we used initially was very proactive and helpful in helping us gain our qualifications. However as we progressed from year one onwards we found the college had a lack of staff which often meant we was without a teacher having to self learn. This issue was resolved by Siemens and we changed training provider for certain aspects of our course. The new training provider is very helpful offered us a lot of guidance and insures that we have everything we need to complete tasks.

The first year of college was very beneficial as we covered both mechanical and electrical NVQ we completed CAD systems and other work-based systems which are useful in our daily role. However during the HNC some of the units which we covered were a relevant to the role we do and also the level three NVQ was not as relevant as the topics we did in the level two, it would’ve been nice To have a course more tailored to our job but as it is very specific I understand that is not possible

Due to the nature of the job all of the engineers and apprentices often live miles apart so this makes social activity very difficult. We do have a WhatsApp group for which we were used to communicate and we discussed any problems or issues which we had. Personally I was very involved in recruiting new apprentices and sharing my experience I am very happy to attend and speak at recruitment events and have attended many interviews as an alumni.

Yes

Overall Siemens Healthineers have been a good training provider because they have given me the means to be able to complete my apprenticeship to a good standard and become a competent engineer in the field. I feel confident I have support and I have gained invaluable experience for life and work situations. The benefits which the apprenticeship has to offer are great and the reward you receive for hard work make you feel valued. I would recommend this to a friend

You have to be prepared to travel and be self-motivated it takes a lot of effort to get up and get to a site for a designated time but you have to remember you are letting the customer down if you are not. Also you have to be well organised you have to ensure you have the correct tools and information to complete the job so that you can work effectively and efficiently. One of the big things is that you have to not be afraid of asking questions there is a lot you won’t know but there is a lot of people to help you you should never be hesitant to ring someone if you are unsure it’s better than making a mistake