Engineering Higher Apprentice Review

Throughout the length of the Engineering Higher Apprentice scheme, I have rotated through multiple roles around the Maritime Services business, including time spent in Quality Assurance, Product Safety, Design and Project Engineering Management. Now in my final, year-long placement, I am working as a Maintenance Management Engineer on the QEC class of ships, the carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. On a day-to-day basis, I will be involved in reviewing the maintenance management system for scheduled maintenance tasks, such as a job that is required to be repeated 6-monthly, as well as resolving any ad-hoc issues reported by the ship staff. I will then be in charge of raising the work requests, providing job details and attachments to help schedule the jobs into the next support periods. This often involves investigating the issues on board ship, taking photographs of the job, and liaising with ship staff to resolve any queries. Throughout the day, I will also be resolving queries on jobs already submitted to work packages, and reviewing and signing off on completed work. Alongside my job responsibilities, I ensure I maintain progress on my coursework and any STEM activities I am involved with.

The apprenticeship has enabled me to build and develop skills specific to the job as well as engineering as a whole. For example, in my current role I have been trained in the use of the maintenance management system we use to record and schedule maintenance activities for various assets across the ship. During my time with the Product Safety department, my understanding of the bowtie diagrams (which demonstrate the relationships between hazards, their causes and consequences, and mitigations), and how they are created, enabled me to apply that knowledge when working in a design setting. Practise with more general software, such as Excel, has enabled me to speed up processing large quantities of data, and analytical tools gain during my HNC/HND studies have enabled me to prove my designs and solutions. The most important skills I have gained however involve soft skills, specifically communication. Improving verbal and written communication with presentations and speaking with the customer, how to adjust mannerisms to better connect with different people, and understanding how to ensure the right thing is done and not being afraid of confrontation.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the programme, and it as enabled me to get a running start into my career within engineering. The experienced and skills gained by experiencing a breadth of different roles and being given enough time to explore each in placement in depth, provides a strong basis to enter any field of engineering. The people in each team have been welcoming and friendly, and have provided opportunities to further progress my learning. Likewise, the cohort of apprentices in my scheme and friendly and out-going, and I have working with them in a work environment and a college environment, as well as engaging in social activities outside of work.

The scheme is well organised, separated into placements of equal length that leads to a final anchor role placement, which usually lasts a whole year. The week allows for day release to go into college and study for a HNC/HND, and two hours each week is provided to each apprentice, dedicated towards completing their coursework. Apprentices are required to complete a Product Safety and a Quality placement, however apprentices can contact departments they are interested in and organise future placements with the department and the apprentice manager. The apprentice management keep in regular contact with the apprentices as well.

Apprentices receive complete support from BAE Systems. All employee's have access to 24-hour guidance and assistance through the employee assistance programme, where financial, medical, and legal advice can be obtained. The apprentice management regularly check up with apprentices through regular reviews, where the apprentice can voice any concerns they may have. Additionally, placement managers are aware of the needs and requirements of apprentices, and ensure that they are capable of performing the tasks given to them, and are also involved with the regular review processes.

Whilst working for my HNC and HND studies, the college was very helpful and supportive. They were understanding of work requirements, and also of any other issues raised by the students, and were able to be flexible with deadlines if required. They also ensured that we had access to learning resources, ensured we could ask questions about the learning, and allowed access to the facilities around the college, such as the library, computers, and more niche items, such as the wind tunnel I used to run an experiment with for my HND project.

The qualifications I have received through the training provided (HNC & HND) have vastly improved my understanding of engineering, both from an analytical view and a practical view. I have been able to apply analytical methods into my work. For example, I was able to determine the length of time it would take to flush out a pipework system before I could take a fresh sample. Additionally, techniques I learned in common software tools, especially Excel, have enabled me to perform tasks more effectively than before.

There are regular social activities scheduled by apprentices within the scheme, allowing us all to unwind, as these often coincided with breaks from study (such as at Christmas and the end of the academic year). However, I also regularly interact with people within the cohort, whether that's through group chat's, online activities or meeting-up (pre-COVID). There are regular, business supported networking events, which allow apprentices and early careers personal to meet prospective placement managers , to learn about the team and potential future placements. There is also the opportunity to become a STEM Ambassador, encouraging students to follow a career in one of the STEM fields.

Yes

At the time of writing, I am currently assisting two prospective apprentices who wish to join a separate BAE Systems engineering apprentice scheme. I am giving guidance on what to expect from the process, and how to better prepare and present themselves throughout the application process. The apprenticeship provides a highly competitive salary based on the level, with great qualifications gained as well. The experienced gained by working with professional, friendly, like-minded people provides the perfect foundation to build a career in engineering off of. I have had an excellent experience with my apprenticeship, and therefore regularly recommend it to all prospective students looking to get into engineering.

When applying to BAE Systems for an apprenticeship scheme, it is important to come across as eager, professional, but most importantly, teachable. The recruiters do not expect apprentices to already have all the knowledge. Rather, it is better to be cognizant of weaknesses and/or area's of knowledge that are lacking. Understanding what it is BAE Systems does as a whole, and more specifically to the business unit you are applying for, demonstrates your interest into the company. Gaining a basic knowledge of the importance of health and safety, and demonstrating or providing evidence of your communication skills is also important. Finally, when in an interview situation - relax. Give it your best, take the opportunities to demonstrate your knowledge, and don't be afraid of not knowing or being able to provide an exact answer, but make it your mission to find out the answer for the next time.