Substation Higher Apprentice Review

It's easier to split this up into two parts, one as a "student" and the other as a trainee whilst on site. As a student, being put through a foundation degree, our day to day life is typical of al other students, learn, revise, exams and assignments. On top of this, there are countless training courses which require a similar level of work. So to start, you need to pass all of these to the best of your ability, which is standard across the board. As a trainee on site, this is where the major responsibilities start appearing. You are required to complete a logbook to ensure you gain the experience required to do your job safely and efficiently. You are part of a functional team, so you need to get involved with jobs and and projects, possibly even take a leading role in certain projects. But no matter what you do get involved in, there are things you must always look out for whilst you are at work. Your safety, and the safety of everyone around you whether they are involved in your work, may be affected by your work, and even the safety of the general public and visitors, as what you do and how you do it will have an impact on everyone's lives.

Being an apprenticeship in a particular field, I thought I had a good idea of what sort of training would be involved. In some cases, I was pretty much spot on. In other cases, I was way off the mark. To start, you complete a foundation degree in Electrical Engineering, so your math, technical knowledge and ability to study are all put to the test and developed throughout. Then there are the technical course skills (which I was expecting) that you are put through. Everything from developing hand skills, mechanical and electrical work, using workshop tools, reading and understanding technical drawings are all skills that you will develop throughout the apprenticeship. This is all done by getting hands on, stripping down engines, compressors, transformers, fixing equipment, seeing how they all work together, learning how to use equipment such as MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms) etc. Then there are the less technical, but equally as valuable courses, many of which I never would have thought I would be doing as part of this particular apprenticeship. These include presentation skills, leadership training, team working ability, management, even training to do with inclusion and diversity, mental health, safeguarding, etc. No matter how you look at it, every single bit of training that you will go through as part of this apprenticeship will provide you with skill and knowledge that you can take with you throughout your career, no matter where it leads.

So far, all in all, I've really enjoyed the apprenticeship. It has been very challenging, but equally as rewarding. My colleagues that are going through the same scheme as me have become very good friends of mine, bearing in mind that we are all from different parts of the country. I've developed great relationships at my sites with my team, who are always willing to help me out. I've learnt massive amounts which I know I can use no matter which job I end up taking in the future, and there is still plenty more to learn. On top of all that, there are great benefits that come with the placement, including a great apprenticeship salary (with some other companies offering less than half of what I'm currently earning), a company car, a great holiday package, saving schemes and many other benefits. Oh, and did I mention I'm getting a degree without getting into any student debt? I can safely say I'm the only one of my school mates who can say that, and with a guaranteed job afterwards. So overall, I'd say I'm having a great time here!

From the beginning of the apprenticeship, you have the plan for the next year, so you are well aware of where you need to be at any time. You are made aware of any major changes via email, so you won't be caught unaware at any point. Obviously COVID has changed things greatly. When the initial lockdown was announced, we started completing the university course online which took some getting used to. In terms of company training, things were re-arranged as they needed to be. We were kept as up to date as possible, so there wasn't any major issues, but things have been a little behind in terms of logbook progression, but we are all working to try and get back on track, and this hasn't reflected negatively on our records. Overall, the planning has been good, and they do take into account any planned holiday that you tell them about in advance, so that they don't book any training during those dates.

As a trainee within my team, I feel that I get quite a bit of support. I have a personal mentor within my team who I can ask questions, work with and get experience from. I have regular contact with my line manager, who makes sure I have everything I need to carry out my job effectively. The team as a whole are always happy to help, especially if they can see that you are actively trying to get involved. Outside of my team, the company has an Employee Assistance Program which any employee can access for free, who offer advice on a multitude of everyday issues. All of which is confidential of course.

We are always able to contact the academy, who deal with our training during the apprenticeship. They are our primary contact when it comes to any training related questions or issues. We are constantly kept up to date over email, and they are always there whether you need help with anything. They work directly with the university staff, so if we have any issues or requests to do with the university we also go to them. As well as this, they also offer support into personal matters, and ensure that you aren't overloaded or feel stressed. They are always happy to help you, and do what they can to ensure that your experience throughout the apprenticeship is a positive one.

The apprenticeship scheme we are completing is the Electrical Power Protection and Plant Commissioning Engineer scheme. This scheme suits what we are training to achieve here in National Grid. At the end of the apprenticeship, one of the routes that are offered to us is to become an advanced commissioning engineer. All that we learn during the apprenticeship in regards to equipment, protection systems and how it all works together will directly affect how we carry out our job in the future.

There are plenty of things to get involved with, especially networking events. There are schemes such as Grid for Good, which help young people who have an interest in engineering by offering interview experience and offers a chance for you to share your experience. You can get involved with newsletters and different company groups. Opportunities are always pushed your way, it's up to you whether you want to take part or not. Plenty of which allow you to attend networking events that gives you the opportunity to meet higher up members of the company, which I would definitely advise you get involved with.

Yes

The apprenticeship scheme that I'm currently on is only one of many, so there is a great variety of different opportunities to apply for, all of which offer a great variety of training, experience and benefits. Once you've finished your apprenticeship however, there is still plenty to learn, with multiple paths to take your career, there's no "dead end" with the amount of opportunities up for grabs.

If you're thinking of applying, then I would definitely recommend doing a little bit of background research on the company as a whole, and about the role you'll be training towards. Be confident in your interviews and make sure you make sure to be an active member of the group assessment stage, as you will be assessed as how you work as part of a team. Any and all previous experience will help, especially anything that includes working as part of a team, maybe something that you have lead in the past. Be respectful during the interviews, as one of your interviewers may well be your potential line manager as they were in my case. One of the biggest things, do not hesitate to ask questions. If they see that you are keen to learn and have a drive to get involved, they'll be more inclined to have you as part of their team.