Apprentice toolmaker Review

I am a 3nd year Toolmaker mature apprentice, working within the toolroom in BMW group at Plant Swindon. I am spending time in work placements adapting skills learnt last year, to be placed in this role after my apprenticeship finishes. I attend College on a Wednesday studying to achieve a level 4 HNC which will continue for a year outside my apprenticeship.

I am learning new skills every day and am developing the skills I learnt at college in my previous years as well as other skills I had before joining the apprenticeship. Learning to use different tools and equipment in the toolroom will ensure my comprehensive training is achieved. Being a mature apprentice I already had a good skill set before starting the apprenticeship. These have been useful when working in a team not just on my own.

Spending time learning new skills and developing skills I already have learnt. Learning to be a better person as well as working within a team is self-gratifying in so may ways. The diverse nature of the toolroom and press shop ensure I learn a lot every day. The range of jobs completed over the last couple of years has also added to my experience. Having a day at college each week ensures I attain the qualifications required as well. The workload is well balanced and set out in a way it is achievable with the right mind set and a good plan.

Having the support from both work and college means I can achieve anything set out. Working in the toolroom or press shop on placements I have the full support of the people I work and also have a mentor who provides training plans. The apprentice manager whos keeps us up to date with everything is approachable if you have an issue with your placement. The college support all learning, and are available at any point during the day to assist with the assignments set out for the qualification.

BMW is a great employer to work for. The support and guidance you receive is second to none and I have achieved so much over the years thanks to this support. A good balance between work and college ensure the apprenticeship is very achievable within the time scale and I am looking forward to the rest of my time within the apprenticeship. The further you progress the more you feel you can achieve.

The training provider provides a good relationship with my work, ensuring the training needs are met from both the company and the apprentice are achieved. The day spent at college ensures all assignments have the correct learning and are spread out so that they can be achieved in the set time frame. You will be required to work at home in the evenings and weekends, but if you plan your time you will find you will still have time off.

The qualifications gained over the past 3 years have a good reference to all skills required in the workplace. After year 1 some of these skills are required to ensure you development within the workplace. Having a good skill base was important before starting the second year. In the second year you will continue with a level 3 qualification you started in the first year again covering a wide range of subject, some of which may not be relevant to your apprenticeship, but give you an understanding so you can choose your own destiny when you complete the apprenticeship. In year 3 you have will start a level 3 NVQ qualification and also have the option to opt in to a HNC (level 4) qualification.

Since joining the apprenticeship I have experienced various extra-curricular activities. On joining the apprenticeship we spent the first week at Skern Lodge. This is an outward bound course based in Devon. This helped bring us together as a team after not knowing everyone in my year group. Also I attended the Mountain challenge last year which involves a weekend away, walking all day on the Saturday. We completed this as a year group as by this time we had grown as a unit and competed together helping each other throughout the day.

Yes

I have worked for the company for the past 27 years. The company has always supported me throughout my working life. Given me all the opportunities I could ever ask for. Having the option to further develop my skills I applies for the mature apprenticeship scheme and have never looked back. It is always important to remember where you have come from as this ensures a great working relationship with past friends and collogues. But Looking forward my future is in my own hands and I am looking forward to future challenges and will look to succeed in whatever I decide to do. The company car is also a great bonus.

When applying for the apprenticeship or any other job within the company, they appreciate honesty and will work with you to achieve whatever you set out to. Being calm, relaxed and show self confidence will ensure you get through the interview process. They are looking for future leaders as well as people that will add to the success of the BMW group. I will ensure the training given to me will help me succeed in my career with the company as I now have a great foundation from which to work from.