Control Technician Apprentice Review

Currently I am at college full time, as I am a first year apprentice, which I attend with all the apprentices in my intake. Which means I am doing a variety of level 2 competency topics such as milling, turning, bench, electronics and fluid power. I also do BTEC at level 3 one day a week, which is a course that specific to apprentices. We have a lot of interaction with our manager at the company as we see him weekly .

I have developed may skills so far, particularly in the practical area as I have leaned how to use a milling machine which was a new skill to me and my knowledge in electronics and electrical has been greatly improved as previously I had only studied this theoretical and I have found the practical elements really helped my understanding. From the company we have been provided with a few online training courses, that have covered areas i had very little or no knowledge about.

I have been enjoying the practical elements of this course, as they have mostly been a completely new area of study compared to what is available at college normally. The BTEC is good as its AME which is specifically for apprentices, so does different in areas to the one I studied at college, however some topics are the same so sometimes it feels like I am repeating what I have already done. However I am looking forwards to starting my degree and starting on plant this summer.

The induction to the program was very organised, as all the information need was provided to us in plenty of time. During the introduction we got introduced to all the people we needed to know, got a tour around the plant and had a team building day put on by Skern lodge which was fun and got us all communicating, which was particularly good that this was managed due to COVID. Our manager on the plant is very easy to communicate and solves all our problems quickly, he also visits us at college every week. The courses at the college are quite well managed, sometimes there are issues such as with a new teachers but this was quickly sorted and the online teaching during COVID lockdown has been good in general and out teachers really supportive.

Our contact with the company is through our manager, who is easy to contact via email or phone and he sorts out any problems quickly or will help us contact the right area of the company if he cannot help. He also makes the effort to come and see us weekly to let us know what is going on in the company helping keep us involved and to make sure we are okay. We also have reviews ever there months where our manager checks over work and gets are over all opinion on how we feel everything is going.

At college we have a designated tutor, who we can go to if we have an problems at college. Our tutor is very receptive to any problems we raise and will find out what can be done to help us if he cannot help himself. The managers at the college are also good and are willing to listen to any issues we have and do what they can to help us. Almost all of our teachers are easy to communicate with and never have a issue discussing a problem or going back over something again.

I believe that when I do start on plant the practical competences I have completed (such as milling or fluid power), will allow me to have a better understanding of how the machines on site work, therefore making it easier for me to learn to work with them. I also think the theory leaned in the BTEC will give me a good base understanding of certain principles when I start on site.

Currently there have not been activities to get involved with due to the intake I am in starting in September so we have been effected by COVID restriction the entire time, which has stopped practically all social events going ahead. Normally at the beginning of the program we would have spent a week away at an outdoor adventure facility, but we had this as a team building day instead, which was good that they still managed to arrange this while following the regualtions.

Yes

I would recommend this program as I am enjoying the college course I am on and know it will help me have a good understanding for when I start on plant. Our manager at BMW is really helpful and easy to contact. I am looking forward to having the opportunities to get the experience at work and to get my degree without the debt.

Start the applications as early as you can so you are not rushed, be truthful in your application, write about all relevant experience you have had in your application and make sure there's no grammatical errors. When at the assessment center be yourself, be honest and try to stay calm, at all times during the day.