Apprentice Toolmaker Review

Currently, I am in the fourth and final year of the apprenticeship and am specializing in machining within the toolroom. On a day to day basis I am performing large amounts of individual machining work on milling machines, lathes and surface grinders. Alongside this I am also performing more complex machining operations with the support of the more experienced workforce. I find this work very interesting and feel like I am learning a huge amount. Also, on a Wednesday I am attending Swindon College performing the second year of my HNC.

Since the beginning of the apprenticeship I have learnt a huge amount of new hands on skills including grinding, manual and CNC turning, milling and surface grinding as well as drilling using a radial arm drill and a pillar drill. As well as learning and developing hands on skills, I have further developed social and teambuilding skills as well as improving time keeping skills, which has been developed by keeping on top of multiple assignments and workplace jobs at the same time.

I am really enjoying the apprenticeship program and it has more then exceeded the expectations I had before starting the role. There is a large amount of work that needs to be put in both at college and in the workplace, but it is more then worth the hard work applied. I have met some incredible people and if I could start the process all over again I would.

The apprenticeship is structured very well. The first year of the apprenticeship is spent full time at a training provider to learn a wide variety of engineering skills, for me this was at Swindon College, but recently a training provider at the Mini Plant Oxford has been used. The second, third and fourth year of the apprenticeship are all placement based, this allows an understanding of the workplace to be achieved and further allows specific job placed skills to be developed. During the second and third year a workplace NVQ is performed and when complete a workplace EPA is performed in the final year. In the fourth and final year placements also become more job specific to the area of work you may stay in on completion of the apprenticeship.

The company offer a large amount of support throughout the apprenticeship. The training manager is always available when needed, and has many years of experience, there isn't many problems that they haven't previously faced. I know as long as I communicate the issues I am having in a timely manner to the training manager, support will be given to me. The workforce are also very supportive on the shop floor and will always give support when asked.

My training provider is Swindon College, where I am currently performing the second year of my HNC. I know if I require any support with college work I can easily get in contact with the college lecturers, who will support me the best they can. Whether it is face to face by going into college in my spare time or on my college day or through emailing/messaging the lecturers, I know I will get the support I require.

Overall, I feel that the qualifications I get through my training provider, Swindon College, do allow me to have a better understanding of some aspects in the workplace. The higher national certificate (HNC), that I am completing this year, also allows me to potentially look at higher roles within the business in the future.

There are multiple extra-curricular activities available within the workplace. One of these include an annual mountain challenge, in which a large scale orientation task is performed in the countryside, previous years I have been involved in include Exmore National Park and Snowdonia. This is performed over a weekend and is really good fun.

Yes

I have leant and developed so many new hands on technical skills as well as life skills over the last four years. I have met some really incredible people and perform work that I really enjoy, if I could start the process all over again I would. So, I would definitely recommend the apprenticeship to anyone with a keen interest in engineering.

The application process does take quite long, so don't be disheartened if you don't receive an email response instantly. It is important to show a keen interest in engineering, this can be displayed by performing small engineering projects in your own time and taking plenty of pictures so you can really boast about the project in your interviews. Good Luck!