Apprentice Production Support Chemist Review

Attendance of daily production meetings to discuss any issues currently experienced. Taking the issues back to the lab and carrying out investigations to learn what causes the problems and what can be done differently to stop the problems occurring. Also involved in a lot of project work as well as carrying out production trials for the findings from laboratory investigations.

Definitely developed my laboratory skills over the years and continue to do this every day. I have also attending many different training courses including courses on process safety. I have recently been involved with a new safety product that I have been trained to use to help reduce the damage caused by chemical spills. My use of Microsoft applications such as Word and Excel have also increased.

I would say that I enjoy my apprenticeship greatly. All my colleagues are very friendly towards me and I enjoy what I do. I get exposure to many different areas of the business, and I'm always learning something new everyday. Not to mention the fact that I get a degree as well as a salary and the industry experience.

My programme is very well structured from both the side of my employer and my training provider. There is clear progression through my apprenticeship from both sides, with my employer offering a pay rise after a successful completion of each year. I am also continuously offered new challenges, with the most recent being the opportunity to develop my analytical knowledge and work in the analytical lab

My employer is very supportive. I know that if I ever have an issue about something I can raise this with my manager or HR. My manager and supervisor are also very supportive, always encouraging me to achieve the best possible. My mentor also provides me with material he thinks may be useful for my development

The tutors at the training provider are very supportive and I know I can always call or send them an email if I need guidance on anything. Study material is released online for us every week to use. They also hold live webinar events where we can join and ask them any questions if needed.

The qualification definitely helps me perform better at work as it is directly linked with what I do. My job is all to do with polymer chemistry and there are sections of the qualification that focus on this. I can then apply this knowledge to any issues that we may be seeing in production from the daily meetings.

There are many activities that you can get involved in. There is scheme called "Sports and Social Club" where members can get tickets for events for cheaper than the retail price. Events include things like theatre tickets or tickets to the races. These events are a great way for employees who might not normally interact to meet each other.

Yes

Solenis is a world leading company in its field and in my opinion has a very bright future. The support offered by the company is incredible and it is obvious that they want not only the business to succeed, but also you as an individual. The apprenticeship scheme is also great and I would recommend it to anyone interested in a job in this field.

It is not as scary as it sounds working on a chemical plant. Everything is very safe and everyone is very friendly. I have been here nearly 5 years and I love it everyday. If you are wanting to apply just make sure chemistry is definitely something you want to do.