4th Year Apprentice Review

I am a 4th Year Apprentice who is currently working on AW101 main gear boxes, in my area we do everything to the survey and build of main gear boxes to the test and strip of them. We also have a small area dedicated to the production of apache gear boxes

I have learnt loads of new skills within my place of work, some that are even beneficial to my out of work life, such as team work and communication. i have also gained loads of skills within my job such as crane training and other internal courses. I now also know how to build majority of the components within my area.

I have always enjoyed hands on work so working on the shop floor with all the parts and tools has been the highlight of my apprenticeship. However much I hate written work, i have enjoyed gaining a deeper knowledge to use on the hands on side. I have really enjoyed my apprenticeship.

I think overall my apprenticeship is well organised, they make sure that you are hitting your deadlines and put in the correct plans to bring you back if you fall short. the communication between apprentices and training are overall good however some emails can get lost as we both get a high amount.

I have received all the support i have needed throughout my apprenticeship. they are usually quite fast when it comes to replying to queries and questions. we also get 1 to 1s to ask us things such as how we are doing within work and whether we have any problems.

we receive sufficient support when it comes to progress towards the end goal of becoming a skilled man. Internal courses and training are provided and occasional 1 to 1s are provided to talk about well being and the progress of our college and National Vocational Qualification (NVQ). it is overall good.

my qualification has enabled me to gain a deeper understanding of the hands on side of things, i am much more proficient with problem solving and rarely ask for help anymore, i believe this is because of the knowledge and written side of things allowing me to look at the problem from a different perspective.

There are loads of different extra-curricular activities to get involved in at my Leonardo Helicopters, the main ones coming from AWASA, this includes things from outdoor activities to social gatherings and meals. there are also things like apprentice vs managers football games and gatherings like apprentice dinners and apprentice communications.

Yes

i would recommend Leonardo to a friend because i believe that it is one of the best apprenticeships in the area. i have also very much enjoyed my time even thought the road to a skilled man has been a rocky one i have had all the support i have needed in order to get me to where I am.

my tips would be make sure to stay focused as the workload can sometimes become very pressurizing. also make sure that you tackle any written work as soon as you can and make a conscious effort to do so, so that you don't suffer later on in the apprenticeship.