Apprentice Engineer Review

On the job training working with your mentor and other team members to complete maintenance activities and/or fix breakdowns and make adjustments. Having professional discussions and interactions with those at all levels helping you build good relationships with new and existing colleagues from multiple departments. Completing college work when you can fit it in but time can be set aside if you prefer to. College blocks arranged and stay away in Liverpool all Nestle UK Apprentices attend the same college so you get to meet, work and live with the other apprentices from sites around the UK expanding your network of knowledgeable people.

Building upon previous experience and knowledge consistently. Learning the site, equipment and method from those around you and from SMP's (Standard maintenance procedures) where they are available. College teaches you skills and knowledge which can then be practised and developed onsite, as well as the training provided by the company both internally (analysis tools, abrasive wheels, etc.) and externally (confined spaces, kuka robots, etc.) there is plenty to learn.

Day to day it is enjoyable. You need to have self-discipline and be able to manage your own time and work. You will need to cultivate good relationships with your colleagues and help each other out. Sometimes people speak down to you just because your an apprentice and this is not helped as you are clearly differentiated by the trainee hat you must wear. College is hard work but a generally very enjoyable experience.

We were given a plan at the start of the apprenticeship but this has changed so many times I am unsure of where we are now. The units we are gonna study get moved around and no previous years or years below follow the same structure as you. Your colleagues will spend different amounts of time with different departments and you are not always put in an area where you can practice the exact skill you need to. College have changed this around when we have arrived from what we were told prior to travelling. Exams have been moved and blocks at college have been shortened. Overall very poor organisation on both sides.

Nestle pay for us to stay up at the college and travel there. We have access to computers and now we have been given laptops. We can rely on out mentors to teach us and guide us through tasks. My line manager is always contactable if I need them and I can rely on getting a reply quickly by email if it is their working hours or within a few days if not and available to call if it is urgent. Other staff and managers are happy to talk to you and guide if needed.

When at college they are amazing they will go out of their way to teach you and get you teaching materials and get you ready for assessments/write ups. However, when not at college they are slow to replay and marking takes forever. No-one turns you away or refuses to support you but it can take a bit of chasing to get things done.

We are taught valuable skills and knowledge which can be directly transferred and used within the workplace. We get industry knowledge passed down from professionals who have actually worked in engineering environments prior to being a tutor. Electrical training is a prominent one to point out as we are multi-skilled and the work we do in college really prepares you for the much larger more complex systems in the workplace.

At my site there is a sports and social club you can join which gets you discounts and arranges events and prize draws. I have been out and played football with my colleagues from shift on a few occasions. I have spent time out with other apprentices and we've had a laugh and generally its very enjoyable place to work if you put the effort in to make those relationships.

Yes

The training is very good. The money is very good, especially the engineering apprenticeship money compared to other places. It is a very large company with many opportunities to diversify and move up if you want to. The company does seem to want to move forward and improve and it needs more young people to do that.

If you are willing to put the time and effort in then they will reward you for that. If you are looking for and easy, bare-minimum placement then don't bother. You have to push yourself and manage yourself if not then you will fall behind. Re-search into the company and brands, understand the role you are applying for and know it is what you want to do.