Engineering Degree Apprentice Review

I spend two days at week at college and I spend the other three days in the office. I work on functional modelling of systems, so I take a system which is being designed and draw models to show the functionality of the system. These models are drawn in accordance to the framework and involve different viewpoints to capture the entire functionality.

Yes I have learnt about systems engineering and the theory behind it, and the different models you can adopt for different tasks. I have also learnt about Linux operating systems and how to build a network of PCs using multiple different operating systems. I have also learnt lots about problem solving and how to tackle engineering problems.

I do really enjoy the programme, I really like that we change placements every 6 months which means that we get to see a lot of different teams in the business and get more of an idea of what we would like to do in the future. The other engineers are really helpful and spend time with you to teach you about what you are working on.

It is well structured, we know when we are moving placement and we are engaged on what teams we will be moving to. With COVID it caused some issues with our college work resulting in more time per week being spent at college but the company worked with us to manage this.

A vast amount of support is given by the company for placement work. When in work and stuck on a task there are lots of people willing to help you and they will sit with you and spend lots of time teaching you until you understand, which really helps to build confidence in the work you are doing.

Lots of support, our college lecturers are always available to support. They are very easy to contact, you can send them a message and they will be very quick to respond with help. They work with us as well so if we feel like we need some specific support they will work with us to provide that.

To some degree it does, the skills we are learning in technical report writing and general engineering is really useful in the workplace. However, the core principles and content we learn doesn't feed in to tasks we are completing at work currently. But that being said the transferable skills we learn are very useful in the workplace.

There are lots of socials organised through work for the early careers population in the business. There are socials to go to local pubs and meet new people in the early careers population who aren't in the same function or team as you. Apprentices and graduates from different stages of their programmes are there too and you can discuss how they found their programme.

Yes

They put you through your degree as well as paying you a salary which is really good. The work that you get involved in is very exciting and make a difference. Also you work independently you not looking over someones shoulder, you do you own work and then your name is put against it allowing you to get your name out in the business.

Take your time with the application process, think carefully about every question they ask you. Get someone to proof read your application to make sure that it reads well and has no little mistakes in it. Link things you have done in the past to what you would do in the apprenticeship. And most importantly be yourself.