Apprentice Control Engineer Review

My role is to shadow maintenance and control engineers as they respond to plant breakdowns. I help fix machinery so that the production line can get back up and running as soon as possible, to limit production downtime. I also help by completing preventative maintenance on pieces of machinery and equipment within the factory, to try prevent future breakdowns.

I have learnt many new skills, these include machining skills such as using pillar drills, lathes and milling machines. I have also developed other manufacturing skills such as welding and mechanical assembly/ disassembly. As well as these physical skills I have also developed programming skills that will help me program robots and processes in the future.

I really enjoy the apprenticeship programme I am on. I have learnt lots of new skills that I continually develop day to day, there are also lots of other skills I have yet to learn but there are the facilities and resources in place to help me continue to learn and progress my career.

I think the programme is well structured, in my time on the apprenticeship there have been some changes to the structure which have drastically improved it and made it a better experience for apprentices. There is clear organization of the placements you will be doing, and the requirements for each placement.

I receive a lot of support from my employer, on almost any level, this can be with day-to-day work, college studies or other support that may be required. The BMW apprenticeship managers are very approachable, allowing you to freely share any concerns/ issues without judgement, they also actively act on any feedback given.

I receive some support from the training advisor, this being support from the tutor who is always happy and willing to help if you are unsure on any topics covered/ any assignment work you need help with. I think this is mainly down to him wanting us to do well in the course.

In the first year of the apprenticeship we learnt all of the basic skills, such as hand skills, electrical, programming, machining and other skills. These are always regularly used in the placement work that we as apprentices complete, in this instance the qualification helps drastically for the job role. However some of the other classroom topics seem a bit irrelevant for the job role.

There are lots of opportunities to increase your network with other apprentices form different years, departments and sites. There are a wide range of social events organised for apprentices to get involved with, these include sporting activities and social activities. There is always the opportunity to meet up outside of work to build your network.

Yes

I would recommend an apprenticeship at the BMW Group, any site, to a friend because you are equipped with all of the skills, knowledge and experience to have a long and successful career in your chosen field. With all of the networking opportunities within the business there is lots of progression available, not only in your starting role, but it is also relatively easy to change roles if you fancy something new.

The advice I would give is work hard and ensure you follow deadlines so that you can fully achieve what you want to from the apprenticeship. Also make the most of the time available to meet new people and learn new skills, as this can set you up for life.