Systems Engineering Degree Apprentice Review

My role can vary from day to day, from shadowing my manager, to helping to run meetings, to completing tasks set for me. I am often included in emails, skype meetings and in person meetings with both internal and external parties. In my new placement I have been put on a new project, in which I am helping to design the system architecture.

I have learnt a lot, both through the university and through the company. I have been on training days for software such as DOORS and Teamcentre, as well as for technical skills such as lasers. I have learnt about how to design a test specification as well as edit an existing one. I have been taught a variety of hand skills, as well as safety protocols when handling substances such as liquid nitrogen.

I really enjoy my apprenticeship. I have had so many experiences, including working in a cleanroom, a lab and an office. I get to see all sides of the company and have worked with many different departments throughout my time here. Everyone has been so nice and is always happy to show me around and give me tasks to do. The company culture is great and I've made new friends who I meet with outside of work. The apprenticeship has exceeded my expectation and I love my job.

My program has been very organised so far, my induction took place over 3 days, 1 in person and 2 online. During the online days, I was given online training courses to complete and skype calls to test our knowledge on the subject. I have received a lot of support from both apprentice training staff and people from around the business. I have regular meetings and reviews with apprentice training staff and university representative.

I receive a lot of support from my manager, and the HR team. I have regular chats with both and always know that I can email them for help. My Industrial mentor is quick to respond to an email so I know he is available to help. Everyone is always happy to support and provide guidance when problems arise.

I have been provided with a learner mentor who I have reviews with every 12 weeks. We meet with my industrial mentor in order to discuss my progress and raise any issues any party may have. I generally enjoy my degree, and am looking forward to starting the new units.

At the moment, my qualification is giving me a baseline understanding of the field, to set a good foundation for the following years. This means that it doesn't really help with my role at the moment, but will soon. However, the units have given me some help in understanding the tasks I have been assigned.

There are lots of potential opportunities to get involved with, from virtual yoga classes, to organised trip. I am currently a stem ambassador, so I go into schools to talk about my role as an engineer and the company as a whole. There are also learning opportunities such as Future Factory.

Yes

Leonardo is a great company that has provided me with a lot of support, as well as allowing me to gain experience while studying for my degree. They have plenty of employee benefits to help their people grow and learn. It's great to work in a constantly changing field.

Make sure to not get too worked up over the interview process, trust that your skills and experience will speak for themselves. Allow time to prepare though, as there will be some questions about the company and the role you're applying for. Don't panic, it's not as scary as it may seem.