Manufacturing Engineering Apprentice Review

As part of the manufacturing engineering team, I am involved in a vast scope of work whilst functioning as part of a dynamic and skilled team. My tasks can be from the smaller scale jobs such as installing new a-safe fencing, creating signage and placing orders, all the way up to the more complex tasks such as planning projects, commissioning new robots/ Cobots, completing all crucial documentation with collaboration with other relevant departments. A major part of my job is communicating with the relevant departments to ensure all documentation is kept up to date as well as being able to fully understand the various processes that are on-going etc. In terms of external interactions I communicate with contractors regularly throughout the week in order to attain quotations, updates on on-going projects and availability etc.

I have sharpened a lot of my pre-existing skills such as communication, teamwork and problem solving as the vast scope of processes places you into situations that you may not be confident in, and therefore you have to push yourself into trying and experiencing new things to ensure the job is completed effectively. However, during my time here I have certainly learnt new skills which are relevant to the engineering world as well as solely for Cummins, which has come down to the great amount of training opportunities that are available to you as you progress; as well as working alongside the experienced professionals on site.

The apprentice programme is a fantastic learning experience for both theoretical and practical elements of the engineering job, as you receive a high standard of education from the college, and great practical involvement from the experienced professionals on plant. No two jobs are the same with some days being much more busy than the others it important to balance your time effectively to ensure you complete your work to a high standard.

The programme is structured well allowing you to cross your college work over with your company work, to ensure you get the best of both experiences. The initial year of the apprenticeship is predominantly spent at the college where you begin the workshop activities such as welding, fabrication, electrical and other manual tasks to develop experience on various tooling and machinery. During half terms and summer breaks etc. you will return to site to gain some understanding of your department(s) and processes that you will be involved in by shadowing your peers from the respective departments. After the first year you are given college day release and will attend site for the rest of the week. Overtime your responsibility will grow to allow you ease your way into your role and pick up more complex jobs as you progress.

Throughout Cummins various departments there is plenty of support on hand to allow you to develop a greater understanding of the requirements and standards that are expected of you and of the processes you will be involved in. Your manager will be able to set you up with any training you feel will benefit your learning and understanding of the processes, as this will progress your ability to function as part of the team. Your peers will also provide you with feedback so you can review your own performance and act upon it accordingly.

Derwentside has provided great support as you progress through and work towards your qualifications by offering additional support out of your contractual hours with the college to aid you in understanding the course in greater detail. Being able to get in contact with them via email or phone has certainly helped me when progressing through my assessments when I have had questions on the steps I need to take to complete such tasks. Regular reviews also allow you to monitor your progress in a qualification stand point as you can graph what you have excelled in, and where you may have not done as well; which resultantly allows you to go away and develop your skills/ knowledge in that area.

My qualification has certainly helped me within my role as I have been able to apply parts of what I have learnt into the various projects that I have been involved in. This has often enabled me to assess situations and provide an opinion on what I believe could be done to achieve the most optimal outcome. You can gain job-related skills, as well as refreshing and updating your knowledge. Completing a professional qualification allows you to expand your current knowledge. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn completely new skills and gaining more experience. Although you may already feel confident in your current abilities, having a professional qualification behind you will give you an extra boost.

Cummins offers a wide range of extra-curricular activities. For one there are sports teams such as football which will play each week in aid of building relationships with those you may otherwise not have done; which certainly helps within the workplace as well. Cummins also has a gym on site which is free for employees to use whenever they like; where again you can meet new people etc. Team meals and events outside of work are often set up to boost morale and again build those relationships with those in and around your team.

Yes

Cummins is a really good place to work, where the work-life balance is really good. There is a lot of opportunities within the company and they are very flexible in allowing you to move roles inside the company. Not only that but the experiences and opportunities that you will be given is so broad that it will help you develop your professional character, to allow you to function as a valued member of the team. There are also loads of great benefits that go alongside the work such as discounts, social events and even trips away.

My tip to those applying for Cummins is make sure you prepare yourself well for the interview stages of the application process, as they receive hundreds of applications for both the apprenticeships and placements alike. Being able to standout and show keen interest and focus on the ethos of Cummins will be of great benefit as it will show your ability and willingness to learn which is a key skill to have in an engineering environment such as this one. There are so many opportunities that are available that it would be a great shame to miss out.