Digital and Technology Solutions Apprentice Review

I work in mission systems within Babcock which means that I work on the forefront of what Babcock is contracted to do. My job involves both putting my practical skills to work and constantly learning and improving my current skills. These are incredibly useful to apply to the work I am doing

I have learnt new skills in software development languages such as C++ as well as other areas related to my course such as Share Point site ownership and Nintex Workflows. These transferrable skills are useful to apply to any project. I have also developed skills in procjet management and business admin

I'm enjoying my program as it gives me the necessary transferable skills to make me an attractive applicant to any future job. Babcock provides a lot of guidance and support in the forms of peers to be able to talk to, and collaborating with other apprentices is encouraged here

The programme within the workplace is well organised. I rotate through three different projects in the first year to get a feel for many areas of the business and to see how they operate, and then come the second year it's possible to have more control over where I go

Babcock is very supportive - the Early Careers Team are useful throughout the year with advice and support, there are plenty of people within engineering at Babcock which I can reach out to who will also provide support. Other support schemes outside the workplace such as an employee helpline and mental health first aiders are also useful

Weston College is not the best. I enjoy some of my modules but others seem poorly delivered and/or irrelevant. Some of the degree does not fit in with the program. Communication is poor from the college and it's not uncommon to not be able to receive support which was previously advertised

Some of the digital and technology solutions course is useful - a key example would be software development, which will stay with me while I go through my career at Babcock. Other modules, such as business information systems or academic and professional skills, seem irrelevant or unuseful to me and the workplace

Babcock has networks which link people together to be able to provide mutual support and share tips and tricks in the workplace and to stay up to date with these issues at Babcock. It also offers an open activities channel which is sometimes used. We apprentices have a monthly social event which is useful for networking.

Yes

I think Babcock is a great employer to work for due to its reach and diversity of projects and operating sites. There are many career paths available in Babcock, from software engineering to mechanical to supply chain and project management. Its reach all over the world provides useful connections for anyone wishing to move further afield in the future.

Make sure you read up on the company and are properly prepared for the assessments. There are guides on the internet about the format of these assessments which are useful preparation. All CVs are also filtered through Weston College so proper academic attainment is a key advantage when applying here.