Assistant Engineer Review

I am an assistant engineer responsible for the day-to-day development of data centre designs, and conducting research relative to the wider data centre industry and sustainability to inform future work and ensure we implement and provide sustainable solutions.

Over the course of my programme, I have transitioned from a BIM technician role into an engineering design role through proactive career progression in line with the engineering council s IEng competency criteria.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the programme, particularly due to its structure and alignment with full-time work commitments. I have been provided with opportunities to expose myself to a plethora of industry topics to help guide and inform my decisions regarding my career progression.

The structure of my programme has been fantastic, as whilst degree apprenticeships are longer than traditional full-time education they are also tailored to people with full-time work commitments and therefore, enabled me to complete my program work whilst fulfilling my work commitments with minimal stress, without consuming my social time.

Fully supportive of my academic programme. They challenge me with the work I am provided and this has developed me into the engineer I am today. Furthermore, they are understanding and resource effectively to align with my academic commitments to ensure I meet deadlines with minimal stress.

My training provider has been fully supportive and informative of what is required of me. As a result, I have never missed a deadline and have seamlessly achieved the highest available grades due to the quality of their training.

It is perfect for my career progression as it is aligned with the Engineering Council IEng competency criteria, therefore, meeting this criteria proactively and ahead of schedule has developed me into a competent engineer and I am ready for the next stage of career progression as soon as my qualification is completed this summer (2023).

Yes, there are ample sports and social opportunities to network with all varieties of colleagues of different grades and from completely different departments/disciplines.

Yes

Apprenticeships at Arup offer something incredibly valuable given the current economic climate, increased job security and this is not because apprentices are ‘cheap-labour”, but because they are malleable and their professional development is aligned to satisfy the specific needs of the company and industry. This results in Arup apprentices being some of the most valuable resources the company has. In summary, combining motivated and willing individuals with the plethora of industry knowledge and experience available during an Arup apprenticeship maximises their potential and helps the industry to recruit and retain new generations of talented professionals, whilst maximising positive outcomes for all parties taking part in such schemes.

Arup is a company dedicated to hiring young, inexperienced staff as they understand the importance of quality training and the resulting plethora of competent engineers this approach develops by allowing pro-active apprentices to immediately obtain exposure to various industry disciplines, immerse themselves in different environments and explore technical topics. This all provides individuals with insight and a wider understanding of the work their company does, whilst offering apprentices opportunities for holistic collaboration and networking. Therefore, my advice would be to be a willing and motivated apprentice who is open to learning by making mistakes.