Apprentice Engineer Review

by Arcadis

Best Apprenticeship Employer

Rating

9/10

1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

My current role is a first year degree apprentice. Every morning at 9am, I log in to my main work laptop and catch up on meetings, look at what meetings I need to attend. When I am not in meetings I am working with the client Network Rail to engage in different experiences.

10/10

2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

I have learned many different skills like general Engineering concepts from LSBU, Law and Economics. Arcadis has also helped me develop my organisation skills.

10/10

3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

I enjoy my programme very much, I have done an apprenticeship before this and whilst I enjoyed it, I enjoy being apart of the Arcadis team way more. Arcadis are supportive, caring and really listen to your requirements and needs. Not only that, I have an amazing team and would not ask for anything more.

10/10

4. How well organised/structured is your programme?

From the Arcadis side, it was very organised. The early careers team helped me with any questions. My line manager helped me get started with different tips to organise emails. From the university side, whilst rocky at the start, it got better. Although I hope to see some improvement on the systems they currently have.

8/10

5. How much support do you receive from your employer?

I get any support I ask for. Whether it is office equipment, general queries or just asking for a chat, Arcadis are quick to help. I found that having a 1-2-1 meeting every week with my line manager has really helped me work remotely.

10/10

6. How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

Any support I ask for I get, although I have found that a lot of the time it is all online.

6/10

7. How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

It has helped me with my general knowledge of engineering, I am starting to understand what people talk about in meetings.

8/10

8. Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

There are monthly social events at every office we have in the UK, they are usually themed for example the most recent was based on Ramadan/Eid. Not only that but there are opportunities to go into the office and meet your team, I do this once a month at least, maybe more depending on availability.

10/10

9a. Would you recommend Arcadis to a friend?

Yes

9b. Why?

I have recommended Arcadis to many friends already, even family. They have many roles, not just in Engineering but all kinds of different areas. They are very good with work life balance and making sure new applicants are comfortable within their first couple of days in the company. Which I think is a big thing.

10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Arcadis?

Some advice I would give is to not be afraid to ask any/all questions, Be patient with yourself as it is a confusing industry and you will not get it right away if you do not have experience.