technical apprentice Review

My role involves fault finding and repairing electronics. My first year was purely college, the second year was a mix of college and on the job training and the third year is on the job training exclusively. I have been trained to perform to a good industry standard and repair electronics daily.

I have learnt new rework skills in accordance with IPC (international standards of printed circuit boards) . I have learnt a vast array of new fault finding skills that aid me in my day to day operations. I have learnt key communication skills and have bettered myself as a person and as an engineer.

I really enjoy my apprenticeship because it has flexibility and adaptability that allows for the best fit for the apprentice. I had the opportunity to tour the business and experience a variety of rolls and chose the one that best suits me. This helped me to stay motivated and honed my ability in a roll that I could thrive in.

Due to coronavirus, we faced a number of challenges, with respect to the organisation of the apprenticeship. Thankfully, due to an excellent HR team and apprentice/skills management, we were able to continue our learning at a rate that is expected. Organisation was good from the onset and allowed the apprentices to learn teamwork through teambuilding activities.

A vast and brilliant support awaits you should you need it and you work with a team that help you thrive and develop. We have the apprentice network within the business also who we can go to for support should we need it, this helps because they have been through it themselves and know the type of support we need.

A fantastic amount of support is available from our training provider, we just have to take the initiative to ask. The training provider, provided lectures that were slightly vague, however the moodle links had all the information required and if we were missing anything, we were able to email and ask for assistance and they would try their best to help guide you.

I feel that my college qualification has given me the foundation knowledge required to ensure that I can carry out my job to a good standard. The training has provided me with a level of competency with regards to working on electronics. The NVQ provided me personally with recognition skills that help me recognise techniques taught and implement them myself.

The company has multiple outreach networks that mean you can show your support and partake in public events. Certain groups of people get together and play sports together such as tennis. The Employee resource groups are Outlink, Vetnet, ENabled, Mindset, GEN and Embrace which you can get involved in and work with like-minded individuals.

Yes

I would recommend BAE systems apprenticeship to a friend because having been through it myself, I have seen the skills and abilities it provides you with. I think the support provided is excellent and I believe that it is an excellent opportunity to get involved with. The community at BAE systems helps to make you feel comfortable and embraces teamwork.

If I were to advise somebody applying at BAE, I would say to never feel like you cannot ask for help. People are here to help and a lot of them know what it is like to be in that position where you may be a bit stuck and need some assistance.