Engineering Technician Review

Currently in the first year of the apprenticeship, learning fundamental kills to be an engineer. building skills down in the workshop like hand skills with files and saw, using milling machines and lathes to make parts as well as electrical skills including PLC programming and soldering. we have also leant how to wel.

Many new skills have been created and existing ones have been developed further. coming in with previous hands on knowledge and experience from working at home I had a good understanding of a lot of the basic hand fitting skills, but these grew as a learnt more complex bit I did not know about.

Very enjoyable program, I have enjoyed learning new skills and developing existing knowledge. sometimes one of the teachers for the foundation degree does not know what is going on and struggles to teach. other than this one day a week the apprenticeship is very enjoyable and a relaxed environment. yes

The programme came across organised at first but due to there being clear divides between the BMet course in the workshop, the BCU foundation degree upstairs and then BMW the actual company that employs us seem to have very limited communication. many things have been miscommunicated the contract has been changed after we signed it. we were told we would get a level 2 communication and now that has been revoked, a tutor was meant to be organised for us as there where issues under hiring us all - the collage had assumed we all had A level math's experience when we didnt so a tutor was organised yet never turned up and nothing was done further to support us.

Employee seems to do what they can, we have catch up meetings with BMW and they try to be supportive but it always becomes an issue when the on site Bmet team gets involved. meetings are had between the two but i dont think it is made clear or enforced by BMW to make sure changes happen

Almost none. In the workshop the tutors are good and teach skills needed well, but whoever overseas them doesn't seem to care for us what so ever (the tutors or students). no help is provided when asked for and everything seems to "not their issue". one of the tutors for the foundation degree also cant teach and doesn't like listening to us either.

Would be nice to get a qualification from our workshop work but even though we are literally doing everything to get the qualification BMet have decided to go back on their word and decide to not put us through the qualification, the skills we are learning however could be quite useful in our jobs

There are extra curricular activities I could get involved in however they are all set up by apprentices for apprentices. there is a little football club that goes on and a netball team has been set up both meeting once a week after work to play a game. it is good to socialize and do some sport.

Yes

Whilst the programme isn't very organised and it requires a lot of work from the students themselves i still think it is a great opportunity and a lot better than going to university. there are good skills learnt and it will be good to actually work on the production line, it is however a slight setback that you need to put in a lot of work because the training provider wont.

Keep on top of assignments and any academic work you have so that it doesn't become a mess. if you have any problems with the course it is arguably not worth complaining because no care is given by BMet and nothing will be done about it, I believe some of the workshop tutors also feel this way and aren't being supported by Bmet correctly.