toolmaker Review

my role involves the maintenance repair and modification of dies. in the workshop I operate various tools and equipment to repair and maintain the dies, this includes cranes, forklift, power tools and hydraulic and flywheel presses. I receive a job order at the beginning of the day and source the location of the effected die this is then brought to the toolroom where I can begin to assess the damage and the plan for repair.

during my employment this year I developed various skills these include my crane operator qualification, my B1 forklift license which means I can lift up to 5000kg, I also have developed skills for when operating the flywheel presses, I have also spent a lot of y time in the welding booth in the workshop and learning how to effectively TIG weld.

So far I am really enjoying the programme, the other people in my year and I have made connections and become friends same with the workers in the press shop and toolroom, the daily task i have are always exiting to learn from and the skills I have developed are extremely useful and transferrable.

the organization of the programme has never been an issue for me, i find i always have time at work to complete College assignments and other tasks this means i am never stresses about deadlines or am having to work from home to get it completed, the structure gives a equal rotation for each subject so that everyone has the same time on each unit.

there is an immense amount support we receive from our supervisors, they provide almost 24/7 support for us when we encounter problems or require help with situations, we have weekly meeting where we are asked about our weekend our manager provides information on the coming week and what to expect.

there is minimal support from the qualification tutors as they prefer us to learn via the knowledge provided in one lesson and what we can source online, they're is very limited feedback when it comes to submitting work and there is an extended wait period for it, the assignments are often vague and the number of questions per task is unbalanced.

the btec qualification is there to help in the basic understanding of maths and engineering principles, as they are in place for you to learn the basic information that may be required from you on the shop floor, the NVQ qualification helps you learn practical skills that are transferable for when you start work on the shop floor.

there are various extra-curricular activities like the newsletter team where a group of apprentices give a weekly update on the events and other news relevant to bmw group. there is also the charity team where they organise events to raise money for a chosen charity. there is also school events where a group of chosen apprentices hold a Q&A about the various roles at various schools

Yes

at BMW the benefits associated with the position are unmatched, pension, various schemes, cycle2work, also the qualification you can receive on a level 3 course is a HNC, you also get certified on various machinery like cranes, B1 and B2 forklifts, press safety, welding course, gas bottle safety, Abrasive wheel safety,

research the job ensure you understand the job role and the task required of you, Prepare smart questions, Think about first impressions, Remember good manners and body language, ask questions, dont be afraid to reach out to previous or current apprentices on linked in and ask questions and always practice.