Craft Apprentice Review

As an aircraft fitter I am required to use a variety of fitting techniques on a daily basis such as: drilling, riveting, reaming and countersinking to produce sub and major assemblies which are used on the Eurofighter Typhoon. I have the responsibility of referencing standard operating procedures to ensure that the job that i am working on is within tolerance and to an engineers drawing ensuring that it meets MoD standards and company standards

As I had never undertook any sort of engineering I have developed skills in all areas of my job from the practical side such as: - Learning how to interpret engineering drawings - Learning to adhere to all health and safety standards at all times - Fitting techniques such as drilling, wet assembly and riveting I have also developed skills in the knowledge side of my apprenticeship including: - Electrical principles - Information about the materials we use on a daily basis - Mechanical engineering topics and the maths that comes along side this Finally, I have had to develop existing skills to ensure that i stick to the companies behaviours which include: - Courage - Communication - Integrity - Personal Development

I enjoy my programme as I always have the relevant support where necessary whether this is coming from the skilled men i work alongside everyday or my assessors and early careers team that i contact in the event of any concerns i am having. The business is also an amazing company to work for as everyday is exciting as i am working on innovative aerospace jobs.

The structure of the programme is an area that needs working on within the company and i believe this comes down to the separate business units that we work within as were managed by the early careers department but work within the Air sector. As a result there is sometimes a lack of communication leading to apprentices not getting the relevant information or our placements been extended. Also, in my first placement i showed up on the first day and they did not expect me to be there on that specific day which was uncomfortable.

There is always alot of support available from BAE Systems such as; - Occupational health if you have any health concerns in or out of the workplace - Assessors who have a 12 week catch up where we discuss any problems we may have - Many forums where we can voice our issues and concerns allowing the correct solutions to be put in place

Within BAE we have a dedicated education team who teach us the relevant topics to pass exams and our assignments. The support is always there in this department however i believe that the lessons could be taught in a more professional way allowing apprentices to learn the most information. However we get great support off our assessors who help us with the practical side of our qualifications such as observations, write ups and knowledge questions

It allows me to get a greater understanding of engineering as a whole and not just aerospace fitting

There are some different extra- curricular activities but not often advertised the only one i know of is becoming a STEM ambassador

Yes

- You get all the support you need in the job - A secure job and company - Lots of company benefits such as shares - Opportunities for future progression

- Ensure that you are enthusiastic about the company and know the different sectors within BAE Systems as a whole and the products that we produce - Ensure you look at the company behaviours