Manufacturing Engineer Review

Manufacture Engineering Involves either planning, build line support or build strategy. They are all fairly self explanatory and while some jobs can offer some thought and most require significant knowledge the day to day can be very repetitive, a role that in no way requires a degree.

Absolutely, I personally have learnt a lot with in work in manufacturing process using MRP derived methods and I have learnt more degree level material e.g. beam bending moments etc.

I enjoy working on a large project, there is definitely something inspiring about what the company builds however the majority of placements (and exit roles) are not the kind of work that interests me (or most of my degree apprentice friends) long term, with planning being typically very repetitive, the type of person who applies for a degree engineering apprenticeship is also going to be dissatisfied with the repetitive menial tasks involved with in planning and to a lesser extent build line support or build strategy. If the apprenticeship description had have gone into any detail at all i doubt many of us would have taken it up.

College/University is fairly well organised with a college day in place for training and for the most part very competent and good lecturers who make it a pleasure to learn. Recruitment, though a while ago was very painful with a total lack of information on what we would be doing, where we would be learning or what degree we would be completing, a degree in manufacturing engineering is very different to the mechanical engineering degree that was muted before it was fixed. Learning Reviews are organised well offering support from the early careers team. But the main factor for the rating is the complete lack of shop floor experience that the apprentices are provided, our job is almost exclusively desk based but the majority of apprentices (designers included) who have never experienced welding or fitting, which will always lead to a lack of fundamental engineering understanding: its very difficult to understand that putting a bolt too near a corner will prevent a fitter from using a socket and ratchet and so make it a pain from a computer desk.

Lots of support is provided in a checking up on us sense which is great. Apprentices wanting to learn relevant material that is not on the college course or in placement struggle to get it arranged and this is a mixture of Manufacturing Engineering and Early Careers causing this. There is also a fair chunk of work that has to be completed outside of college, revision and assignments (essays), these are not unreasonable however it makes balancing personal life and college asks outside of the 37 hour job very difficult, this is not an apprenticeship specific flaw however i can think of ways this could be improved. Finally, apprentices are not treated as adults by early careers (in more ways than one), e.g. early careers treats every single college day as absolutely unmissable, realistically, having worked full time (at times as a lead hand) before coming to Barrow I am 22 now and live in my own house, I find it very irritating be told that i can not book a weeks holiday for the majority of the year because i will miss one day at college, just leave me to catch up with it in my spare time, just like the rest of the college work we have to do in our spare time.

As previously answered, the lecturers are (bar the exception) very good and when our class has raised concerns we were listened to.

The qualification is much more engineering based than what man eng practically is. It does have man eng topics but it also goes into calculations which none of our placements would, this is actually perfect as I learn what I need for the job in work and I learn what I should know as an engineer in college.

The extra-curricular activities here in work and outside of work are great. With in work you can be involved in STEM and interesting projects with the help of early careers and outside of work there are plenty of things that can be taken up.

Yes

I would only recommend BAE Systems as a great employer, my frustrations with the job stem from the lack of detail upon applying and i feel that the people being hired for specifically degree apprentices in ME are not going to be stretched very much by the role. Some people will really enjoy the role and there are many jobs in Barrow for different people. In addition the pay as an apprentice is very respectable.

If you want an office job apply for an office job. if you want to be on the shop floor don't be pressured to get a job that's in the office you wont be happy. Apply for shorter apprenticeships, typically you will be paid very well after three years not five, and if you enjoy it the company will put you through a degree once you have finished if you would like, this makes a lot more sense someone applying. Be aware, transferring between apprenticeship is not possible while you are an apprentice, it possibly is easier once you are out of the apprenticeship, FYI designers (CADies) lead to elctro/mechanical engineers