Manufacturing Engineer Review

My job with BMW is very unique and specific, which has both its positives and negatives. One day I am doing software development, the next attending meetings all day, giving tours, presenting to board members - the list goes on. Traditionally, I focus on innovation and digitalisation, whereby we develop new technologies for the plant and push the cutting edge for the business.

During my time at BMW HH I have experienced great personal growth, every day I develop new and existing skills, pushing me further as an individual and a member of the business. Recently I have found these to be mainly "soft skills" such as professionalism, organisation abilities - such as time management and prioritisation.

I greatly enjoy my time with the business and the plant. The diverse work that I do on a daily basis, the people I interact with, and the opportunities, results, and benefits seen every day are greatly rewarding. The only time I don't enjoy the apprenticeship is with high levels of workload and stress, but this can be managed and avoided depending on the type of person you are.

Organisation and structure can vary depending on when, where, and who. I'm also unable to compare with other companies. Generally speaking however, things are well organised, and the structure of the apprenticeship works well. Things are very flexible, and every apprentice that joins the plant takes a very different journey with different experiences, both positive and negative. The essentials are handled, and you always have support where needed. The training provider we had, and some occasions (such as an international placement I will be going on this year) have been really disorganised, and much more complicated and messy than needed. However this is always expected to an extent, and does very much depend on certain teams and individuals.

Again this is very dependant on teams and individuals within the business. Depending on who your manager is, the team your in, and the work that you do - you'll receive different levels of support and engagement. Generally though, people are very supportive, and when I first joined BMW I was surprised at the level of support and encouragement I received. You will always be congratulated for success, and whenever you may be struggling or need extra support, there is a large support network of people who can help you.

This again has been good and bad throughout the apprenticeship. We have always been supported, and able to complete assignments to progress our qualifications. However in some of the earlier days when completing the foundation degree at college, things could have been clearer and more straightforward. Towards the end of the apprenticeship now, we are more used to the academic side, and have the support where needed.

For the most part, my qualification isn't particularly relevant to my role - but I find it is great in building contexts of manufacturing, and building my wider knowledge of how these environments work. A lot of our qualification surrounds engineering principles, and a very broad range of topics from robotics, to CAD, to machining, to business management.

Hams Hall has a great culture of people and extra-curricular activities outside of plant. These are usually arranged by individuals and teams to boost the culture and get together with friends. One good example of this is the intern/graduate/apprentice football - or regular social events for birthdays, people moving teams, big visits etc.

Yes

BMW is a great international company to work for. For our plant, being the size that it is, producing cool engines, surrounded by cool people - couldn't be better. Although there is often a lot of work on my plate, it is a pleasure to come to work - and find the experience overall greatly positive and rewarding.

I would give much of the standard cliche advice as others - it really is important to try your best, put yourself forward, and show those recruiting your enthusiasm and what you're capable of. Aside from that, I'd say that the right people always seem to find the right place with BMW - and if your application is either successful or not, it was likely meant to be. Just be honest, relaxed and positive throughout the application process, and hopefully you will be successful!