Electronic Design Degree Apprentice Review

by AWE

Rating

6.9/10

1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

I complete electronics tasks such as soldering, designing circuits, repairing circuits and doing research into the theory behind this.

7/10

2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

I have developed my soldering skills, knowledge of electronics and learnt how to design circuits in software and mill PCBs.

8/10

3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

Most of the time it is very good, with some problems caused by a change in the apprenticeship scheme occurring as I joined. This meant my apprenticeship ended up longer than was advertised. Besides this, the training was very good and overall is a good job and learning experience.

7/10

4. How well organised/structured is your programme?

The organisation and structure is the main area of flaw for me with this apprenticeship. As I mentioned earlier, the scheme ended up going from the advertised 4 years to 5/6 years (Still to be confirmed!) due to issues with changing course providers. The managers are generally good however, although we currently have more apprentices in the workshop than I would say is ideal. This was an upper management decision and doesn't reflect on the workshop/task managers, but should still be taken into consideration.

6/10

5. How much support do you receive from your employer?

I received a great deal of support, particularly when beginning the apprenticeship. This helped me to learn the basic skills I required to perform my tasks effectively and move on in the course. I expect future apprentices may not have quite as much support as the number of apprentices has increased significantly, while the task/workshop management has only gained one manager (for electronics, at least).

7/10

6. How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

We are given time to get college work done, but we are not directly given any significant support besides this.

6/10

7. How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

Through college I am learning more about the theory behind what I do in the workshop, and this helps particularly with the research tasks I do at work. It will also mean I am better qualified for the work I will be doing when I out-turn from the apprenticeship.

7/10

8. Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

There are not any significant opportunities for extra-curricular activities that I know of, although there are exercises and courses that we do to be more qualified and strengthen our knowledge of on-site activities and electronics, such as a soldering course.

7/10

9a. Would you recommend AWE to a friend?

Yes

9b. Why?

It is generally a good place to work and a vey good start to someone's career. It is a great place to learn new skills and advance your knowledge, as well as gain qualifications that will make you much more successful in your career.

10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to AWE?

Getting familiar with certain software depending on your trade would be very useful. For electronics, learning the basics of circuit simulation software such as Falstad, Proteus and Multi-Sim would be useful. I would also recommend learning the basics of soldering and how to put together circuits on breadboards. This isn't needed but would be helpful and will ensure you get a strong start.