Technical Apprentice Review

During my apprenticeship I have been given many different roles due to being on different placements. In my first role I worked with a team of Radar Production and development staff who worked on both the aircraft and in labs. My role was to support them in the buisness and learn as much from them as possible. my second role was with Hawk design Liason. This role involved me answering design issues on a concession and supporting the query ntoe process. This role was very involved in the aircraft and its day to day transformation.

I have learnt a host of new skills in both my first year in the training centre and since coming on to site. I learnt basic engineering and team work skils int he training centre and then as I have moved onto site I have learnt more technical knowledge. I have also gained a place on the companies German exchange allowing me to learn a language and work abroad.

Since joining I have genuinly never had a bad day. This is impressive with the vast variety of work I have carried out. I would say I have enjoyed my work 10/10 so far!

Since joining in 2013 I have been made to feel important to the company with even the top managers and the priminister coming to talk to myself and other apprentices about how important what we are doing is. This gives you a really good feeling and shows how much bae care about their staff.

In my first year before specialisation the program was very structured and followed a strict time limit but during specialisiation this changed and for a few weeks I had very little work to complete. Since coming on to site the structure has been very good.

My college offers lots of support in completing work to a high standard. This comes in the form of long lessons with lots of hand outs and after hours tutoring being available. I do feel though that some of the lessons are jsut us being handed sheets and told to complete them with very little explanation. In particularly Maths.

My employer has offered loads of assistance to myself and collegues which is very positive to see from an apprentices point of view.I have been given assistance with personal issues as well as work issues and it has been of a high class.

With the high price of car insurance and moving from site to site it can become difficult at times financially. Though we are payed alot for apprentices it still isnt enough to live in student accomodation or to leave home.

Whist being employed at Bae I have been given the chance to visit Germany for 3 weeks on an exchange program. This is an excellent scheme and it fully supported by the collegues and managers who give me extra time to learn the language and plan activities.

Yes

Bae offer you a job for life. This works both ways for employee and employer. The employer offers a high wage, relaxed work, a career path and good wellbeing. This in turn makes the employee want to stay with the company and work hard for them.

When talking to people who are thinking of applying I would tell them the main thing is to be enthusiastic and willing to learn because in this job you get out what you put in!