Apprentice engineer Review

My job title is apprentice engineer, my daily tasks include going to production line breakdowns. Carrying out any maintenance activities that are outstanding on my own production line, i am also there support to both online and offline engineering teams for bigger tasks that are happening around the site. My daily interactions include seeing my manager in the morning informally, talking to the other engineers about what happened or going on around site if there are outstanding problems occurring from a previous shift. Emails are another daily form of interaction and they're from other site managers to keep everyone informed about audit performance and changes happening.

I have gained a btec level 2 in performing engineering activities, which included using milling machines, lathe's, basic electrical wiring, mechanical maintenance, bench work ( using hand tools). I have also completed a btec level 3 in multi skilled engineer and i am also completing a NVQ level 3 in performing engineering operations. At the same time my company has progressed me onto a foundation degree in electrical electronic engineering which is carried out at the university of Greenwich medway. The internal training i have undertaken is food safety and health and safety courses, i have also been trained to use a motorised pallet lift. I also undertook a Hazard analysis and critical control points course externally forwarded by company. I have developed my own personal skills such as team work, improving my social skills.

I enjoy working with the variety of engineering teams they have at premier foods. Working across all four online engineering shifts and the offline engineering shift. I enjoy working with all the different teams there are at premier foods such as the continuous improvements team, quality team, training team. I enjoy the work because it is something new everyday and you can always learn something new or a better way to do a job with the experience available. it exceeded my expectations because I didn't know what to expect the whole experience was new and I have enjoyed it from the start.

Working at premier foods i get a lot of appreciation from the managers if there is something i have done that is appreciated, even though i am a apprentice i get treated like a qualified engineer but i get a little more help when needed. Internal recognition is good cinema tickets and free meals can be given if you help carry out a big job that was affecting production or if a trial was on and wasn't going well and you manged to get it running you are well awarded.

The induction was well organised and was set up nicely, the training i undertook was structured well into 6 week blocks and then used my holiday for the weeks off between the blocks or attended the work place. The support was always on hand only a phone call or email away, the studying is well organised i am allowed to take half a day to carry out my NVQ work job write ups. I have 4 weekly meetings with my NVQ assessor and manager, but also i have catch up meetings with my manager too. Task delegation is organised well for planned maintenance as there is a tray with my name on that all my pm sheets go in.

I received a lot of support from my training provider while i was attending college, all i had to do was email them if i needed any sort of help outside of college hours or speak to the tutors whilst i was there if i needed any support. When i finished college the tutor was still happy to help and sent a load of work to help with university work.

I receive a lot of support from my employer, my manager is always around if i need to talk to him or arrange a meeting to discuss work or college work. The HR team are very helpful if i need help with anything they will try to answer or they will talk to person i need to talk to and get them to contact me. They always have a good and helpful attitude towards helping when i need it.

The salary package covers all my living costs, phone, rent, netflix, spotify. Travel costs take a big portion of my salary due to the distance around 40 miles a day there and back and due to car i have. It covers my daily costs if i have any. My social costs are covered it allows me to go out a lot and have a dinners out. The location is in Ashford and is quite far away as mentioned but i can still get to work for about £200 a month in petrol.

There are opportunities outside work we have events on for the people here to bring their families too, on the anniversary of my company opening there is a strategy day where the whole site closes and its a day of team building events and a meal and bar open at the end. Our site does a lot for charity cancer research but will also sponsor you if you volunteer to do something for a charity of your choice. Also they help the community with clean up projects that are happening around Ashford, this site has a deal with the leisure centre across the road which means you get discounted memberships if you go.

Yes

Premier foods is a really good company to work for there are many opportunities available, the people that work here are all very supportive and helpful. Its a friendly environment to work in, they will make sure you do the best you can and will reward you well if you do or at least tried your best. If you want to be an engineer this is a very good place to work and start your career to gain lots of experience and knowledge.

The application process is easy to complete and straight forward, the interview was almost a full day long just prepare yourself for any questions you think you might get because they just want to get to know you. If you know someone that works here they can help you as a reference the get experience in doing something similar like working on cars/motorbikes make sure the job interests you.