Engineering Techician Review

Day to day I work in Space Imaging across 3 areas, Package Integration, Process Engineering and Materials Development. This will allow me to take a project through from bid stage, create the engineering designs and drawings, prototype builds, processing the devices and solving any materials issues that arise along the way. I am currently working on many process improvement and cost reduction activities to make our manufacturing facilities more efficient and effective. Alongside this role I am also an apprentice coordinator with responsibility for last years apprentice intake and am involved in the selection process.

PEO Level 2 Btec Level 3 NVQ Level 3 Further Maths Level 3 Autodesk Inventor certification 8D Problem Solving Yellow Belt Training Currently Studying for HNC and NVQ level 4 APM Project Fundamentals Qualification Geometrical Dimensioning and Tolerancing

I most enjoy the process improvement activities as I am often given a free reign with these. During doing my day to day tasks I spot things that may be improved. Upon pitching these to managers and stakeholders within the company they almost always urge me to push it forward.

The managers at e2v are more than appreciative and are always willing to listen to ideas and support you. The apprentice manager suggested I applied for the national apprentice of the year award. Of which I made it through to the regional stage however did not progress to the nationals due to not including enough statistics within my application.

The scheme is very structured, there is a week long induction to the scheme and business, when you come on site you have a month long training programme before starting rotations around the company. You will have reviews are the end of each placement and when you specialise into a final placement these reviews will occur every 3 months. You also have a mentor who you can call upon whenever you feel the need.

The current training provider is understaffed. This has lead to our support being not as good as it once was. We are holding meetings with the college to try and address these problems and ensure units are still delivered to a good standard and work is marked and returned in a timely manner.

The apprentice manager is very accommodating, we have been able to continue attending college during term holidays to allow us to keep up to date and use the college facilities as well as allowing us to gain a little extra face to face learning with tutors. The apprentice manager is the largest source of support throughout the apprenticeship, whenever I have had any issues he has always gone out of his way to ensure they are sorted and actively encourages you to push yourself to the next level.

I think the package is adequate. As the office is local and provides parking commuting costs are minimal.

There are many extra opportunities available. Every year apprentices attend careers events at schools to promote the apprenticeship scheme to year 9 students and up to help them decide on their GCSE options as well as making them aware of the alternatives to A/Levels and University via the conventional route. We have also taken part in the Brathay Apprentice Challenge, this includes a community project, where we spent a weekend landscaping a charities garden and installed a pond. I have also have the time to run a business alongside my apprenticeship.

Yes

I think that apprenticeships are better that A Levels and University, as you can still gain the qualifications that would through being a full time student, yes it does take longer to get the qualifications but you are earning and getting experience at the same time. As well as not having to pay for the tuition fees and being paid for working.

Ensure you show your interest for engineering and what sparked your interest. Make your application stand out. We already know majority of the population play football....