Advanced Apprentice Review

My role involves fitting and removing interior and exterior trim, such as bumpers and seats. I do not get to interact with external departments as this is done by management, so it can be difficult to network and gain contacts in the company. A normal day in my department consists of a morning meeting, fitting/removing trim, two 15 minute breaks and a 30 minute lunch break. Occasionally there are projects which involve removing engines, gearboxes and subframes however apprentices are not usually involved in this work. Trim fitting is quite a repetitive job and is not relevant to the qualification.

During my first year at college I learnt the basics of how a car works and the major components, however the material taught to us is outdated and not relevant to some Jaguar Land Rover products. At work in my home department I have learnt how to remove interior and exterior trim but haven't learnt anything relevant to my qualification. There is no training for apprentices in my department so we are expected to watch experienced technicians and learn from them, however they are usually too busy to teach us properly.

I am not enjoying the apprenticeship as much as I hoped, as there is a lack of training for apprentices and the programme is unorganised. However, most of the technicians are friendly and work as a team which makes the work more enjoyable.

I have raised my concerns about the lack of training in my department but have been told that there isn't enough time to train apprentices, so I do not feel valued by the company. I have never received any internal/external recognition even though I have worked very hard in college and at work.

The programme is very unorganised as there are no standard training plans for apprentices. Each department deals with apprentices differently, so some receive lots of support and mentoring, whilst others are purely used as extra staff for the department and don't receive any support at all. The college timetabling system does not work effectively, during our first year we were given one week to complete a whole subject without a lecturer, which was near impossible.

We have work based learning managers (known as WBLMs) who we can speak to regarding any issues at work or college. Some WBLMs are very helpful and will try their best to help, whilst others don't know what they are doing and can be quite unsupportive. The college tutors are generally quite helpful if asked for support, but there are a few who expect us to know more than we do and so will expect us to be able to do our assignments without any guidance.

I have raised concerns to my manager about the lack of training for apprentices, who said that the department 'doesn't have time' to train apprentices as the area is 'process driven' and cars are a priority. I have raised the same concern to other JLR employees who agree that the department shouldn't have apprentices as there isn't any training provided, but they are certain that nothing will be changed to rectify the issue as it has 'always been that way'. Due to this lack of training, I have had to organise a placement at another department so I could learn more about mechanics, however my home department was not supportive of this and it took a very long time before they would let me go.

For an apprenticeship, the salary is very good. The first year was a struggle as I had bills and travel costs to pay for but the six monthly pay rises have helped. The location is very central and easy to access providing you are local to the Midlands.

There are opportunities outside of work to attend customer service events at schools and colleges, representing the company and the apprenticeship programme. Some of these events are compulsory which can be difficult to attend if you have other commitments outside of work hours. Employees also receive an allowance each year to learn something new in your own time, such as skiing or off-road driving, which is a good benefit to have. I have noticed a few team building activities are available to all employees to join, however some of these have a cost involved.

Yes

The jobs are currently secure and well paid.

The apprenticeship is not perfect and you will need to do a lot of the work without support. Make sure to ask lots of questions during the assessment process to ensure you fully understand the job and the course you will be doing.