Power Engineer Apprentice Review

As a power apprentice I am currently being trained to work on/have been working on AC & DC power systems (including Power Equipment Racks, Generator systems and battery systems), I also undertake works on air handling and conditioning units, pressurised air systems, alarm systems and both emergency and non-emergency lighting within my buildings. I perform routine maintenance works as well as attending faults. No two days are ever the same, as there is such a wide variety of work to complete on a daily basis. There is also plenty of administration tasks to complete, including ordering of tools and supplies to carry out my work. On top of the usual work I also attend college in weekly blocks once a month, am in the process of completing my NVQ LVL3 and attend training courses set up to help me qualify at the end of the apprenticeship.

As I have come from a non-engineering background my knowledge, skills and experiences have developed exponentially. I have developed my current knowledge and understanding of the Health and Safety at Work Act to include Electricity at Work Regulations and further principles of COSHH. I have also been able to develop my presentation/speaking skills by presenting on various topics to managers, colleagues and new intakes of apprentices. Because of the depth of the role I have undertaken a long list of training courses including -but not limited to- introductions to power equipment, alarms systems and software, carriage of dangerous goods and interrogation and diagnostic tools. I am also in the process of completing an NVQ & BTEC in Electronic and Electrical Engineering, as well as further training courses and a mentoring scheme where I shadow experienced engineers out in the field, learning the various processes, health and safety requirements and am closely supervised in completing tasks myself to gain experience in performing the job role I will be assimilating into at the end of the apprenticeship.

I enjoy learning something new everyday, whether that be a new type of task, a variation on existing equipment, why and how equipment and processes perform and what this means for the end-user, the customers. I have especially been enjoying going back to education in college, as I have been able to develop my existing knowledge and the fresh-start of education means that I am performing beyond my own expectations. The team I am with -including my managers- are some of the best colleagues I have ever had, they are always willing to support each other both professionally and personally, and have helped me to reach my current goals within the apprenticeship. I didn't know what to expect from the apprenticeship so it is hard to say whether my expectations have been met, but I can safely say these past two years have been some of the best in my entire working life.

The managers that I see "in the field" have always been welcoming, personal and supportive in both my working and personal life. Even when there have been issues there has never been any animosity, constructive feedback and an ability to listen to your staff is -to me- the most important factor in being a manager in any company. Exceptional performance is recognised and rewarded and areas for improvement are dealt with professionally and constructively. I have been involved with running team conference calls and presenting ice-breaker sessions and 'training' sessions with the team, the field managers and more senior managers. I have also had the opportunity to present to a new intake of apprentices which has gained recognition from an ever-expanding network of colleagues within the company, and in doing so I have been given the great experience of a tour of the BT Tower in London. I feel valued as an individual within this company, and I feel it is great that we are driven, not pushed, to go beyond expectations.

More recently there has been concern about the apprenticeship structure -RE: training courses- but as far as I am aware the issues have been, or are at least in the process of, being resolved. I have had the opportunity to attend a meeting with the head of Talent Entry (i.e. apprenticeships) and have raised concerns with them, as well as other apprentice managers, coaches and my own managers. The support with my studies have been adequate, where I am able to I am given time and space to organise myself and where assistance is required, I am able to ask for help. I feel that the best part of the apprenticeship -for me personally- is the shadowing/buddying, as I feel I learn a great deal more by being "in the field" and getting hands-on with the tasks I will be expected to perform once I am qualified. I will be able to comment on whether the entire programme was "well-organised" once I have completed all the necessary milestones required to complete the apprenticeship on time and qualify/assimilate into my role as a power engineer.

I have access to a great deal of support, in college, with my NVQ, with my shadowing and with my training courses. In attending all of the above, as well as more extra-curricular activities, I have been able to develop a wide network which I can use for work, training and educational support, as well as helping others where I am able to. The training so far has been challenging, but I have enjoyed it.

My managers have been supportive all throughout my apprenticeship, both professionally as well as professionally. Where I have had questions and issues for the HR team, about both pay and pensions, they have been able to help me to resolve and answer the issues. In terms of mentoring I have the freedom to organise myself in terms of my own workload, but when undertaking supervised tasks again I have the freedom to carry out the task, but I also have guidance where I have questions or am unsure as to a particular part of a process, or why we do things a particular way; I am guided as opposed to being told what to do.

Because I am provided with a work-van that I park at home, I have no personal travel costs, which is great considering I could do short trips to trips taking me across the country. As an apprenticeship wage/salary I have no complaints whatsoever, as part of the apprenticeship -provided I meet my milestones- I progress by way of a pay-rise every year until I assimilate, and then the pay increases even further until I am on full-pay. For my social/personal living costs, the apprenticeship salary exceeds expectations; although I am in an apprentice role, I am able to live as though I have a "full-time-pay" job as opposed to a "apprentice wage"/less-than-minimum wage which has always deterred me from taking an apprenticeship before.

There are plenty of out-of-work opportunities with BT, including volunteering -for example, BT have volunteering ties to Signals Squadron in the Army Reserves. I am also signed up to the "Yorkshire Three Peaks" challenge which will raise money for charity. I have had the chance to take tours of BT buildings (the Tower, Cambridge Alarms Centre, Adastral Park and the Future Tech. Tours) and attend meetings with various managers, as well as give my own presentations to the new intake of apprentices -in doing so I have been invited back to present again this coming year. There are always invitations to conference events at various locations across the UK, in essence there is so much to do and plenty to choose from. As well as the meetings, presentations and tours I have been able to shadow other people within my work-patch, outside of the Power role, to get a feel for what the rest of the team do and how we all work together to keep everything working as it should. For those working at Adastral Park, there are gym/leisure facilities, however as I do not work there, the facilities are not immediately available to me. We do, on the other hand, have access to a corporate-perks site where you can get discounts at a wide range of places, including social/leisure, utilities and more.

Yes

It is an amazing place to work, the training is taken care of and you develop both professionally as well as personally. As with any job, it can be challenging, but you are given support and guidance along the way. I have already recommended the apprenticeship and the company to a number of friends and relatives, as my experience to date has been the best of my working life.

I try to avoid cliché where I can, but the best advice I can give for the interview and application process is to be honest and be yourself. Interview techniques focus heavily on making sure you tick every box for the "perfect employee", but very little is mentioned about honesty and being human. BT want you to be human beings, not just a great CV. Being honest will also help you relax for the interview, because you won't be trying to remember "the right thing to say" when you're asked a question, you'll be answering naturally and confidently, which goes a long way compared to reciting well-practiced lines. Obviously that's not to say don't do your research, you want to show that you have made the effort to prepare for questions about BT as a company. The same would go for assessment days; be yourself, be honest, be courteous to the rest of the group -you might all be fighting for the job, but the interviewers will be looking for team-work as well, not just "who can shout the loudest". During your first few weeks/months you may feel daunted by the new environment/equipment and tools/new language -Power engineers are notorious for using more acronyms than the Army, Navy and RAF all combined... but your new team (in the patch as well as the other apprentices) will be there to support you. Ask questions if you don't know! Your mentors and managers will appreciate you asking a million and one questions, being safe and proficient, than pretending that everything is ok just because no one else is asking questions or giving you the answers to everything, it will cause you more headaches in the long run if you're not willing to put your hand up and admit that you don't know something. (Again, hating to use clichés, but it is better to admit that you do not know, than pretend that you do). Otherwise make use of every available opportunity, you may only be an apprentice for two or three years, if you can manage your time, get the important milestones in and still have time to spare, go and do the extra-curricular stuff, it will help develop your personal network, and this will help you when you come to the job at the end of the apprenticeship.