Engineering Apprentice Review

My role will change throughout my apprenticeship, from shop floor activities to office working. A lot of my time was spent in the assembly section of the plant, constructing products and learning valuable hand skills. I have recently been moved to an office position in the industrial engineering sector, which aims to make the plant as efficient as possible.

Definitely. The only hand skills I had before my apprenticeship was the odd few skills I had picked up helping my Dad with DIY. Now I am confident in using a wide range of tools and equipment. As well as this I have developed my skills in certain software during my office work.

There is very rarely a day where I wake up and think "I really don't want to go to work". Moving into different roles periodically brings something new and a lot of the work is often project based, meaning i look forward to bringing about the end goal of the project. My managers are always available when I need them, as are team leaders and other members of staff. I enjoy working as a team and that is certainly done in my apprenticeship at Schneider. I have also met some great people and attended nuerous work social events.

Definetely. From day 1, the company had training plan layed out for me and I could see where I would be moving around the plant and when. I have recently been put onto a £1.5 million project which makes me and the other apprentices feel particularly valued by the company. There are numerous apprentices working currently at the plant and some who have finished their apprenticeship and now have high up poitions in the design office. This works as motivation to see the apprenticeship through and stick with Schneider.

From day 1, the company had a trainig plan layed out for me and this has been stuck to pretty much dead on, maybe a couple of weeks more than planned in some departments, but only where necessary. I recieved an induction on my first day which showed my pretty much everything that happens in the plant. I currently attend college 2 days a week as I am working towards a higher apprenticeship. This does not result in me being forgotten about at work despite the fact i am only on site 3 days a week. The programme is well structured and organised and I know where abouts I Will be in 1 years time, 2 years time etc.

The college i attend use the google system for a lot of their work. Meaning recieving work and contacting tutors about work is incredibly simple. I can email any of my tutors at any time and i will almost always get a reply within the hour. The staff at my college are incredibly supportive and are willing to answer any questions you may have. I enjoy going to college and there is a nice atmosphere there, the students and the tutors are in small groups and work well together.

I am regularly asked by my managers how my college work is going. If there is ever a time where I consider myself a little behind on my college work, my manager wil always find some time during the day to allow me to work on my studies as opposed to my usual work tasks. This is an incredibly useful thing to have and from speaking to other apprentices, it is an opportuity that many do not get. This help means i am never really stressed out or bogged down by college work.

I am currently able to live off of my wage and put a little aside for savings. My wage is higher than a lot of apprentices who i go to college with and each year I recieve a raise. My college is over 20 miles from my house but this petrol money can be claimed back through expenses. By the end of my apprenticeship i believe i will be on a very respectable wage.

I was able to attend an engineering event at a local venue, showing off Schneider Electrics technology to local colleges and schools. This was a brilliant event to be a part of and we ended up winning a handful of awards. Secondly schneider run an online learning portal where your skills can be developed outside of work. Some of this free online training even leads to certificates in recognisable and desirable fields, such as Lean 6 sigma.

Yes

Lots of opportunities to work in different areas throughout the apprenticeship scheme. A respectable salary which increases every year. Brilliant people to work in a team with and projects with end goals that make coming to work exciting.

If you wish to get into engineering, schneider electric covers a huge range of areas. My knowledge has improved in both mechanical and electrical engineering and there will no doubt be a lot more to learn down the road. The interviews were a little nerve-racking, but only because i knew this was the role I wanted and i didn't want to mess up. They were carried out in an almost informal matter and the I think the interviewer was trying to be as reassuring as possible. The onboarding process is brilliant and tells you all you need to know, but make sure you pay attention, theres a lot going on at schneider and if you don't concentrate you will miss things.