Nuclear Higher Apprentice Review

I am a Nuclear Engineering Higher Apprentice who will participate in a number of 3-6mth placements over the course of 3 years. The placements are in a variety of roles ranging from Reactor Operations to the Nuclear Safety and Regulation Department, The final two years will be in an exit role to be determined. My current role is in Build Readiness which involves planning the key build activities for the new class of submarine. Analysing what is needed at each stage of the build and making sure resources are in place when necessary is a big part of the job. Working with other departments to ensure everyone is working towards the same objectives, in line with the company plan.

Skills I have learnt and developed include, various IT based skills ranging from Microsoft experience to Computer Aided Design (CAD). Analytical skills and applications of these skills in engineering scenarios. Problem solving and time management are a big part of the job and I am trying to hone these abilities.

I think the program offers a massive amount of opportunities both academic and vocational. I am given the chance to experience a wide range of job roles prior to selecting an exit role. The programme focuses, not only on technical development, but also on soft skills that play an important part in work life. The programme is enjoyable with a few minor flaws.

The academic, and administrative, side of the programme are very well structured. Because of the nature of the business some of the placements require a flexible style of working. This means that the vocational side of learning can feel slightly less organised. Having said that this prepares you for the realities of most working environments.

I receive a good level of support from the Early Careers Team, Functional Manager and Academic Team. Due to the size of the organisation you can feel isolated at times but there are a significant amount of support mechanisms in place in case you need help at one stage or other.

The college itself is as supportive as it can be given the limited amount of time we actually spend at the campus. They are quite receptive, and responsive, to email communication if we have any issues. In my current placement my manager is flexible with me carrying out qualification based work as long as I am managing my day to day workload sufficiently. I am unsure whether this applies to every placement.

I have used a fair amount of the analytical methods taught in college in my current role (mainly trigonometry). The units we cover seem to be tailor made for the job role we have. Academic and Digital Literacy has developed my report writing skills and Mechanical Science and Engineering will come in useful for understanding various aspects of the boat build and our constraints.

There are a number of social events organised by each team and you are also given the opportunity to take part in 'Stretch' activities during work time where you interact with different departmental staff to deliver activities such as site tours and open days. Some of the support groups also organise events such as local walks and yoga.

Yes

There are so many opportunities to develop that are not available at other workplaces. You also get a very high level of training without incurring the debt you would get from going to university. The social aspect is good and there are also a lot of financial benefits. I would also like to mention that you must be prepared to work hard to succeed at BAE but most things worth doing are challenging.

Make sure you are willing to commit a lot of effort to your work and you will get a lot out of an apprenticeship at BAE. When applying put forward your best self and it will be recognised. Be innovative with your ideas and confident in your abilities. Don't be afraid to be different because with a wide range of people beneficial change can be made.