Hardware Engineer Review

I spend most of my time working on projects around site and regularly move around between projects. I am responsible for design of new hardware, integration, verification and qualification of the hardware I design and work in a team of skilled experienced engineers. I am on block release to study for my masters degree in digital electronic systems engineering

As we move around projects regularly you develop a huge array of skills, just in my latest project I have developed project management skills, communications and networking skills, presentation skills, time management, electronics and lab equipment, pcb design, schematics and BOM, purchasing, testing, integration and verification, requirements management, customer communication.

I love that every day is different, the huge amount of variety in project work and personalities around the site make every day both challenging and exciting. The personal development, professional development and work all link together and it feels like you're really achieving something and developing into a well rounded engineer.

We have regular meetings among the other apprentices and regularly discuss problems and support eachother. We are also given mentors and support from around the business - however it is very much on you to be in charge of your own development (Which is no bad thing). As the responsibility lies with you, it is as well organised as you choose to make it.

Mentors and support throughout the business mean you always feel like you have somebody to help when you need it. You are not just left to your own devices but you are responsible for asking for help when you need it. As apprentices you are not expected to know everything, but you are expected to ask for help when you need it.

UWE are very supportive and make a lot of special arrangements to allow us to do work off campus by loaning equipment and ensuring we understand how to go about doing this - our workplace is around an hour away from university which can make it quite difficult to work on projects on campus.

The qualifications are completely tailored around the work we do on site, and as such all of the work can directly link to various aspects of the projects we perform. This does however mean you are taught a great variety of skills, and not all of them may be completely relevent to what you wish to do at the end of the apprenticeship, but this means you do have the understanding of the bigger picture.

There is a huge social scene at work with regular team meals out, professional speed dating sessions to get to know people around the site, volunteering events to get people outside the company engaged in STEM challenges, football badminton and just about any other club you can think of probably exists, and if it doesn't there is such a diverse range of people in site you could easily set one up.

Yes

GE encourage diversity and communications, the office space is open plan has a simple hierarchy where anybody can talk to anybody. I have quite often had conversations with people high up in the business and they treat you like an equal - which is very nice and makes you feel like a welcome member of the company.

Be yourself and try not to overthink things. Engineering is all about problem solving and keeping calm under pressure - the application process can seem daunting but it's all about seeing who you are, and the way to approach problems. You're applying for a development scheme, you're not expected to know everything but just have the right attitude and be willing try new things and push yourself out of your comfort zone.