Mechatronics Apprentice Review

Day to day whilst on shift in the factory i carry out various planned maintenance activities or (TEMS) ensuring equipment is in good working order, as well as responding to any breakdowns of equipment within the production environment to ensure that the production line keeps running. I also have my usual daily responsibilities or replenishing used stock of sealer barrels etc.

I have learnt various new skills whilst being on the job within the factory. For example, I have learnt how to weld both MIG and TIG, i have learned how to use gas torches, the basics of understanding materials, how to manufacture or produce parts if no spares are available, etc. As well as developing my own previously learned maintenance skills.

I thoroughly enjoy my apprenticeship whilst being on the shop floor. However, the college we attended was not up to scratch, BTEC lessons were mostly poorly delivered with tutors knowledge sometimes seeming lacking. The portfolio work we were given had been changed on us numerous times giving us less and less time to complete an increasing workload.

Organisation is lacking for the most part with it not being unusual that supervisors were not aware of us turning up and not being able to provide us with basic things such as car parking or changing room lockers. The college failed to provide us with somewhere to go when it was closed but the factory was open meaning we were forced to take holidays, the portfolio work is repetitive, unnecessary, and lengthened to extent made near impossible to complete in a shortened timescale due to such changes.

The location i am based at we have no apprentice manager. The role was given to the college manager meaning that the interests of the college come before the interests of the apprentices or the business. This also means that any slight issue we have at college is then escalated to a HR level within the factory where as it could be dealt with by a manager.

The training provider has been none existent, we have routine meetings with a training manager from the college who in fairness is trying their best. The portfolio has changed more times than I care to count, various apprentices have been given different answers to the same questions, I do not enjoy doing the portfolio work as it is tedious and laborious. We have x amount of job reports to complete, which are then cross referenced against two unit filled documents, for the external verifiers pleasure, ten sets of essay style knowledge questions based on these units, which to me seems like either or, reports or referenced questions, not both. And this year we are forced into applying for iMech membership, if we want to or not we will "not pass our apprenticeship if we dont do it".

My working experience is based on the qualification and not the other way around. Meaning that I often find myself cherry picking and looking for jobs to match criteria given to me by the qualification rather than gaining knowledge and experience on all aspects of the job. I feel that this only hinders my learning rather than nurturing it as we are all now aiming to learn the same things rather than having a varied workload from each apprentice, all the portfolios will be very similar.

There are many social communities within our workplace, most of which is organised through colleagues rather than through the business itself. There are also various voluntary opportunities, such as open days, school careers fairs or other apprenticeship based events, however these events are mostly based in our own time and we are reminded that it is our responsibility to attend such events.

Yes

It is a good job and a good place to work which does also give you a good way of life as it is really well paid. You just have to get through four years of dealing with a difficult college and an ever changing workload to get there first.

The application process can seem daunting so take your time and answer as much as you can as best as you can, quality over quantity. If you make it to assessment days remember that everyone has got the 5 GCSE's and other requirements, make yourself stand out, show interest in the business and do research, have a different story and make sure they remember you.