Highe Manufacturing Apprentice Review

Apprentices move through the different areas of the Hot Mill on a 3 monthly basis to gain experience with potential future roles. Higher level (L4) apprentices complete NVQ L4 and HNC L4 in manufacturing , engineering and leadership modules. Along with WEST tutorials online. Day-today I work on projects set out by my mentor. Projects vary through the areas but as a whole involve improving/ maintaining the operations of the plant.

The skills gained through previous employment have been built on, to include time management, communication with different areas of the company, working within a team and on my own. Further development through e-learning within Tata Steels online training has been a good experience. I have improved my knowledge on a wider range of hazards and legislation within the industry. The HNC and NVQ has broadened my project management and presentation skills.

I enjoy the freedom to manage the projects handed to me in the way that suits me. This freedom, along with guidance when requested, invigorates my passion for problem solving and process improvement. The extensive knowledge from co-workers is a brilliant way to get accurate information to complete projects assigned to me.

The programme has a baseline structure to which apprentices can make their own. In the Hot Mill, apprentices move through the different areas to experience all departments. It is left open for the apprentices and mentors to go into more/less detail depending on apprentices level of interest with area. This can involve spending more time in the areas where projects need more attention.

The support that Tata provide is second to none. From day one I have felt that any of my needs, whether it be work or training, will be handled with urgency. Communication is clear so long as the right questions have been asked. There can be instances where you find out information at the last minute, but this is on rare occasions.

In the beginning of our apprenticeship, there was a lack of communication around what our NVQ qualification was, how we were going to achieve it and who was our point of contact. It took almost 6 months for an assessor to be assigned to us due to faculty changes at Bridgend College. When an assessor was finally assigned, we were notified that we had a few months to complete work that should have been progressing since the start. Due to the lack of guidance at the start, I felt I could not progress with the work. Our HNC, was organised and structured. There has been full support from UWTSD Swansea for any queries I have had since the start.

As noted in the previous comment, the NVQ has not been a significant factor to changing my performance as of yet. I believe the criteria of the portfolio has potential to improve my performance at work, however I am still to get to this point. The HNC (Advanced Manufacturing Operations) has helped improve my problem solving skills along with my project management and project referencing.

The company has its own internal social media platform along with various other communication systems. Through these you can communicate various extra-curricular activities to include sports events, bake sales, fund raisers, networking events or even health and wellbeing events. They are easy to access and widely available for all employees, as well as being very inclusive.

Yes

I have worked within different organisations where your progression is not at the forefront of their goals. My time at Tata, from the beginning, has all been around; how can I progress educationally as well as professionally, what skills will help me boost my career within Tata and how these new skills will help Tata in the future.

I would advise future apprentices to think about what they enjoy and what they are good at. Do some research into what they need to do to achieve those goals (educational and experience), write it down and ask questions when interviewing to ensure they apply for the best role to achieve those goals within Tata. Sometimes the titles of roles can be confusing and somewhat different to what you may think they are. So ask as many questions about the role and apply for the one that suits your goals as Tata can and most likely will help you achieve them.