Apprentice Review

College for 6 months, doing rail specific assessments and practical work set by our employer to be completed. When we arrived at depot, maintenance in the trains including changing lighting, putting seats in the carriages, installing buttons and repairing doors. General maintenance on the train, including in the carriage and underneath the train.

I have learnt new skills regarding hand fitting techniques: like filing, sawing, using different machines like the bandsaw, pillar drill and lathes. Built up my English skills regarding the Rail Engineering Operative Assessments. Developed my maths and physics skills and applied them directly to rail situations - including current, Ohms and other maths problems and formulae.

Brilliant! Would highly recommend as a perfect fit for me and Bombardier have really helped me to develop my skills in all areas, new ones such as track and rail specific and other areas: such as the maths and English topics. I love this programme as it’s perfectly modified and everyone is very friendly.

We’ve all had a little trouble with the organisation of the programme - more on the colleges side rather than Bombardier’s. Due to the structure of the course, we all completed the work fairly quickly but then we’re not told what else to do or what was happening with depot arrangements until fairly late notice.

We all receive loads of support as our Apprentice Manager always comes in once a week to check up on us and ensure that all of the work is getting completed and handed in on time. If there is a problem we can get in touch with him via email and he will resolve it fairly quickly.

NTAR frequently visit and give us reviews and sit with us to discuss and set targets for the next term, and see if we have achieved the current ones we set last time. We also visit their centre up in Northampton for extra learning sessions on rail specific subjects there.

As they talk through and help us to set reasonable and specific targets, I keep them in mind throughout the term to try to achieve them, so that when NTAR come back the next time I can check that I have achieved them and set new ones for myself to achieve.

I can aide the running of the new recruiting days. As I am an apprentice I can sit through the recruiting days and monitor the teams that will be the new recruits. Later on, I have the ability to sit through some of the interviews and just watch as they are delivered.

Yes

Bombardier has been amazing - the staff are so lovely and considerate, they all really go out of your way to help you. Our employer is always willing to answer any questions and resolve any difficulties. Furthermore, I love the way the programme is ran. It is perfectly structured for me and provides the correct content for the job.

Really make yourself stand out from the crowd - you could draw on personal experiences or life stories that you could apply to the railway. For example, good team-building skills or an excellent display of leadership. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand - everyone is so lovely they’ll be more than happy to help.