Aprrentice Wind Turbine Technician Review

I am currently an apprentice attending College fulltime to obtain a Level 2 and Level 3 in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering. I work alongside 26 other apprentices who are training for the same role. We attend college from 9-5pm and the day is split over two subjects in order for us to gain an underlying knowledge before attending site. The course is a total of 18months where I am responsible for completing all units in order for me to gain my qualification. We attend a training centre for our employer once a month and also have quarterly reviews to ensure we are on target and to resolve any issues we may have.

Whilst attending college I have been able to develop and improve on a lot of my existing skill sets such as :- Maths - I am now able to do further / advanced maths more easily after revisiting it with the tutors Electronics - Build and simulate electronic circuits on software and practically. Pneumatics - Build and simulate pneumatic circuits on software and practically. Timekeeping - Ensuring I am on time and all work is handing in on deadlines.

I am eager to get on site and be more hands but understand the college is a stepping stone and a process I have to under go in order to obtain this. As I am a mature student I have already done a lot of the programme previously as I am qualified to a Level 3 in Electrical Engineering. However it has been beneficial to revisit some fo the subjects and brush up on my knowledge. Overall I am enjoying the college aspect of my process but feel I could finish it quicker.

Due to my current year being the first year attending this college the course has been disjointed. We are essentially the guinea pigs for the years to come and so we are learning the course as we go and having to adapt with the tutors as they are being drip fed information on which way to take the course.

Our employer remains in regular contact with reviews quarterly and us also attending the training centre once a month. We are also able to keep updated through Yammer, the internal website and also by emails. We have to undergo external training as well as the college course before we are able to attend site which is being organised promptly.

As I attend college full time I receive support daily from the tutors on our subjects and the criteria we need to meet. We have work booklets to work through and a tutor is always at hand if we need any further guidance. As we are working towards a LVL2 and 3 course in 18months the timescale is tight but we are on course to achieve this.

The current qualification I am working to will give me the underlying knowledge I will need when I get to site. However due to the nature of the job I will be undertaking a lot of my learning will be hands on and specifically onsite. Due to the nature of the course it cannot help fully with this.

My employer SGRE promotes and assists with any social activities outside of work. We have set up a 5 aside football team and were able to get funding for football tops for our 5 aside team. If there are any charity events you are participating in then they encourage you to place them on yammer and promote it across the company.

Yes

Siemens Gamesa invest a lot in their staff and are one of the leaders in their field for Renewable energy. The career options and advancements are vast and they are always willing to provide further training if you or them see fit. They have sites all across the world which makes it an attractive option if you would like to have the opportunity to work abroad or the UK.

Before applying to any company I would advise you to think of what you want to do in the future. Providing you enjoy a fast pace, challenging environment with countless opportunities then id apply. Ensure you have a basic understanding of what job role you are going for and tailor your studies to suit this to stand out from everyone else in order to secure yourself a job.