Student Engineer Review

I am required to perform a certain amount of rotations around the engineering department, with each rotation bringing a different skill base and workload. To date, I have completed rotations in: design engineering and repair depot activation, and I am currently in the stress department. These rotations have meant that I have gained a plethera of skills and knowledge of company products and software. I will also be moving into manufacturing engineering as well as the aerodynamics team in the future and I am envisaging that I will develop my knowledge considerably over this time. Currently, I study at the University of the West of England (UWE), which attend every Tuesday and Thursday. I am studying towards a Bachelors of Engineering (BEng) in Aeropsace as well as also gaining an NVQ level 2 and 4, which are completed at the City of Bristol College.

My company relies heavily on Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems to design new products and services. This has meant that I have a lot of exposure to several systems and I have therefore become very proficient in these. These CAD software are used by many other companies and has prepared me for any future developments. I also rely on coding software to assist me with tasks and this is very important for future development as coding is a necessity in the technology world that we live in today.

In my first year, I was full time at the City of Bristol college working towards my NVQ level 2 as well as my first year of the BEng. I found this time enjoyable but on occasion it became frustrating and tedious, due to the way the content was given to us. In my second year, I studied at UWE 2 days a week and worked the other 3, which was a great balance as it meant that my exposure to the company massively increased and I was integrated into the team a lot more. It was a lot of work trying to balance my work life, uni life and also my social life outside of the 2 but it is great fun and very rewarding. The uni work was harder as I imagined it would be but working with other apprentices from other companies meant that we worked together on anything that we struggled on. Now in my third year, I have a real grasp on company culture and I have good relationships with senior colleagues. I am still studying 2 days a week at uni and this is a great balance of work and studying, however, I am really chomping at the bit to get into full time work as I am being given increasing amounts of responsibilty in the company and that is very good for my confidence and accountabilty for my work. I am really looking forward to my last year despite the looming dissertation.

The degree side of my apprenticeship is very structured as it is run by the university institution, so I have regular timetables for my lectures and other uni related activities. The working side is less structured, aside from the general company structure which is fantastic, GE are a very organised and supportive company. I have a lot more control over my rotations within the company, allowing me to pick and choose when and where I would like to do my next rotation with the company being supportive in this. I also have access to lots of different training opportunities for example: CAD software training, LEAN project training, and project management training. To ensure that I am happy with my apprenticeship programme and to organise future rotations I have regular meetings with my line manager, who offers me support and advice when I need it.

GE has a very good support system and this is evident throughout the whole system, I have received a lot of support from HR, who work closely with my line manager to ensure that I am looked after correctly. The company support doesnt stop there, there is a colleague support system in place to help people suffering with mental health issues and this is massively effective.

The City of Bristol college has been supportive, I have been assigned an apprenticeship advisor who assists me with my NVQ level 2 and 4. We have meetings every few months to ensure that I am on track and that everything in company is going well. The university itself is a lot more self reliant study but there is support within the institution which is very good when needed.

Personally, I dont feel that a lot of what I have learnt during my NVQ level 2 and 4 will help me massively in my role within the compnay but there are definitely certain aspects that will. For example, I am required to produce detailed engineering drawings both in company and at the City of Bristol College, however, both have very different levels of accuracy and request different drawing specifications and this can be very frustrating, but the general experience of getting used to both systems is positive.

Yes there are a good amount of extra activities, my favourite of which is being on the company STEM team which means that I get to go to many different events and showcase my company, whilst networking and inspiring the next generation which is massively rewarding. There are also general activities that the company run like: curry night, fundraising events and bowling and these really build a good culture at the company.

Yes

GE is a very supportive company, which is developing all the time to not only provide the latest and best products, but also ensure that the employees are well looked after, with great benefits and a strong support network. There is a real positive atmosphere and everyone is very supportive of anything you do.

As with any interview, be yourself as that is always the most important thing. Ensure that you have a reasonable amount of background knowledge of the subject that you are applying to, but be sure to show that you have a drive to succeed and progress not only yourself but the company.