Apreentice Toolmaker Review

I am a 2nd year Toolmaker apprentice, working within the toolroom in BMW group at Plant Swindon. I am training with other apprentices Monday - Wenesday and Friday and attend College on a Thursday studying towards my Leve 3 qualification. I am aslo studying to acheive a level 3 NVQ which involves work based write ups of the training I am being given.

I am learning new skills ever day and am devleoping the skills I learnt at college in my first year as well as other skills I had before joining the apprentiship. Learning to use diffent tools and equipement in the toolroom will ensure my comprehensive training is acheived. Being a mature apprentice I already had a good skill set before starting thr apprentiship. These have been usful when working in a team not just on my own.

Spending time learning new skills and develoving skills I already have learnt. Learning to be a better person as well as working within a team is self-gratifying in so may ways. The diverse nature of the toolroom ensure I learn a lot every day. Having a day at colelge each week ensures I attain the qualifictions required as well. The workload is well balanced and set out in a way it is achievable with the right mind set and a good plan.

Having the support from both work and college means I can acheive anything set out. Working in the toolroom we have a mentor who provides training daily and also an apprentice manager whos keeps us up to date with everything and is approachable if you have an issue with your placement. The college support all learning and are avaiable at any piont during the day to assist with the assignments set out for the qualification.

BMW is a great empoyer to work for. The support and guidance you recieve is second to none and I have acheived so much over the years thanks to this support. A good balance between work and college ensure the apprentiship is very acheivable within the time scale and I am looking forward to the rest of my time within the apprentiship.

The trianing provider provides a good relationship with my work, ensuring the training needs are met from both the company and the apprentice are acheived. The day spent at college ensures all assignments have the correct learning and are spread out so that they can be acheived in the set time frame.

The qualifications gained over the past 2 years have a good reference to all skills required in the workplace. After year 1 some of these skills are required to ensure you development within the workplace. Having a good skill base was important before starting the second year. IN the second year you will continue with a level 3 qualification you started in the first year again covering a wide range of subject, some of which may not be relevant to your apprentiship, but give you an understanding so you can choose your own destiny when you complete the apprentiship.

SInce joining the aprentiship I have experienced various extra-curricular activiites. On joining the apprentiship we spent the first week ot Skern Lodge. This is an outward bound course based in Devon. This helped bring us together as a team after not knowing everyone in my year group. Also I attended the Mountain challege last year which involeves a weekend away, walking all day on the saturday. We completed this as a year group as by this time we had grown as a unit and competed together helping each other throughout the day.

Yes

I have worked for the company for the past 25 years. THe company has always supported me thoughout my working life. Given me all the oppertunities I could ever ask for. Having the option to fursther devolop my skills I applies for the mature apprenship scheme and have never looked back. It is always important to remember where you have come from as this ensures a great working relationship with past friends and collegues. But Looking forward my future is in my own hands and I am looking forward to future challenges and will look to suceed in whatever I decide to do.

When applying for the apprentiship or any other job within the company, they appreciate honesty and will work with you to acheive whatever you set out to. Being calm, relaxed and show self confindence will ensure you geet through the interview process. They are looking for future leaders as well as people that will add to the sucess of the BMW group.