Engineering Degree Apprentice Review

During this apprenticeship I will be working on 6-month rotations, meaning my day-to-day role will continue to change throughout the programme. Currently I am working in a Systems role, which provides me with a high level view of a programme. I am regularly involved in change control activities to help manage the project, whilst completing my own tasks in the meantime.

During the first year of this scheme, we worked as a cohort of 9 apprentices to complete a project delivering to an internal customer. This built a large number of my skills for working within a team to an engineering environment. Using these skills, I have moved into more complex engineering roles on site where I have continued to develop these soft skills, alongside key technical skills such as hardware and software engineering.

I enjoy this programme because of the unique opportunities it provides. Having a new rotation every 6 months keeps the job varied whilst evolving new skills, however with each rotation comes a new set of responsibilities. I never feel like the roles I am given are not significant, but the apprentice community is helpful and supportive to allow me to complete these new roles.

This engineering apprenticeship has been running for a number of years, and as a result is well structured. The first year project we undertake as a cohort allows for a smooth transition from school to work, providing us with resources and contacts to support us in future roles. There are also regular touchpoints to check up on my progress, and help available from both dedicated mentors or the wider apprentice community.

GE is very supportive towards the apprentice scheme, which means that help can come from almost anywhere within the business. Due to how well-known the scheme is across the business, everyone is very understanding and willing to put aside time to support your role. Mentoring opportunities are available from a large number of places, to cover any problem you may face.

During this scheme I am taught at both Gloucestershire College and the University of the West of England, working towards my Bachelor's Degree. The course is very applicable to my workplace responsibilities, and in general the support from the training provider is good. They have now adapted well to a remote learning environment, and provide many resources to assist our learning.

The qualification is directly relevant to my workplace roles, which is a significant advantage. This means that I can apply my university learnings in a practical setting to better understand them, and to also gain more support in the workplace to guide my development. I can also bring my workplace knowledge into my University course to help complete pieces of coursework successfully.

GE promotes quite a few events, particularly in the apprentice community, to increase skill development and provide new opportunities. An example of this would be school career events, where apprentice volunteers are able to give talks and advice to students looking for a STEM career, or events such as the Cheltenham Science Festival where we showcase apprentice projects and engage with the community.

Yes

I chose the GE Aviation apprenticeship over others due to the feel of the business, and the progression opportunities available. As well as having the option to complete a Master's degree over an additional two years, the company had a very open and friendly feel at the assessment centre which has definitely carried through into my position within the company.

My advice would be to show honesty and enthusiasm in your interviews, as for many of these schemes the company is looking for candidates who will give back and make the most of the opportunities provided to them. This means seeking work experience opportunities, or showcasing a skill you have developed which can relate to the purpose of the scheme.