Rating
- 1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
- 2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
- 3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
- 4. How valued do you feel by GE Aerospace?
- 5. How well organised/structured is your programme?
- 6a. How much support do you receive from your training provider?
- 6b. How much support do you receive from your employer?
- 7. How well does your salary/package meet your costs?
- 8. Are there many opportunities outside of work?
- 9. Would you recommend GE Aerospace to a friend?
- 9b. Why?
- 10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to GE Aerospace?
As a higher engineering apprentice we attend college one day a week and spend the other 4 at work on 3 month rotations in different departments around the business as well as volunteering to raise awareness of the companies profile outside of work and encourage students to pursue a career in engineering.
I am now able to take an idea through the engineering lifecycle, deriving requirements, producing plans, circuit schematic creation, soldering the final design and testing the final product. I now have a basic understanding of programming in C which has allowed me to compile some small applications to meet assignment requirements. Furthermore i have an excellent understanding of the company and the documentation, testing and product development that goes into each and every product and procedure to ensure it is 100% safe for flight.
The programme is brilliant allowing me to complete a degree that i would of otherwise had to go to universtiy to get but with the benefits of being payed, having work experience with a major employer and being able to feel like i am contributing/making a difference to the world of flight in the future. The only downside is the documentation that has to be completed with each and every project on site, but when there is lab time i take full advantage.
I feel extremely valued knowing that i am the generation of future engineers who will one day take over from senior people in the businsess having had excellent work experience over the time of the course. We also are provided with state of the art laptops, many benefits and health schemes on top of the already excellent pay!
Regarding work placements the programme is well structured having the 2nd and 3rd year of the apprenticeship on 3 month rotations around the business and then in the 4th and 5th year having 6month or year placements in departments that you feel will be your career choice in the future. College is lacking a structure, assignments dates and exam dates are flakey and your never sure whats coming next.
Support is there whenever needed having people at work we can go to as part of the buddy/mentor system whereby there is always someone in each of the years above to go and seek advice from. At college the tutors also will give up any time they can to assist and help with my learning.
Not only is our manager there to help but so is everyone else in the business.
Pay is excellent and i am certainly in a much better financial position than i would be attending university, but anyone would want a bigger salary if it was on offer.
We have many oppurtunities for different sporting activities as well as all the volunteering events, such as cheltenham science festival, royal bath and west, fairford etc. We also have site tours of different engineering facilities to find out how there business's work.
No
You get to work with a company who is on the cutting edge of technology, you get to make a difference to the way the world flys in the future, you get payed whilst studying for your degree and you get invaluable work experience which would stand you in very good sted for any electronic engineering job with any company in the future.
Make sure you study for your a levels and have an excellent understanding of the subjects covered (Physics And Maths are most important) so that you are in a perfect position to build on this knowledge when starting the course.
Details
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Engineering
South West England, UK
April 2015