Maintenance Apprentice Review

Currently, I am on placement around the different technologies working alongside Maintenance Engineers. As an apprentice on placement, I am expected to shadow the Maintenance Associates in my placement areas and attend to production calls for breakdowns and any other facility issues within the area and expected alongside the Maintenance team to rectify and fix reported issues and return equipment to service at the shortest possible time.

I have learnt a lot of new skills during my placements in different technologies. It's interesting seeing how the set up and structures of the maintenance team differ from technology to technology. In Body in White or Body Shop, I have learnt a lot about spot welding and the two main guns being used in the Body Shop - the C and X Guns, how to strip and rebuild and test them, I have learnt how to perform preventative maintenance in automatic guided vehicles (AGV) and how to strip and rebuild egger pumps among others.

So far, it's been exciting and- I enjoyed most aspect of my training though I have to admit with BTEC and also being a mature apprentice with two young kids, the paper work from logbooks to training documents and BTEC assignments, sometime it's been tough and challenging but nevertheless, I am still enjoying the training.

The placements are generally well organised. The Body Shop and Assembly placements are so well organised and the technologies have a very good training structures and most of their maintenance team members are relatively young and came through apprenticeships programme and knows what to expect and the right support to offer. Paint Shop technology is a little disorganised and don't have a good structure as the other technologies.

BMW Group as an employer has invested heavily in apprentices and the training programme, so in terms of support, the company has always been there for me through the training advisors and I always get the support I needed. Therefore, I am extremely happy with the support I have received and still receiving from the company.

The training provided have been very supportive throughtout my placements and have always had trainers checking on us weekly to ensure all is well and any help we need in writing documentations, logbooks or answering under pinning knowledge questions. In BTEC, the tutor has once again always been there in supporting us and helping with assignments in terms of giving us guidance and direction,

I think the qualification I am receiving is helping me to perform much better in my current role and with the support of the tutors who visit us regularly at our placement areas, I feel more confident every time I am given a job to perform because of the support and training I am gaining.

Yes there are but not always easy for me due to child care.

Yes

No doubt I have been in the company for many years and have seen how the company do value its Associates. The opportunities are there to grow within the company and the sky is the limit once you work hard and put the commitment needed because the support is always there and it's a multi-national and multi-cultural company I have ever seen.

Always research about BMW Group first and if you're the right candidate with the right attributes, the opportunities are endless and the rewards are so great in terms of pay and even pension contributions and also international travelling to going and working other BMW Plants around the world - in Germany, South Africa, United States, China, etc.