Maintenance Technician Review

There are two mains parts to this apprenticeship. You first start doing a year of mandatory training and start the BTEC course. You will learn key things such as hand fitting or electricians. Then you will start placements within the factory itself in the key work areas, while continuing the BTEC qualification.

I have had a large amount of personal development throughout this apprenticeship. There is a large range of processes in place to support your personal development throughout your time spent in the apprenticeship, also helped by the approachability of the management team. Key skills developed during my apprenticeship include problem solving and independency.

Overall I really enjoy this apprenticeship. The placements are fascinating and I really enjoy learning the wide range of complexities that go into building a car. However, the College provider lets the apprenticeship down. They are disorganised and the training is of a low standard which can be frustrating.

The programme is well structured. The first year provides you with many key skills and knowledge that will be needed when you are on placement. The following two years are used to prepare you to enter your final placement within your designated work area. The college work is carried out once every week which is adequate.

I cannot fault the support that I receive from my employer. The management team are very friendly and approachable and are always willing to help you no matter the problem. They keep us updated with any topics that we need to be made aware of, and always provide notice ahead of time should any plans change in terms of our working schedule.

The training provided by BMW Group is outsourced to Birmingham Metropolitan College and therefore they put the college team in charge of supporting us with any problems that occur regarding our qualification. If there is a significant issue however they are always happy to help and support you if required. BMET carry out reviews to ensure support is provided, however in my experience the necessary changes do not get made.

I believe the training provided by the training provider is of a low standard. The first year training is basic and has limited use cases meaning most the engineering knowledge is gained in the second and thirds years within the placement areas. The BTEC teaching standards are low and therefore I do not believe I can effectively apply anything I have learnt as do not understand many of the topics.

There are a couple of extra curricular activities that you can take part in, such as the Charity Champions, Newsletter Team and SharePoint team. Each of these teams are led solely by apprenticeships and provide you with opportunities such as visiting other plants and connecting with other apprentices around the world.

Yes

Overall, this is a great apprenticeship. You have great company benefits such as a car and pension scheme. It is a fascinating place to work and that is why I would recommend it. However, I would say the training provider does need to improve to be able to recommend this without reservations.

My biggest tip to anyone applying for this role would be; you should go the extra mile. Create an engaging CV. You could even contact members of the apprentice training team to ask for advice on what they are looking for in applications. This is a small step however it will put yourself out there against other who are applying as well.