Apprenticeships

[pwntifex]

Hello again folks,

I'm looking into engineering/mechanical apprenticeships at the mo.
What's the quality of them like, by and large? I'm seriously tempted, but I've seen quite a lot that look suspiciously like "pay you fuck all and get three years cheap labour" sorts of things.

Any advice or tips would be appreciated, especially if you've been through the process.

Ta.
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the warped one: This is a follow up from the thread 'my willy hurts'

[FuNkay MuNkay]

for a good apprenticeship to do with engineering i would go for high label names such as aerospace and rolls royce. I just had my interview with the MOD which apparently are the best in the field for engineering apprenticeships. I definately reccomend applying for the MOD if you live near bristol plymouth or willing to move. good luck

[Werny]

As Funkay said, apprenticeships vary from company to company. There are plenty of firms that will just use you as cheap labour for 3 or 4 years, and those that will seriously invest in you, teaching you excellent skills in a variety of roles throughout the company. As a rough guide, the bigger the company and the more respected the product, that better your apprenticeship will be. An employer seeing someone with a completed Rolls Royce apprenticeship will undoubtedly consider that over someone with a Fred Blogs Fasteners apprenticeship.

At the worst, you should still be enrolled in college and gain valuable qualifications to improve your lot after the apprenticeship, ie applying for other, better jobs and different companies.

A very important consideration is exactly what those qualifications will be, some apprenticeships will offer better end qualifications than others.

Don't forget, your attitude whilst an apprentice will also make a real impact on what happens to you, applying yourself and doing well at your college work will usually stand you in good stead for further training and qualifications after your apprenticeship finishes, further extending your options and hopefully your pay packet. We have had apprentices go on from mechanical apprenticeships to taking degrees in manufacturing related courses, CAD/CAM, design and materials sciences. You never know what opportunities lie ahead, or what you will find that you enjoy.

[Slacker24seve...]

What level are you considering? And can you afford to live on not much (quite a bit less than NMW in some cases)?

If you do go for one, do your homework and turn up looking like you mean business. ie, not like this:

BT Apprenticeship recruiter: So, what do you know about BT and how we are branching out into new areas?
Wannabe apprentice: well you make fones n that?
BT man: jog on.
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[pwntifex]

Thanks for the responses, guys. Helpful. I'm in Lincolnshire and not in any particular position to relocate right now, but there are a couple of big firms offering decent-looking opportunities around here.

Just a couple more questions:

How do age and qualifications come into it -- is there any particular advantage or disadvantage for having higher qualifications or not being a direct school leaver?

Also, on a note of interest, and in assumption that you're in charge of apprenticeships to some degree, Werny — what with degrees becoming ubiquitous, have you found that apprenticeships are becoming more popular?

Thanks again — excuse the barrage of questions.

Edit:

[Slacker24seve...]

[daz_d_biker]

When I did my apprenticeship at BAE Systems about 5 years ago there was an age limit of 16-21. There isn't one now though...

As to qualifications, some more from GCSE do help, although say I had completed an apprenticeship in something similar, with qualifications on a par to the ones you'd get in the apprenticeship you're applying for, it'd probably be more of a hindrance!

Like Slacker said (oh the irony), it's important to do some serious research about the company and make them seem like you know what you're talking about, about the job. Also a lot of big firms are really big on teamwork so get some good phrases in your back pocket for interviews

As for pay, My apprenticeship was one of the best paid in the country and the first years salary was £8000. I think the average is about 80-150 a week, maybe more now as it's been a while since I looked into it.

They are good though, especially if all of this degree shit isn't for you.
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"bikes are replaceable - but a complete nutter aint."

[bikertomm]

I think I will be trying to get an apprenticeship as soon as I leave college in June.

Should probably have started looking a long time ago but I found the start dates where always when I would still be in college!

Yeah some 'apprenticeships' have you doing the dogs work like photocopying and shit just so they can pay you the £2.50 an hour or £95 a week!

For me personally it will only be worth doing if you actually learn a skill or trade!


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[pwntifex]

[Slacker24seve...]

[tatters]

If you dont want to do a trade there are a few desent engineering companys about offering more professional apprenticeships, a example would be my lot they are a control system company manily doing building management systems in and around London, PLC controllers/ Trend, Siemens, Honeywell building management systems/networks etc and we,ve got a few appretices of your age who are being trained as BMS engineers and on a desent wage lucky bunch too as l had to start off as a electrician doing industral install work.
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[warped one]

Looking at your profile you are just down the road from me, somewhere round Skeg/Horncastle.

there is hundreds of Engineering shops around here, and a few really good one's with the likes of Jex, Delta, LES, HES, Blackrow.

They are just a few in my field of engineering which is Fabrication.

Which part of it are you wanting to get into?

Machining,
Fabrication,
Sheetmetal,
Pipe fitting,
Plating,
Welding,
Structural,
Agricultural,
Food,
Oil,

The list goes on, so a bit more information about what you want to do, and i'll give you the best ones that I know of. And generally know at least one person in every shop around here, since my family have been doing it for generations.

I was quite lucky to get into a multi functioning shop, where we did everything from handrail's to buildings and everything inbetween. Which has stood me in good stead for getting another job. Unfortunately like many of the small places round here it went tit's up in Feb and the place i'm trying to get into is taking their time.

If you want to, phone up Grimsby College and ask for Pat Donks, Phil Sutton or Tony Sadd, they are the main people in charge of the Engineering and Construction side of the College and will give you any information you need. And if you want to be really cheeky tell them I sent you and you'll probably get alot more info.
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amnesia - Never in the history of usernames has one been more accurate. Warped indeed. You sir are a fecking oddball.

[daz_d_biker]

Aren't fabricator and sheet metal the same thing.... because that's what I am
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"bikes are replaceable - but a complete nutter aint."

[warped one]

Sheet metal is thin stuff and Fabricator is thick stuff.

So for example, a tinner would make say a sink and I would make a platform.

All to do with thickness.*

Of the plate not the person
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amnesia - Never in the history of usernames has one been more accurate. Warped indeed. You sir are a fecking oddball.

[daz_d_biker]

Ok, so I make stuff out of both, so I'm a sheet metal fabricator
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"bikes are replaceable - but a complete nutter aint."

[Werny]

[warped one]

[daz_d_biker]

Nah I was joking i'm a tinner really. I just sit in a shed and make Eurofighter bits

Anyway, sorry for the thread hijack.
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"bikes are replaceable - but a complete nutter aint."

[Suitor_Stu]

[Steve-D]

I'm about a 1/3 through my first year as a building maintenance apprenticeship. Doing it at a college so its a little bit different.
Have spent the last couple of months training in the workshops doing bricklaying, plastering, carpentry, plumbing and P+D.
Theres about 10 of us and we are all at different levels, some are completley clueless fucks who seriously cannot even use a tape measure and as some of us are more competent than others, they pick a few to go and help out the estates team or go and do projects in the community.
I'm really enjoying it, wish I did one when I left school (I'm 20) learnt a lot in a short space of time.
The pay is shite. I only work 30 hours over 4 days at £2.50 p/h. But it will be well worth it in a year and a half.
As already said, a good attitude and willingness to listen and get stuck in goes a long way.
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Tristan The said 'Dunno what my pace will be like, fastish slow puncture on the rear and if I go too fast I risk my 'keys' falling out'

[ZRX61]

[nick.h]

I'm currently in my third year of my apprenticeship, 3/4 years, I'll give you my 2p.

Firstly I would get out there and apply for the schemes for the big companys, depending on your age 16-19 yo's can check in at connexions. I did this at 19, and they were able to give me all my options, they can be a great resource if you know what you want.

If not then have a look here, you can search by location:
https://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Employers/Roll-of-Honour.aspx

Applications normally go in around at the end of the year, and my company have just finished interviewing. Don't pin your hopes on just one company, our numbers have been reduced from 30 in 2008, to only about 8 in 2010.

I would only then if you had no luck with the larger companies, then go with local firms, I'm sure there's good un's, but I expect your more likely to be ripped off.

------------------------------------

Now the apprenticeships itself:

Wages:

Year 1: £9500
Year 2: £10500
Year 3: £13500
Year 4: £19500

Thats the pay scale for my company, it obviously varies. One of my friends brothers has gone from 19k to 28k on an apprenticeship, and another friend has gone from 12k to 17k.

Qualifications:

Now, they normally expect grade C maths, english, science. If you dont have these grade don't be put off. A friend with grade E maths got in with a level 2 key skill. If you dont have the grades, but show the right qualities they will just put you through the key skills as part of your college.

Make sure that they are training you through college, you don't want to be stuck as a 'specialist' of just their company. Expect trade qualifications, and push for higher qualifications e.g ONC, HNC. They will pay, and if your lucky they will give you a day off to go to college.

Also depending on the company, you'll also have to sit through all the mandatory courses, health and safety related.

Age:

I believe that a few years ago there was an upper age limit, things have changed. We currently have a 40 yo women on the 2009 intake and 38 yo man on the 2007 intake. There should be no discrimination on age.
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[TUG]

Don't fucking bother is all i can say...

No time to teach you..
No interest in teaching you...
Shit wage for life...
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Haz ER-5, innit!

[Ichy]

[colin1]