Wilky1878 Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 I've been applying for apprenticeships for the past few months now, if anyone has done a mechanical or electrical engineering apprenticeship how does it run? Is it mostly technical based or practical based? and was it enjoyable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishaykillie Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 I served my electro/mechanical time with Rolls-Royce Aero Repair and Overhaul in East Kilbride way back in 2000 to 2004. A brief run down of the 4 years; 6 months in a basic training centre off site (Met-Tech) which involved all the basics of Machining, milling, turning. Sheet metal work, welding and basic electrical wiring. After that the next 3 and a half years was spent between the 4 trades shadowing the tradesmen on site that operated in the Machine Tool Maintenance dept, Elec, ET, Mech and Gas. I also attended College on day release to do an HNC. It was definitely heavy hands on with the basic knowledge getting done at college and the useful practical stuff all done on the job. At the end of it all I had an SVQ LV 4 an HNC and a SEMTA EAL trade qualification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilky1878 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 I served my electro/mechanical time with Rolls-Royce Aero Repair and Overhaul in East Kilbride way back in 2000 to 2004. A brief run down of the 4 years; 6 months in a basic training centre off site (Met-Tech) which involved all the basics of Machining, milling, turning. Sheet metal work, welding and basic electrical wiring. After that the next 3 and a half years was spent between the 4 trades shadowing the tradesmen on site that operated in the Machine Tool Maintenance dept, Elec, ET, Mech and Gas. I also attended College on day release to do an HNC. It was definitely heavy hands on with the basic knowledge getting done at college and the useful practical stuff all done on the job. At the end of it all I had an SVQ LV 4 an HNC and a SEMTA EAL trade qualification. Cheers did you stay "on the tools" after it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMartyn86 Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 You applied to the Glassworks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishaykillie Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 At the end of it I stayed on the tools for a further 2 years before getting a job elsewhere. There were a few of the guys that were in my year that did around 5 years on the tools before getting a job in the office or engineering depts. Where abouts are you applying to go into? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilky1878 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 At the end of it I stayed on the tools for a further 2 years before getting a job elsewhere. There were a few of the guys that were in my year that did around 5 years on the tools before getting a job in the office or engineering depts. Where abouts are you applying to go into? The ones I am still waiting to hear back from are Weir Pumps and the Scottish Prison Service there was a few I never got into though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishaykillie Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Weir Pumps was one that I had applied for too, they are meant to have a good apprenticeship set up in the company, I also think you have a decent bit of job security with them and you are no too pigeon holed in the one industry there is a good scope to move about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilky1878 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 Weir Pumps was one that I had applied for too, they are meant to have a good apprenticeship set up in the company, I also think you have a decent bit of job security with them and you are no too pigeon holed in the one industry there is a good scope to move about. Done a tour round the place about a month ago, the problem with weirs is they only recruit around 2 apprentices each year so it's hard to get in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilky1878 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 You applied to the Glassworks? As far as I know the glassworks application hasn't opened yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Septentrional Wasp Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Diageo are looking for apprentices just now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMartyn86 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 As far as I know the glassworks application hasn't opened yet? No idea when they start looking for them as they're a different department from me. I imagine it'll be soon though due to the school/college year drawing to a close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMartyn86 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 If you're struggling to get in somewhere then why not do a mechanics course at college and then try get into a garage somewhere for a year or two and then get into the glassworks. The big problem we have down here is once engineers are trained up or had enough they f**k off to Diageo for more money and a better job and the glassworks ends up employing car mechanics to fill the gap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moonster Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 My post from the "Direction in Life" thread... Much the same as others, I'd never have seen myself in the office job I'm in. When I left school I fancied learning more about engineering, it was hands on stuff and I thought I could make some cool shit. Got an "apprenticeship" with Babcock (wasn't actually an apprenticeship, they only guaranteed to put you through your first year in NC engineering and then decided if you knew enough people in Faslane to get a job). After that year, Clydebank College invited local companies to come and interview the folk who weren't lucky enough to be kept on by Bacock, I had 1 interview and got an Electrical Engineering apprenticeship (I was more inclined to mechanical engineering but was taking whatever I could get) and I've been with the same company ever since. I was an apprentice Service Engineer to begin with but an office job opened up and I was sick of being bored out my tits on the shop floor, fixing the same old broken shit day in/day out. Being in the office is far better, my wage was higher (and goes up quicker), the job is more varied, I have all day internet access and I'm on flexi-time so I can come and go pretty much as I please. Try something else, even if you think you won't like it. A lot of people place too much on their job, the actual job I'm doing isn't all that important to me. I want a job which pays me enough to live, doesn't cause my head to explode and gives me time to do the things that actually make me happy in life. I'm lucky enough to have that at the moment. My first year (NC Engineering - covered every engineering subject - mechanical, electrical, hydraulics, CAD drawing etc.) was very hands on, making shit/building circuits. As I was with Babcock for that year I was full-time at college. My current employer took me up after the first year and let me complete my NC on day release. I then went to college for the next 3 years doing my HNC in Electrical Engineering (extra year due to a shambolic year at Stow college - don't go there if at all possible) coupled with my on the job training which went towards the SVQ Level 2 & 3 in EE. The HNC is much more theory based and can drag a bit but there's some cool stuff there. Not sure what the college's are like in your area but if you are struggling to get a company to put you through your apprenticeship, going and doing the first year of the NC Engineering may help, if you're able to do so. It gives you an overview of the different areas and might give you a better insight into what you want to do. Also, in my college's case they did quite a lot to help people find work at the end of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.A.F.C Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Did an apprenticeship in Electronic Manufacture around 2000. Overall it was definitely worthwhile although electronics in terms of high volume is finished but it gave me a good grounding and varied experience. Positives Day Release - Nice break every week Gained x2 NC, x3 HNC and went onto do an HND. It's really up to you how much you get out of it. Some lazy apprentices barely scraped an ONC in the same time. Hands on Spent first year at training school, was excellent and gave you a broad knowledge of everything. Scotveq Level 2. Negatives Company I worked for didn't show the same interest in apprentices had to push for everything, eventually got assessments from Scotveq who got me through Level 3. TBH was a bit grating that I had over 200 log book entries and got the same qualification as other apprentices who did 10 in four years. Was still worth not chucking in the towel and persevering with it. I would query the company at the interview stage and ask what the apprentices are doing now and ask to speak to one of them. Overall well worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moo Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I've been applying for apprenticeships for the past few months now, if anyone has done a mechanical or electrical engineering apprenticeship how does it run? Is it mostly technical based or practical based? and was it enjoyable? The location you live in probably doesn't help but there's plenty of company's between Dundee and Aberdeen that take on apprentices each year. Anyway I'm about three years out of my apprenticeship and in the first year I attended Angus Training Group where I learned the basics of Fitting, Turning, Electrical and Machining. That was the first 6 months. In the last 6 months we went into our specialised areas where we were actually employed to do. In my case, I learned the basics of electrical engineering as I was employed as an electrical engineer. The last three years of my apprenticeship were hands on at your actual workplace. Most of the stuff I learned in my first year was no use as your company train you up their way. In my first and second year I attended Angus College day release to complete my NC in electrical engineering. In my third and fourth I attended Aberdeen college to complete my HNC in electrical engineering. An NC in mandatory to complete your apprenticeship and a HNC/HND is just optional. It might have changed now since I've done it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilky1878 Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 Cheers for all the replies BFTD I know a few people in the glassworks, AFAIK it opens soon but I'll check with them anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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