Technical Support Apprentice

Kyomi is a Level 3 Technical Support Apprentice at GKN Aerospace in Bristol. She joined after deciding she preferred hands-on learning to university studies. Her role supports manufacturing engineering across different departments, combining technical and practical work.

How did you first hear about GKN Aerospace apprenticeships?

After my A-levels, I had a gap year, and then I did a year studying engineering at university. But I prefer learning as I'm working, so I thought about an apprenticeship.

My dad works at GKN Aerospace and told me about their apprenticeship scheme, so I looked at the website. I watched some of the videos and read about the different roles, responsibilities, placements, and the qualifications you get. Tech support offered a good mix of going onto the shop floor and office, so it sounded like something I'd enjoy.

What was the application process like?

I uploaded my CV on the website and wrote a covering letter. As part of the interview I had to take a portfolio, including something I’d actually made, so I took an acrylic light I made at school. Then I did my presentation, which I did sitting down rather than standing in front of them – I was quite glad about that!

Then I had a team exercise with seven other people. They said it didn't really matter if we got the answer right, because they wanted to see our teamwork.

At the end, I had a chat with my interviewer and an apprentice. It didn't feel like an interview – I just felt really comfortable.

What were your first few days at GKN Aerospace like?

On the first day some of the senior managers did presentations, and we had some icebreaking games to get to know each other better.

We also had a two-week bootcamp at college, where we learned in different groups. One project was making and operating a mini hydrogen car, which was really cool. I met a lot of people and made good friends. After that, we did normal classroom lessons. My class only had eight people in it, so it was quite close-knit.

How is the apprenticeship structured?

It’s a four-year apprenticeship. You start with a full term in college, then you're on site two days a week and at college three days for the first year. In the second year, you’re at college one day a week and on-site the rest of the time. That continues until you finish your HNC.

You do work placements in different areas – the workshops to gain experience with tools, tool design using CAD and CATIA, and tool engineering, fixing tools and jigs. Then there’s procurement, which is buying material or doing projects, and CEC, which is quality checking, fixing and laser tracking jigs and also recalibrating tools. In the fourth year you just have one placement for the entire year, usually in manufacturing engineering. So you get lots of experience, and at the end of it, you have an HNC.

Towards the end, you choose the area you want to join and talk to your manager and the department to see if there’s a role for you. You have an interview and give a presentation about everything you've learned and why you should be taken on board.

What does your work in tech support involve?

At the moment, I support manufacturing engineering, getting out and about on the shop floor, checking parts or machines that might be damaged. We're also trying out new programmes on the new machines, which is really interesting. So, I don't manufacture, but I do get to see manufacturing happening.

What’s it like being a woman in this environment?

You don’t get treated differently because you're a woman. They know you want to be in the business, so they respect you and want you to be the best you can be. Even though I’m an apprentice, people listen to what I have to say and take my ideas on board.

There aren’t many women here, but there’s been another woman on every one of my placements. In my current placement, I work with a woman who’s an ex-apprentice and she's explained so much to me.

I also recently joined the Employee Resource Group for Connected Women, which is a group of people who come together and support each other.

What skills do you think you've learned and will continue to build?

As well as learning practical skills, I think my communication skills have improved. A few people have said I’m a lot more confident, and even in my normal life I find it a lot easier to talk to people.

I also had the opportunity to work with a project manager on a productivity project. That allowed me to go into different departments and on the shop floor to watch the processes, which gave me a lot of knowledge.

What are your plans for the future?

I plan on staying here and I’m quite ambitious, so I do want to move up. Originally, I thought I'd never want to be a manager, but my advisors at college said I had a lot of manager aspects, and I think I’d enjoy that.

But if I end up staying in the same place for the rest of my life, I would still be happy, because I really enjoy the work. There's something new every day, so it's always interesting.