Control Apprentice Review

Item: Control Apprentice at BMW Group UK
Rating: 4.4
Author: Anonymous

at BMW Group UK

Degree Apprenticeship

Engineering

Oxford

Review Submitted: April 2021

Overall Rating

4.4 /5

The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!

5/5 - Overview of Role

5/5 - Skills Development

3.8/5 - Structure and Support

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

5/5

As a 2 year apprentice, you are put onto the factory floor of which you are integrated into a maintenance team. This team will take you through everything that you need to know to be a maintenance technician, this includes robot rebuilds, PLC courses, manufacturing and others. You gain a general understanding of the engineering that take place in the factory.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

5/5

I am enjoying this course, I found that in first year everything was laid out for you and you didn't really get much of a chance to learn something new. I learn by doing the things I'm talking about rather than doing a course on it. I feel that when you are on the factory floor you are taken more seriously.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

5/5

In the first year you go to college to learn different skills ; lathing, maching, milling, handfitting, PLC, electrical, pneumatics and more. You also learn as you work on the factory floor, for instance you could be taught how to use a Xenon screen to control a robot or fix a fault.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

3/5

As COVID has hit first year pretty hard, the company is doing what it can to try and help us catch up with what we have missed. They are working hard in that respects but like every company, it does have hiccup moments where you aren't too sure what you are doing or where you are going but things do get sorted out in the end.

How much support do you receive from your employer?

4/5

You receive a lot of support from the company, whether that be with logbook and TPD, college work or even mental health. The company have means and measure put in place that they constantly tell you about. Even when asking HR about something you don't understand, they will get back to you quite quickly.

How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

4/5

You receive a lot of support during your training period and when you work towards your qualification, they don't give you everything not do they tell you what to put down for this answer or that. They give you the tools and technique to answer questions or to complete your training.

How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

4/5

Maintenance technician is a complex job that takes years to fully master, just like any other trade but through the help of the company and the college you gain a lot of understanding for what you need to know before they let you become a maintenance technician. You put a lot of what you learn into practise.

Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

4/5

The company does provide you with extra curriculums to do, there are some fundraising campaigns about where you can go on a hike or do skydiving. Pre covid they set up a Mini to be used in the Cowley summer festival. This is where BMW shows that they are part and parcel of the community, where staff and non staff can come together. There is also a gym in the factory that you can use

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend BMW Group UK to a friend?

Yes

Why?

An apprenticeship is one of the best ways to go for getting a good paying job, with lots of benefits. They cover the cost of training and education, they give you valuable experience and you get paid for doing it. I would definitely tell people I know to comet o this place.

What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BMW Group UK?

Don't be afraid. Seriously, don't be. When i first put my application in I immediately thought "I wont get accepted in". Lo and behold, I am here. I didn't think that I would get in because I thought BMW only hires the Albert Einstein's of the world but they don't. They hire the people that they believe in, the people who know what they want to do and what they want to be become. The application is simple and straightforward, and when you come to your interview.
On applying, you are given an online assessment which you need to do. If successful, you'll have a face to face interview (Not sure now given COVID) and you will have another assessment on the day. Bring

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