Apprentice quality inspector Review
at AWE
Level 2 Apprenticeship
Engineering
Aldermaston
Review Submitted: March 2022
Overall Rating
4.9 /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!
4.5/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
5/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
I mostly work in a workshop at the moment producing various work items for learning and assessment pieces.
I have been learning hand fitting techniques and will be progressing onto lathes and mills once i have learned these.
I also do a day of classroom activities once a week too for theory, maths and manufacturing knowledge
I have been learning hand fitting techniques and will be progressing onto lathes and mills once i have learned these.
I also do a day of classroom activities once a week too for theory, maths and manufacturing knowledge
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I absolutely love my apprenticeship. I genuinely get up excited to go to work, even though some tasks can be repetitive the environment and the people are lovely so the time spent on them still passes pretty quickly.
I'm given real tasks to work on ad real responsibilities I don't think you get as much input on other apprenticeships.
I'm given real tasks to work on ad real responsibilities I don't think you get as much input on other apprenticeships.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
Everything i have learnt has been entirely new for me. I have learnt how to file, scrape, use pillar drills, work in an engineering environment and the safety procedures around that too.
I've also learnt workload management skills using teams and outlook in a much more detailed way than i ever did in previous roles.
I've also learnt workload management skills using teams and outlook in a much more detailed way than i ever did in previous roles.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
The programme is structured really well, we get 1 to 1's with our instructors so can ask questions and get feedback. They also set us targets which helps keep us focussed.
We were given an overview of our first year at the beginning and did a team building event which was super fun.
We get little tests at the end of modules but we get plenty of help and time to revise before these happen.
We were given an overview of our first year at the beginning and did a team building event which was super fun.
We get little tests at the end of modules but we get plenty of help and time to revise before these happen.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
I get loads of support. I'm terrible at maths so i get extra help from my tutors. I also get support on other issues too as they have trained wellbeing staff members that you can go to with any problem at all and they can help you with literally anything.
They are really good about allowing us leave for medical appointments and holidays nothing has ever felt like im causing a problem which is really nice.
They are really good about allowing us leave for medical appointments and holidays nothing has ever felt like im causing a problem which is really nice.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
My employer is my registered provider so the people who are instructing me everyday are the people who mark and evaluate my work. It's good to get that ongoing feedback as you actually work through the modules.
If i'm stuck on anything i can ask. I'm never ever made to feel bad for asking and they find a way that they can explain it to me that i will understand.
It's 100% supportive towards my learning and achieving my goals to their standards
If i'm stuck on anything i can ask. I'm never ever made to feel bad for asking and they find a way that they can explain it to me that i will understand.
It's 100% supportive towards my learning and achieving my goals to their standards
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
So the role I will do when I have finished my training is very specific to my industry, I could not do it any other way than by doing my apprenticeship. I purposefully chose this particular apprenticeship so I could become a quality inspector as I previously worked in roles with high standards and information was critical. It felt like becoming a quality inspector would be a good fit for my skills. So learning the standards and how to use all the measuring equipment will be the only way i can do it one i finish my training.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
5/5
yes we have an association that organises social stuff just for apprentices. We have competitions we can enter. Fundraising activities like cake sales. Work events like trade shows and awards nights. There is also an lgbtq association and various trade union things that go on and events in the canteen area. There is always something happening that you can get involved in.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend AWE to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Its a nurturing atmosphere. It also does very unique specific work that nobody else does. Its a place where you are treated as an individual and if you want to try something new later on in life career wise they will support that too.
Its also a place with continuous learning opportunities so you could do a degree at a later point if your role requires it.
Its also a place with continuous learning opportunities so you could do a degree at a later point if your role requires it.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to AWE?
It's important to be honest in all aspects of what you write as integrity and honesty are large traits of the organisation.
Research the role and company so your aware of all the criteria you have to meet before applying
Think about your professional image and tidy up your social media accounts before applying.
Try and get some practical experience even if its just from a hobby like woodworking or programming for fun. It counts and they really value the effort and enthusiasm you put in.
Research the role and company so your aware of all the criteria you have to meet before applying
Think about your professional image and tidy up your social media accounts before applying.
Try and get some practical experience even if its just from a hobby like woodworking or programming for fun. It counts and they really value the effort and enthusiasm you put in.
