Engineering Fitter Review
at BAE Systems
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Engineering
Isle of Wight
Review Submitted: March 2025
Overall Rating
3 /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!
2.5/5
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Overview of Role
3/5
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Skills Development
3/5
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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:
3/5
As a first-year Engineering Fitter apprentice at BAE Systems, I've developed skills in fitting, assembling, and maintaining mechanical components. My days involve hands-on workshop training, using tools, reading technical drawings, and learning engineering principles.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
2/5
I have mixed feelings about the programme. I enjoy gaining industry experience and improving my skills, but some tasks feel repetitive, and planning could be more structured. While it’s valuable for building my engineering knowledge, I think better organisation and variety in tasks would make the experience more engaging. At the same time l haven't really learnt much about what l applied for which is quite disappointing
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
3/5
Yes, I have developed existing skills rather than learning entirely new ones. Many of the tasks, such as using hand tools, reading technical drawings, and machining, were introduced in college. However, through hands-on experience at BAE Systems, I’ve significantly improved my precision, efficiency, and understanding of real-world applications
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
2/5
The programme isn’t very well structured. For example, our last exam was given to us with no prior preparation, making it difficult to perform well. Additionally, the hassle of having to travel to Portsmouth from isle of Wight when originally l applied to be based on the island full time is quite frustrating.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
3/5
The support from my employer is mixed. While there are experienced engineers and mentors available to offer guidance when needed, there are times when communication could be better. Some aspects, like exam preparation and day-to-day structure, could be improved
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
Support from the training provider is inconsistent. While tutors are available to answer questions, there’s a lack of structured preparation for assessments, making it difficult to feel fully prepared. More proactive guidance, clearer communication, and better planning would improve the learning experience and help apprentices succeed in their qualifications
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
The qualification helps to build a good foundation of engineering principles, which is useful for understanding the technical aspects of my role.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
3/5
There aren’t many extra-curricular activities at work, aside from the camp we attended during our second month. It was a good opportunity to connect with others, but aside from that, there haven’t been many other social or professional events to get involved in so far.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend BAE Systems to a friend?
Yes
Why?
it’s a great place to gain hands-on experience in the engineering field, with the opportunity to work on large-scale, innovative projects.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BAE Systems?
I would advise applicants to be proactive and ready to learn. It’s important to have a good foundation in engineering principles, but also be adaptable to the practical, hands-on work.
