Joiner Review
at BAE Systems
Level 2 Apprenticeship
Manufacturing
Barrow-in-Furness
Review Submitted: April 2025
Overall Rating
1.8 /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
2/5
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Skills Development
1.4/5
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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:
2/5
Different placements have had wildly different day-to-day roles. Most of these are protected under the Official Secrets Act however generally I am helping the journeymen with the jobs for the day.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
I enjoy the people I work with. The majority of the people I've worked with across this placement are highly skilled and experienced, willing to show me what they know, they're funny, and are always easy to get along with.
The APPRENTICESHIP itself is very poorly delivered though.
The APPRENTICESHIP itself is very poorly delivered though.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
2/5
Yes.
I've learned a huge variety of skills despite barely touching anything that actual joiners do. I'm machine-trained in several areas, I have the skills needed to do what is asked of me, and I knew enough to pass my exam in 2024.
I've learned a huge variety of skills despite barely touching anything that actual joiners do. I'm machine-trained in several areas, I have the skills needed to do what is asked of me, and I knew enough to pass my exam in 2024.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
1/5
The structure of the apprenticeship is incredibly poor. The programme has been running for at least five years now and I think that every intake has had large-scale issues ranging from no curriculum or tutors, to being withdrawn entirely from the learning provider.
No curriculum, no tutor, no location to learn, countless amounts of misinformation given to us - these are all real issues I've faced in my apprenticeship because the company was simply not prepared for the course for literal years.
In its current state it offers an in-house joinery qualification with in-house training, however the facilities are poor and not suitable for the course. I believe this is being addressed but it's having an impact on current apprentices, and will no doubt have an impact on future ones due to the proposed timescale.
No curriculum, no tutor, no location to learn, countless amounts of misinformation given to us - these are all real issues I've faced in my apprenticeship because the company was simply not prepared for the course for literal years.
In its current state it offers an in-house joinery qualification with in-house training, however the facilities are poor and not suitable for the course. I believe this is being addressed but it's having an impact on current apprentices, and will no doubt have an impact on future ones due to the proposed timescale.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
2/5
My placement team leaders have been supportive. When I am moved around in the organisation I've found it more-or-less painless an experience.
The employer in general offers a good salary when I'm out of my time, and a good work-life balance with the current shift pattern I work. We're also offered some decent benefits that my last workplace had stripped entirely.
The course itself hasn't given us much support, with a lot of the weight being left to Furness College who were also not prepared especially in our second year there. The apprentice team directly above me have tried to help us, but their hands have been tied by the team above them so there's only so much they can do.
The employer in general offers a good salary when I'm out of my time, and a good work-life balance with the current shift pattern I work. We're also offered some decent benefits that my last workplace had stripped entirely.
The course itself hasn't given us much support, with a lot of the weight being left to Furness College who were also not prepared especially in our second year there. The apprentice team directly above me have tried to help us, but their hands have been tied by the team above them so there's only so much they can do.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
2/5
Furness College, the training provider for my intake, gave us general joiner training in our first year. In our second year we had a lot of trouble because there were no bench joiners to teach us so we had to guess a lot of our work or had support from tutors that weren't 100% confident.
These issues aren't the fault of the specific tutors because they were dealt a bad hand by the people above them, it wasn't good though.
The employer now has in house training which I'm sure is better and more focussed.
These issues aren't the fault of the specific tutors because they were dealt a bad hand by the people above them, it wasn't good though.
The employer now has in house training which I'm sure is better and more focussed.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
1/5
My qualification in joinery is almost irrelevant to my job role. The current placement I'm on requires training on specific machines, my training provider had some of these machines- on which I had training, but outside of that it's been entirely irrelevant.
I've performed well on the machines because I've had experience at college, but that's the only example I can give.
I've performed well on the machines because I've had experience at college, but that's the only example I can give.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
1/5
There definitely are. However these are not signposted, and information about them is almost impossible to come by. Apprentices of different areas seem to be well versed in these, however the shop floor apprentices are given little to no information about them.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend BAE Systems to a friend?
Yes
Why?
The wage and shift pattern.
A good work-life balance and a wage that can help you have a good lifestyle.
Most of the people I have worked with have been nice, and I've gotten on well with them.
A good work-life balance and a wage that can help you have a good lifestyle.
Most of the people I have worked with have been nice, and I've gotten on well with them.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BAE Systems?
Skilled people are retiring at a rate faster than people are learning those skills. Learn as much as you can, be proactive and help out, keep yourself busy when the work has temporarily dried up, follow the policies and safety standards.
Don't listen to the bigots and racists, though there are a lot of them.
Don't listen to the bigots and racists, though there are a lot of them.
