Nuclear Engineering Degree Apprentice Review
at BAE Systems
Degree Apprenticeship
Engineering
Barrow-in-Furness
Review Submitted: May 2025
Overall Rating
4.3 /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!
4/5
-
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:
4/5
First 3 years: 3-6 month placements around various nuclear-focused departments. Last 2 years: continuous role selected.
Throughout the 5 year scheme we attend 1 day per week of university during semester time, and the other 3 and half days in placement.
Placements vary from manufacturing enablement, chemistry laboratory, nuclear safety, reactor commissioning and many more, so everyone's experience of the scheme is different depending on where your placements take you.
Throughout the 5 year scheme we attend 1 day per week of university during semester time, and the other 3 and half days in placement.
Placements vary from manufacturing enablement, chemistry laboratory, nuclear safety, reactor commissioning and many more, so everyone's experience of the scheme is different depending on where your placements take you.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I really enjoy it, I find the theories and principles behind what we do very interesting and I love being able to apply that knowledge and see physics in action. For me, the structure of placements is absolutely perfect as it suits my learning style and pace; I have enjoyed and learnt a great deal from every one of my placements.
The paperwork and assignments can certainly be a bit tough at times but definitely manageable and compared to my friends at university, I have nothing to complain about.
The paperwork and assignments can certainly be a bit tough at times but definitely manageable and compared to my friends at university, I have nothing to complain about.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
Maths and physics definitely, chemistry also (but that's specific to my role rather than the apprenticeship scheme), as well as all things engineering. I have also massively developed my public speaking skills which I didn't ever expect to be comfortable with but would now happily sign up to deliver a talk to a few hundred people.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
Our functional leads are really great at providing support throughout an apprentice's journey, and the structure of the scheme is very solid. There can sometimes be less-than-optimal management from a placement manager, but that varies depending on what placement you are in, and there will always be something to do or get involved with (and again, support is always available from functional leads).
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
We have an early careers manager, a skills coach, multiple functional leads, as well as a placement manager so there are many sources of support from our employer.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
It varies from lecturer-to-lecturer but I have personally found that all of them are extremely approachable and willing to support and give feedback if you need it. Some apprentices have complained about assignment results taking longer than expected to be marked but it's never been an issue for myself, and again- comparing to my friends attending university, the support available is ten times better than anything I've heard from a traditional university, especially being in a smaller class size.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
Without an engineering qualification it would likely take many years and a lot of luck to find myself ending up in an engineering career.
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
Some networking events here and there, apprentice-organised events happen semi-frequently, and there are lots of opportunities for doing school outreach activities.
I will say this is one of the areas when comparing to university that a degree apprenticeship falls short, as there are no opportunities for societies or sports clubs, etc.
That being said though, I think due to the fact that BAE is one of the larger apprenticeship providers, and there is hundreds of apprentices at Barrow, we organise quite a few socials ourselves and events like fundraisers or pub quizzes, etc.
I will say this is one of the areas when comparing to university that a degree apprenticeship falls short, as there are no opportunities for societies or sports clubs, etc.
That being said though, I think due to the fact that BAE is one of the larger apprenticeship providers, and there is hundreds of apprentices at Barrow, we organise quite a few socials ourselves and events like fundraisers or pub quizzes, etc.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend BAE Systems to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Interesting work, lots of different career/apprenticeship types and options, good pay, a job for life if you want it, and it is an excellent place for building connections.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BAE Systems?
I know the jobs descriptions are vague, but they have to be, unfortunately. Despite that, try and do some research and get a feel for whichever product the BAE site you're applying to manufactures (i.e. if applying to BAE Systems Barrow, try and do some research on submarines).
Also if you want some confidence in your interview, my top tip would be to have a look at the BAE Systems' values and behaviours page and see if you can prepare a personal anecdote for each one of the behaviours (i.e. for "collaboration" you could talk about an experience where you had to work collaboratively to achieve a goal, be it in sports, cadets, D of E, NCS, a DIY project or anything along those lines).
Also if you want some confidence in your interview, my top tip would be to have a look at the BAE Systems' values and behaviours page and see if you can prepare a personal anecdote for each one of the behaviours (i.e. for "collaboration" you could talk about an experience where you had to work collaboratively to achieve a goal, be it in sports, cadets, D of E, NCS, a DIY project or anything along those lines).
