Technical Apprentice Review

Item: Technical Apprentice at Leonardo
Rating: 3.3
Author: Anonymous

at Leonardo

Level 3 Apprenticeship

Engineering

Yeovil

Review Submitted: March 2026

Overall Rating

3.3 /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

4/5 - Skills Development

2.8/5 - 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

The apprenticeship is a mix of college learning and on-site placements in different business areas.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

4/5

Although varying with placement area and work availability, overall I have found my time to be enjoyable and have gained a significant amount of knowledge & skills.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

4/5

I have the flexibility to chose my work placements in the business allowing me to target specific areas for development and learn/develop beneficial skills.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

2/5

The technician scheme is not as well established as the craft/degree scheme counterparts, and this is too apparent. On frequent occasion expectations have been unclear and we are overlooked or forgotten. Presumably this will only get better as more technical apprentices pass through the business/college, but at present the level of organization is below my expectations.

How much support do you receive from your employer?

3/5

There is comprehensive wellbeing support network available to us. Personal development is largely driven through time at college and in placements. We receive minimal guided development from our HR team, which can be either a good or bad thing depending on your perspective.

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

3/5

Overall, I feel Yeovil College has provided adequate support for me when working towards my qualifications. The senior lecturers have a wealth of knowledge and are passionate about engineering.
More recently, I feel the quality of support from the college has declined; however, I believe this is due to a change in the course structure and hope this will get better as the lecturers become more familiar with course content.

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

3/5

Some topics we cover in college are explicitly relevant and have helped me perform my function in the business, but equally other topics feel completely pointless and add no value. Ultimately, if I had not gone to college I don't feel I would perform any worse in 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 are several committees offering extra-curricular activities, however opportunities for exciting events (i.e. airshows, expos, travel) are often out of reach unless you are heavily involved in committee work (or are friends with the right people).

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend Leonardo to a friend?

Why?

The technical apprenticeship is a great way to get a foot in the door, however at Leonardo it seems very unlikely there is any opportunity to progress onto a full degree program upon completion. I would suggest avoiding the technical scheme and taking the degree route (apprenticeship or university) even if it is intimidating, or potentially considering a similar established scheme at a different company.