Systems engineer apprentice Review
at Thales
Degree Apprenticeship
Engineering
Crawley, West Sussex
Review Submitted: March 2026
Overall Rating
4.5 /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
4/5
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Skills Development
4.6/5
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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:
5/5
As a systems engineer. My everyday role is gathering complex circuits which require simulation on an online software, ordering parts to build the circuit and in turn, assembling the parts on some circuit board with soldering to build it. After it is built, I test it and can record my results.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I really enjoy what my work is based on every day. It requires me to come into the office and collaborate with my manager and others around me. I always feel supported by the people around me as well, which makes working at Thales much mor enjoyable. At the moment my work feels repetitive for periods of time but I always have the option to do other work whenever I ask.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I have learnt a lot of new skills mainly based around electronics at the moment. This is through on-the-job learning as well as prior learning from A-Level resources. I found the pre-learning extremely useful and I always feel as if I am developing my skills on a daily basis. I have noticed how I always felt underconfident when asking questions but now I understand more that every question I ask is a new learning opportunity. As I continue to change placement, I hope to gain exposure to other areas of work and develop my skills in other regions.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
I feel that my course is very well structured. This is through the timetabled, pre-planned cycles of university teaching blocks and my teaching at work surrounding this. I find that the exposure at work helps guide me through my university studies and life as well. I also believe that my program is well structured by the people that run it such as my manager that always ensures I am staying on-top of my learning and being proactive.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
I find that I receive immense support from my employers. I find that this is through me asking questions and through the resources they can provide me. A key aspect is availability as I find that managers are quite busy but always schedule time to support me with both the university and work aspect that I need help in. This is very useful and never fails to make me feel like I belong .
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
I also receive a lot of support from my training provider, both academic and wellbeing related. MY university personal tutor ensures I am staying on top of my Off-the-job training which ensures i am learning during my paid hours and also does regular reviews with my manager to check I am progressing well. They also ensure I am mentally supported by expanding their resources in the efforts of supporting their students. I do feel that sometimes they become very busy due to supporting every other student as well, therefore can take a while to get back to me if I have an queries.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
I think the content learnt in my university time will become much more useful in the future than at the current moment. I believe that when I cover the topics in more details, it will be easier to apply that knowledge to my everyday work, however I find that the experiences and topics I cover at work are proving to be more useful as a first year apprentice, specially as i am able to support my knowledge through the models I have built at work.
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
I find that there are always extra-curriculars to get involved in such s volunteering events which are always available to sign up for through the volunteering platform. I am also particularly pleased when the volunteering events are for the greater good and to support communities. I also find that I can get involved with lots of sporting events through the early-careers community as well, which is a particularly good way for networking with others.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Thales to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Thales is a place where anyone can gain good exposure, be available to new learning opportunities and always feel supported. As a company, they ensure their employees feel valued and promote networking and socialising. There are great benefits to joining Thales as well and these can lead to even more opportunities. I find the work is always exciting and engaging, a key aspect to working for a large company like Thales
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Thales?
I would advise when people apply to Thales to ensure they research the company as they are very big on upholding company values and being truthful because Thales wants to know who you are as a person to make sure you are the right person for their vision and community.
