I am a Mechanical Degree apprentice, and my degree course is Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing.
Having completed my A-levels in mid-2021, I began my Degree Apprenticeship at ASMPT in August 2021. I am now three years into my four- to five-year course, and I am extremely pleased with my decision to pursue the apprenticeship route. One of the significant benefits of an apprenticeship is the work rotations I have undertaken. I began in Production, where I assembled sub-assemblies and main builds, which provided me with substantial foundational machine knowledge that I continually apply.
Since then, I have worked in various departments, including Customer Specials, Module Test, Machine Shop (training course), and now in R&D Hardware Sustaining. My apprenticeship has equipped me and will continue to provide me with a broad knowledge base across different engineering department processes and skills. Coupled with obtaining my degree, this experience will prepare me to progress to an Associate Engineer role once I have completed my end-point assessment.
The employees at ASMPT create a very welcoming work environment and are always happy to offer help and support, for which I have been extremely grateful, especially as an apprentice. What I enjoy most about my role is the opportunity to work in different departments and gain knowledge that many employees haven't had the chance to acquire. This experience has allowed me to identify the department I would most like to progress into once I have completed my apprenticeship.
Another positive aspect of being a degree apprentice at ASMPT is the level of responsibility I was given from day one. This was a surprising but welcome step up, especially coming straight from completing my A-levels with only a part-time job. Over the past three years, my responsibilities have steadily increased to the point where I am now solely responsible for managing my workload and tasks, which have grown in both complexity and the range of skills required. I have worked on multiple projects where I designed solutions that are now either fitted to mainstream production machines or used at customer sites.
Without a doubt, by the time I complete my apprenticeship, I will have gained four to five years of work experience and acquired the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviours to transition directly into an engineering role. This will give me an edge over most degree students, as the practical experience I have gained in the workplace is just as valuable, if not more so, than the degree itself.
As mentioned earlier, the employees at ASMPT create a very welcoming work environment and are always happy to offer help. Additionally, there are plenty of employee support and benefit packages available, making it a very employee-focused workplace.
It didn’t take me long to settle into my apprenticeship and feel relaxed and included. This was largely due to the supportive colleagues I worked with, and I found the same to be true when I moved to different departments during my work rotations. I quickly felt like a valued part of each team I joined.
I have gained a vast range of knowledge and skills in both the company and engineering, as well as made some great new friendships.
I have participated in various careers events promoting ASMPT, apprenticeships, and engineering. ASMPT also hosts events such as Christmas and summer parties, which are always a great laugh.
I don’t live in Weymouth but just outside Dorchester; however, it’s a great place to work, and I often find myself in Weymouth or the surrounding areas in my spare time. Being perfectly situated on the coast, there’s plenty to do.
