Level 3 Engineering apprenticeships

If you live within commuting distance of an airport, don’t forget to check out the apprenticeships with both the airport and the airlines too.

Not sure if virtual work experience is any help (different ones on spring pod)

www.springpod.com/virtual-work-experience/lift-off-with-the-civil-aviation-authority/WEXP-00274

My son did a degree apprenticeship.

He applied for 3. One he didnt hear from. One he was told he had got through to an assessment centre and to wait and not worry if he didnt hear back (six months later they wrote and said, sorry no more assessment places!). Luckily the third he got an offer and was already there.

He treated each application separately and they took him hours.

He only had their minimum grades at GCSE but a max grade L3 IT BTEC.

I think probably what won it for him was his ability to talk about IT and solve problems. He wouldnt have used the word passion but he would have exuded it. He didnt just study.IT hed built computers with a mate, and then for himself, repaired them and got into programming through minecraft.

Also the DS here didn’t like A levels. He could look at alternatives to A levels but at 19, it’s more problematic and he wants to work.

@Owlbookend I 100% do support apprenticeships! However no one should cut off avenues to become a professional engineer either. Who says apprentices cannot become Technician engineers? That’s also a category of engineer and it’s perfectly achievable from a L3 apprenticeship. I’m only really pointing out what’s possible and I’d like everyone to be aware that they can achieve more but they need to know about it and how to go about it. Employers don’t always do the right thing by apprentices either and it’s too easy to keep them in a low level job. Having knowledge is power.

@MeetMeOnTheCorner I think the chartered route is great for those interested in it and with the relevant qualifications to embark on it. However, that wasn’t the route the op’s son was interested in. He was looking at technical and maintenance apprenticeships. From other threads, I genuinely thought you supported the apprenticeship route for students not considering uni and with a practical interest and aptitude. Maybe I misinterpreted. This is a young person who didn’t complete a levels and was looking for a ‘hands on’ role. I didn’t think the chartered route was most relevant to his situation.

@Owlbookend Well done you! Try looking at the various engineering institutions. They give details of what engineering really means due those contemplating a career in it. We need to move away from the fixing machines and empower young people to aim high. Or we’re just overtaken by others.

Cambridge dictionary definition of engineer
a person whose job is to design or build machines, engines, or electrical equipment, or things such as roads, railways, or bridges, using scientific principles:
a civil engineer
a mechanical/structural engineer
a software engineer

a person whose job is to repair or control machines, engines, or electrical equipment:
a computer engineer
The engineer is coming to repair our phone tomorrowmorning.

The OP is clear her son is aiming for a level 3 apprenticeship. Her posts make it quite clear he isn’t looking at the chartered route, but is looking for a hands on maintenance or technical apprenticeship.

Whether people like it or not, engineer is the term used in common speech for these roles. They are often advertised as ‘apprentice engineer’. Many, many years ago I worked in a factory and sometimes covered reception. Over the tannoy I would call for ‘an engineer on line 3’ etc. Everybody understood what the term meant. More highly qualified roles are distinguished by the use of chartered or the details in the advert. Engineer in the UK is a very broad term that can be used for those working in a design role and those working in a repair role.
The op is clear about the type of role her son is aiming for and was seeking advice on that.

How are things now @Anon751117000? My DGD did a similar route. She hated A’Levels, had 2 attempts at 2 different Sixth Forms but decided they really weren’t for her.

I think you’re right that your DS probably needs interview practice but you’ve already recognised this yourself.

I agree that the Employers probably also want to know that he’s capable of working in a Team. Does he do any volunteering as well as his work? We have a couple of Steam railways within driving distance and also a miniature steam railway where you can see the older guys messing about with the trains all day. Would something like this be helpful? I know that’s the route my DS’ DF took when he got an apprenticeship with a heritage railway.

We do recognise quality - we call it 'Chartered Engineer'. That is the protected name, and it is a regulated profession.

@warmawhether I obviously do. And he’s a Fellow of 3 institutions. This slack attitude is a reason why we aren’t as good in this country as we should be. Of course after the same years spent training as a doctor or architect it should have a protected name, but we don’t see it as a regulated profession. Other countries do. We don’t recognize quality or the need for it and suffer accordingly.

@MeetMeOnTheCorner you are once again whistling in the wind on your one-woman crusade to protect the word engineer for those with Chartership status, despite all the evidence that it is a widely used term to describe a skillset. It is akin to 'scientist' or 'designer', both of which also have a Chartership status for those that want it.

'Doctor' is used more cautiously in the UK because it an offence to falsely pretend to be a medical practitioner, but it isn't formally a protected term like it is in some countries, and there is no similar law for 'Engineer'.

If you feel the need to distinguish your husband's status you need to refer to him as a Chartered Engineer rather than an Engineer.

Hopefully one day you will realise that it's offensive to belittle engineers who have no interest in Chartership.

@Gingermenace Why unhelpful? People by and large have no idea about careers in engineering and no idea of the structure surrounding the progressional qualifications. People throw the word engineer around but have no notion of how dc can progress and earn more. A lot of apprenticeships are very narrow and don’t provide the breadth a degree would. It’s up to dc of course but if dc are 20 before they even start a low level apprenticeship, they really are behind a decent grad in terms of employment.

My ds is on an engineering apprenticeship with the railway. It took nearly a year and a lot of different tests and interviews. He also applied for the network rail apprenticeship. Ds did engineering at college (b tech) but I suspect he advanced through the process as his speed and accuracy at the original testing was really good.

My son is 20 and managed to get a L3 engineering apprenticeship at after hundreds of applications. He got a few interviews too. Without being outing, he managed to get a job locally working as a trainee technician for a trades type business which didn’t lead to a qual. I definitely think that helped him get the apprenticeship. He also managed to work consistently after dropping out college in a series of jobs which gave him some general work experience. Again, it was a matter of mass applications on indeed. I helped him a lot with the applications- it was very stressful!

Added- my son applied at 17/18 and I think the extra maturity and work experience gave him a definite advantage than it would have done at 16- he wasn’t mature enough. I interview people at work & did a lot of prep with him. The interview experience of applying for other jobs also helped him.

My son is 19 and has just been awarded an engineering apprenticeship, what a process! Wouldnt wish the rollercoaster journey on anyone. My tip would be to try and contact companies and get a couple of one week work experience placements set up. You don't have to be affiliated with a school and if he gives a good impression it could lead to a job, also will give him something to talk about in an interview. Also if he can just get life opportunities like a solo holiday for example, something that is out of his comfort zone. My son went on a funded sailing trip by the local rotary club and that helped as could talk about the importance of teamwork etc.

My eldest at 16 applied for lots of engineering apprenticeships rather than 6th form and got down to the final few for most before being offered an apprenticeship in the nuclear industry. He was one of the youngest in his apprenticeship cohort (I think the eldest was around 20 at the time).

My recommendation would be to look into how he interviews and get as much practice as possible. He's clearly doing things right to get as far as he has as it's a very competitive field. He needs to keep applying and fingers crossed it pays off.

Good luck.

Thanks! I am quite surprised at the A Level part. I assumed those with A levels would prefer to go straight to level 6 rather than dropping all the way back to a 3.

What an unhelpful comment

I recruited apprentices and employers preferred A level students for L3 apprenticeships, as they liked the reassurance that the apprentice could handle L3 study and would complete the training. If he can get work in the meantime, in an associated field, that would help in his applications going forward, as no age limit on apprenticeships now and again, employers like those showing real interest in their occupational sectors.