Level 3 Engineering apprenticeships

[Anon751117000]

My son is 18. He left school part way through his A levels last year as he decided he did not want to continue and was really keen to do an engineering apprenticeship instead. He got really good GCSE grades.
Last year he applied for several and registered with the main training providers. He got through to the final stage of one but just missed out sadly. He then reapplied this year but was keen to be quite selective. He got through to the final 12 of an apprenticeship from over 2000 applicants but sadly did not get chosen (we have a lot of work to do on his interview prep but thats another story).

Looking for other's experiences or any hints/tips? He has found the training providers to be not particularly great - after having tests and interviews he just never hears from them again. They just never got back to him last year about any of their apprenticeships they kept advertising. If he emailed them he would just get the same stock answer back.

What have other's experiences been? Has it taken lots and lots of applications/knock backs? I know its highly competitive and he is keen to just keep trying.

Does it really get much harder the older they get? He's now worried that he could potentially be 19 when the next round of applications open again.

Luckily he currently has a full time job in a bar to cover him while he continues to apply.

IME, Engineering apprenticeships do tend to be highly competitive. I think my DS applied for 60 or so. He found being older (he was 19 when he finally got one, days from turning 20 when he started) more of a help than a hinderance.

I've found training providers know that these are popular and while there are good ones, most of them seem to struggle with the admin and communication side.

The tips that my DS and some of those he's known have found helpful is:
-- expanding to look at Level 2 as well - some companies start at lower levels and build up if successful
-- expand which types of engineering if not yet - marine engineering is less popular as it requires weeks off-shore.
-- it's not uncommon for these apprenticeships to require a driver's license if not at the start, then within the first year. I've heard additional driving training can be looked well on.

What type of engineer? Location?

Sorry should have said its Mechanical engineering (manufacturing) mainly and north east england

Food and beverage companies would be a good place to look.

@TiredShadows this is so helpful! He has branched out a little bit with the type of engineering. For example he got through to the final round for rail maintenance engineering recently. It is good to hear that its normal to take quite a few attempts. I'm actually hoping that he will just reapply for the rail one next year as he now has all the insight into the assessment day and interview on his side.
Thankfully he has a full driving licence.

He could look at civil engineering if he’s interested in the railways. He might have got much further forward much more quickly with doing A levels and a degree. By 21 he would have at least a BEng. Dc do need better advice!

He should have another go at the rail one, and have a look at and think about aviation.
It often takes a few goes before someone is successful. It is not a disadvantage to be a bit older. He needs to keep going though, I know people who are recruiting now in related areas.

I actually work with civil engineers and he’s not interested in the design side. He wants to be more hands on. He was adamant he didn’t want to go to uni although I would have preferred he get his A levels!

Thank you!! I think he’ll have a much better chance at the rail one next year. He’s definitely widening his search too.

@Anon751117000 That’s not really engineering then. It’s working for a contractor with minimal qualifications. To get a degree and IEng or CEng status he needs a degree and be able to design - or he’s not a qualified engineer at all. Why has this not been explained? It’s a very narrow apprenticeship if it’s just rail maintenance. My DHs company does civil engineering design for Network Rail as consultant engineers. To be a qualified engineer you do need the degree and design skills.

They are still called Engineering apprenticeships. 'Engineer' can mean many things. We completely understand exactly what he's applying for and I myself work for an engineering consultancy firm (who also design for Network rail). I literally said above he doesn't want to be a design engineer, he wants to do mechanical engineering at technician level which is Level 3. He does not want a degree level apprenticeship. Not sure what you mean?
An Engineering technician puts things together, your husband designs them. Totally different/.

They are different but a technician is a technician and limited in what they can do. A Chartered Engineer is like a doctor. They are the top of the profession and obviously a technician is not. They are third rung. As long as he understands this and career options won’t be the same at IEng or CEng. Doesn’t matter what discipline really. Engineer sadly can refer to someone mending your dishwasher or designing a high rise skyscraper. One has high level qualifications and one doesn’t. The status comes with the higher qualification. The people signing off complex designs must be CEng in many organisations.

What on earth does this have to do with my son looking for a level 3 apprenticeship??
He doesn’t want to be a chartered engineer. You seem upset that I used the word engineer for some reason. Stop belittling the technician role. If you’re not here to offer advice about Level 3 apprenticeships please don’t comment. We’re not interested in chartered engineer roles, he’s not interest in sitting at a desk, he wants to use his hands.
I work in one of the largest engineering consultancy’s in the world and the chartered engineers are definitely not comparable to doctors 😂

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.

What an unhelpful comment

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.

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.

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.

Thank you, its a nightmare isn't it. Great tips, thank you

Thank you. I think the interviewing needs some work for sure! more prep is needed.

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.

@Hallywally thsnk you this is super helpful and encouraging! I’m so glad to hear he got one after all the effort.

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.

That is really helpful to know!! My son apparently scored well on the assessments and tests but I think his lack of prep for the interview let him down. Thanks for your message and glad your son got sorted

@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.