Better Pay, Better Prospects - Why Engineering Needs You!
At Swatpro Academy apprentices embarking on an engineering apprenticeship will be trained at the British Engineering Manufacturers Association (BEMA) training centre in Yate, just north of Bristol.
The BEMA centre has been in operation for many years and not only is very well-stocked with the machinery and tools you will use in your career, but it has experienced trainers as staff. You will learn from people who not only know the trade inside-out, but are skilled at imparting that knowledge to others. Their success can be seen by the very high apprenticeship completion rates achieved and the high number of distinctions in their technical knowledge certificates gained by those undergoing training. And of course you will be earning, while you are learning!
Apprenticeships at the BEMA centre are usually on a day or block-release basis. Generally, you will begin your course by spending some months solidly learning the background of your trade at the centre. The duration varies according to the discipline and level being studied, but apprentices get a decent grounding to help them hit-the-ground-running when they join their companies. You will then learn from your workmates on the job and have your skills and competencies topped up by regular days at BEMA. With all Apprenticeship Standards, the aim is to learn the skills, knowledge and behaviours necessary to prosper in your chosen job: You’ll not only learn how things are done, but why they are done in a certain way.
As ever with apprenticeships at Swatpro Academy and BEMA, the courses are tailored individually to suit your employers’ needs. Unlike at certain colleges, you will not be training on machines you will never need to use, or learning skills that are not part of the job you will be doing. Your knowledge base will be broad, but it will be specific to your role in the company.
So, we know the training will be first class, but what other reason is there to become an engineering apprentice? Well, it is a very competitive industry. A recent survey suggested that the UK is short of 173,500 trained engineers. As well as working in a fascinating and always-changing industry, you will be working in a skill shortage area. As such, engineering apprentices tend to earn significantly more per hour than apprentices in most other employment sectors. Most enjoy automatic salary progression as they move through their courses, as well as a wide range of company benefits. Most employers are keen to offer permanent posts to their successful apprentices and there is plenty of opportunity to progress within businesses in the sector, or move to other employers looking for trained engineers.
All sounds good? Well, the good news is a number of prestigious engineering employers in the West are currently looking to recruit apprentices. To view our latest vacancies, click here.
