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David Griffiths is part of the advanced apprenticeship in Telford, United Kingdom as an electrical and tendering engineer. As a second-year apprentice, David touches on his experience as an electrical engineering apprentice and why he is glad to have chosen to pursue it full-time. Read his blog to learn what it may be like to be an electrical engineering apprentice!
How did you decide you wanted to do an engineering apprenticeship after school?
After I had finished my studies at school, I decided I wanted to start working towards a career which I had been interested in for a while. I felt I was ready to be more independent, and to adapt to a working environment rather than continuing to study full-time. That is when I decided to start looking for Advanced Electrical Engineering Apprenticeships in the area.
What was it that attracted you to join Schneider Electric?
The appeal from Schneider Electric initially was that they are an international business with a strong position in a growing market. When researching the company prior to my interview, I was also able to understand the company’s aims in an environmental aspect, and how conscious they are of designing products that limit the impact on the environment as much as possible. Furthermore, on the website of Schneider, there were stories of employees who had grown in the business from a similar position to my own and this was very encouraging.
Tell us about a typical day in the office?
My current placement at Schneider is a Tendering Engineer in the Telford office. As a Tendering Engineer, I am required to tender to the job requirements from a customer, which are sent through to inboxes depending on which region in the UK the job has been sent from. I will communicate with a Sales Engineer to ensure we have all the documents necessary to quote the job, and then analyse the schematic drawing and schedules to create a total price.
What do you enjoy most and least about your job?
Since joining Schneider Electric, I have most enjoyed how supportive the company has been to myself. Everyone I have met so far has been very welcoming, and as an apprentice, I have been included in meetings and other activities which may not have been the case had I joined a different company. The least enjoyable aspect of the apprenticeship at the moment is that I have not been able to travel to some of the sites and locations I would like to see, but hopefully this is possible in the future.
Is your apprenticeship what you thought it would be?
I did not think I would be as involved in some aspects of the business, this has given me some great insight and experience, which I do not think I would have seen if I had chosen to study at university/full-time college.
How do you balance work and studying?
As an electrical engineering apprentice, we are required to attend college 1 day a week where we study towards degree qualifications. During this day we have plenty of time to study and work on assignments during breaks as well as at home. Everyone in our class is either an apprentice or works full-time, so we all help each other out when someone in this class is struggling to understand something.
What type of job would you like to do when you finish your electrical engineering apprenticeship?
At the moment I am unsure what type of role I am most interested in. I think I would enjoy working in different countries in the future, but I still have just under 2 years left of my apprenticeship and will move across various departments over that period of time. Hopefully, I will have a better idea of what I want to do during the next couple of years, however, for now, I am happy to gain knowledge and experience anywhere within Schneider.
What advice would you give anyone thinking about doing an apprenticeship?
Personally, I think an apprenticeship is a great opportunity for someone after they have finished school. It gives you the chance to learn about a wide range of topics and realise what you are most interested in. Everyone starts in a similar position and joining the right company for you to improve your own skills set is very important.
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