[jake16]

ive also been accepted for the engineering course in falkirk
what do you mean by digs ?

[morgo91]

when did you find out what course you were doing? i have been accepted but i have yet to find out what course im on. have you had your medical yet? by digs they mean a place to stay mate

[lhogg92]

(Original post by morgo91)
when did you find out what course you were doing? i have been accepted but i have yet to find out what course im on. have you had your medical yet? by digs they mean a place to stay mate

i've still to find out where and what i'm doing aswell (:
but i had my medical about 2 weeks ago now

[jake16]

recieved my letter today comfirming im at Falkirk starting on the 7th september just need to find where i will be staying

[morgo91]

got my letter today im at jewl and esk in edinburgh as an instrument tech brilliant! see on your training agreement where did it say you will be after your college training?

[jake16]

i have been told i will be going to bacton gas site
where are you going?

[danz69]

do you have to stay in digs when doing opito? even if you live close to the college? i was told u have to??

[morgo91]

you wont find out what college your at untill after you have been accepted and had your medical and you wont always get your first choice of chosen discipline. im the only one at my college who doesnt stay in digs and opito pay my travel expense into college each day. i must admit the digs are great i have stayed over a few times and i really regret not staying there now its a good laugh. everyone is in the same boat not knowing anyone when you first start so that makes it easy getting to know everyone

[danz69]

on the website it says you get a grant when ur at college, does anyone know how much it is?

[gmclaren88]

Do you get paid while at college training?
I currently have a flat in Dundee and would be planning to keep hold of this, so some sort of pay would be needed.
I have had my application accepted, but would like to know this before going for the interview.

[gav0001]

Hi, i have just been accepted through the first stage of the application process and have been told they will be in contact for an aptitude test. Can anyone give me any tips about what to expect? things like how hard is the test an so on haha? thanks gavin

[MSD]

Just been told my application has been successful too.

The aptitude test is to assess verbal reasoning, numeracy, and spatial awareness. In general, I would not expect them to test you in relation to your chosen skill as you do not neccessarily need to have studied electronics to qualify for a sparky tech apprenticeship.

To be honest, anyone who has the requisite grades required for the apprenticeship should be able to pass the aptitude test without any problems.

Skills testing wouldn't be until you're some way into your college course.

If I'm successful enough to get accepted, I really hope to have my job placement offshore. That's the main reason why I'm applying. Would be gutted if I got placed onshore at Bacton lol.

Although it's an offshore industry apprenticeship I just wonder how many of the applicants would actually be prepared to work offshore? I know if I'd just left school etc I'd probably prefer to be onshore, but I'm 25 and looking for a career change so working offshore actually suits me just nice!

GMCLAREN88 - I'm in a similar position but down south. You get about £80 a week and they pay for cheapest method to get you home 4 times a year which normally coincide with college holidays seeing as they pay for accommodation. you get paid for the job placement but there's about a £4k difference between onshore and offshore. If your onshore they will look at allowances separately, i.e any travel allowance, but if you're offshore then you're on your own as you'd only travel as and when you'd be due for your shift.

[gav0001]

Thanks for the reply there lad, I am the same i only want to work offshore i am really excited about the prospect of working offshore. gavin

[ChrissyBoyle]

Just got my application accepted aswell, any idea when aptittude test's will be?

[joshJ16KHM]

yea ive just gotten a letter saying that ive gotten to the aptitude tests. saying they will be in contact in due course. has anyone applied as a process technician this year? and does anyone know what the digs are like and if they are shared? Thanks, Josh

[mch0ul]

got my aptitude test in aberdeen on thursday morning. just wonderin when you think we'll be likely to get our interview and medical after the test?

[MSD]

Despite being told that my initial application through Opito was successful, I've now received another letter to say that my application has been forwarded to ECITB. Has this happened to anyone else? Although ECITB will pay £95 per week instead of the £80, as far as I am aware they won't help with accommodation during the college phase, only Opito do. Does anyone know much about this?

[Cu123]

(Original post by MSD)
Despite being told that my initial application through Opito was successful, I've now received another letter to say that my application has been forwarded to ECITB. Has this happened to anyone else? Although ECITB will pay £95 per week instead of the £80, as far as I am aware they won't help with accommodation during the college phase, only Opito do. Does anyone know much about this?

Im on the opito course at the moment and one of my mates on the ECITB course and he gets his accommodation payed for, he also get breakfast and dinner provided.

[MSD]

^ Interesting. When did he start the course? Did he apply via Opito and then got put on the ECITB course or did he apply direct via ECITB?

Also did he get sent to one of the colleges or was it just an ECITB approved training centre?

any chance you can get him on the forum so I can ask him more info??

Cheers

[Cu123]

(Original post by MSD)
^ Interesting. When did he start the course? Did he apply via Opito and then got put on the ECITB course or did he apply direct via ECITB?

Also did he get sent to one of the colleges or was it just an ECITB approved training centre?

any chance you can get him on the forum so I can ask him more info??

Cheers

I think he did apply through Opito. (ill check that for you though)

He started the course September 2009.

He got sent to one of the colleges which is Falkirk to do a mechanical apprenticeship, he has another 15-16 other people on the course with him, who are also all employed by ECITB and stay with him in accomidation through the week and at weekends.

Ill see what i can do to get him on the forum.