I’ve Completed a Degree Apprenticeship, Ask Me Anything!

do you think the path you took is better than going to uni full time?
what part of engeineering?

I’m summary, yes, for me personally.
To save giving you a very broad reply, would you be able to expand on the question please?

do you think the path you took is better than going to uni full time in terms of promotions, salary, ability to find other jobs and difficulty in the work

The apprenticeship setting provides opportunity not only to improve academic skills, but also task management and interpersonal skills with meaningful and progressive feedback. Both I feel require improvement in university courses.

In addition, the apprenticeship off-the-job training hour requirements mean a substantial amount of additional training is provided to apprentices. Where at university my project management module was assessed by a multiple choice exam, my project management training at work was certified by my ability to develop a solid project plan and effective risk mitigation. The final assessment being my ability to meet the deliverables and quantified project objectives. This was for a real world research project that eventually gained me a publication.

The work is extremely difficult and you’re always progressively pushed to improve, but with a huge support network. However, the work is meaningful and often with lasting effect. This drove me to perform through satisfaction that what I did was making a difference in the workplace.

So yes, I strongly believe that the apprenticeship route is more successful in developing a well-rounded engineer. Which in turn would be more desirable to employers.

Hey, thanks for starting this thread. Degree apprenticeships still seem to be overlooked.

Is the route to chartership more difficult?

Also, how does the transition from degree to full-time work happen? Do you automatically get offered a job with the company you're being an apprentice with? How do you feel about your future career prospects?

Trying to get a feel for how the professional life is different

The new apprenticeship framework has replaced the National Vocation Qualification (NVQ) with an End Point Assessment (EPA).

The EPA external assessment requires the apprenticeship to evidence their competence by a summary 4K word report, ~3 hour presentation, and a professional discussion. This is in reference to specific knowledge, behavioural, and skills detailed in the apprenticeship framework. The EPA evidencing is very similar to what would be required in applying for Incorporated (IEng) or Chartered Engineer (CEng).

I’d argue that because the evidence gathering is compulsory for the completion of an apprenticeship, a IEng or CEng application is much easier to submit and obtain because you already have the evidence gathered by the time you finish your university studies.

As for careers, this is dependent on the employer. My prospects were very broad, I was offered the option to do a full-time fully funded PhD without having to complete an MEng with a Russel Group university. I’ve instead decided to continue working for my employer, who have shown interest in funding a part-time PhD with successful submission of a business-need related research proposal.

3 hour presentation?!?!
That's definitely interesting to hear re EPA. I've already started my eee degree so can't reconsider now, but I'll try to pass on the info to people I know.

How much freedom did you have in deciding what to specialise in? Did you know you wanted to work in medical device research?
Your field of work sounds interesting actually, wonder if you could possibly describe what your role is

Hi, I am considering doing an EPQ which is a written research project where you write 5000 words about a certain topic. If I do go ahead with it, my topic will be something along the lines of engineering/ sustainability, do you think this will benefit a degree apprenticeship application?? Thanks in advance

Absolutely!
Many companies have sustainability initiatives around reducing waste and carbone emissions. In fact my own employer has a dedicated voluntary team who specifically propose site/process changes to improve sustainability.

Some of the initiatives include car sharing, alternative renewable power, cycle to work schemes, electric car charging ports etc.

Specific to engineering, many manufacturers are now looking towards 3D printing as a way to reduce stock material waste (renewable powder).

Hi Chris, thanks for this!!!! sounds brilliant, defiantly pushed towards doing it, seeing as you are in the field, do you know any other areas of engineering which are developing which i can maybe research? thanks for the tips

I have two more examples where sustainability might be applied within engineering

Increased use of computational analysis and simulation to reduce physical testing and resource use. FEA and CFD simulation are relatively cheap in comparison to their physical counterparts.

Development of VR technology to improve and reduce the requirement of travelling large distances for meetings and training.

You should be able to find recent research discussing these subjects on sciencedirect.com.

Hi Chris, thanks for this, I'll defiantly check out science direct.

Hi, I'm taking a gap year and want to do a degree apprenticeship in civil engineering next year, I was just wondering if you had any advice on what I could do now to make me stand out in the application process/make me more likely to get a place. I've just got a part time job and I'm looking for work experience but haven't got any yet and as applications for apprenticeships start in Autumn I don't know if I'll get anything before then. Would online courses in Excel or AutoCAD etc be beneficial? I didn't do an EPQ at sixth form so would some sort of research project be a good thing to do? Do I need to know a lot about the industry to talk about at the interview eg from reading books and articles and watching documentaries etc? I don't know anyone who's done this and my school didn't help with apprentiecships so I don't know how to prepare or what the best thing to do is. I applied for one for this year a couple of months ago for practice, and I got past the online tests but they didn't invite me for an interview so I think there must be something wrong with my CV. I've played piano for eleven years and I've volunteered a bit before and now have a job, but nothing relevant to engineering. Is there anything you suggest I do, and do you know what they'll think of me taking a gap year? Do you think I'll be more likely to get a place because I've done my A levels and they know I already have the grades? (I'm taking a gap year because at the time of applications last year I didn't know what I wanted to do but now I do so I have to wait another year before starting). Thanks for any help, I know I've asked a lot of questions I just don't know what to do and I know they're really competitive and I don't want to go to university, so if I don't get one I don't know what I'll do.