5 mins Read 
09/02/2023 Apprentices are a key factor in succession planning at Alexander Battery Technologies. In celebration of national apprentice week, we asked our in-house apprentices why they decided to apply for an apprenticeship. Just 5 months into their apprenticeship, we asked Ben, Ellie and Harvey how they’re finding it here at Alexander Battery Technologies. They highlight their experience with the apprenticeship program and how the envision their progress developing.
Why did you choose to do an apprenticeship instead of a university degree?
Harvey, who joined as a Production Engineer Apprentice, said it’s always been his goal to secure an apprenticeship. Harvey was advised by a career’s advisor that an apprenticeship is a good way of entering the profession. The ‘earning and learning’ aspect of an apprenticeship heavily influenced his decision to choose an apprenticeship. Harvey, 19, said an apprenticeship allows him the opportunity to start at the beginning of a company, and Alexander Battery Technologies is somewhere he can see himself at for a long time.
What skills have you developed from your apprenticeship?
Ben, who joined as a Quality Apprentice, said the skills acquired during his apprenticeship have been invaluable to his development. Leaving college at 18, Ben joined our apprenticeship program where he has developed workplace skills he wouldn’t have had the chance to learn had he chosen an alternative route. The confidence Ben has gained from working as part of a team has improved during his apprenticeship. This increased confidence has led him to improve his communication skills in a professional environment. Ben is exposed to the day-to-day role in Quality and has hands on experience supporting suppliers and customers. Since joining, Ben has seen his self-management and organisational skills improve.
Where do you want to be after finishing your apprenticeship program?
Once Harvey has completed his apprenticeship, he plans to stay with the company to gather more experience in his role as a production engineer. Harvey wants to stay with the company due to his pre-existing understanding of how the company operates, this will give him more time focusing on improving his skills. Harvey is planning on achieving his level 4 higher national certificate with the company. This will allow Harvey to gain even more workplace experience while gaining the equivalent of a 1st year university degree.
How does what you learn in college relate to what you do in work?
Ellie, who works as a Production Engineer Apprentice, is able to apply knowledge she has gained from college to real-world experiences whilst at work. The Computer Aided Design (CAD) software Ellie uses at college has helped with understanding the basics of our CAD we use in the business. Ellie is able to get hands-on practical experience with the tools she uses in college workshops which are also used in our manufacturing facility. At 18, Ellie is consistently having the opportunity to apply what she has learned in real-life situations, such as designing a jig fixture.
Describe your responsibilities/tasks at work?
As part of Ben’s responsibilities at Alexanders he works with both customers and suppliers. Ben will liaise with suppliers when it comes to dealing with calibration. He will then complete a quality control and batch inspection of each product with the customer to ensure we have met quality standards. Ben regularly has exposure to problem-solving in product manufacturing.
Describe your experience of your apprenticeship so far
Ellie has really enjoyed her apprenticeship experience so far. She has enjoyed learning how to use different tools and software at both work and college. Ellie enjoys the earning and learning aspect of her apprenticeship, giving her the ability to have the weekends to herself not worrying about a part time job or extra higher education work. Ellie is currently gaining the knowledge and theory around her chosen area, but she’s also developing key workplace skills and getting an all-round exposure to the field.
Why others should choose an apprenticeship?
Ellie would recommend an apprenticeship because of the learning and earning aspect of an apprenticeship. Ellie would also recommend an apprenticeship to people who want to gain experience of real-world work whilst still in education. Harvey’s opinion is that anyone who wants to learn important skills in college whilst getting paid and gaining experience in their chosen industry, an apprenticeship is the best way to achieve this. Ben believes an apprenticeship is the best way to prepare yourself for the future of your work. Ben has been able to experience his industry of choice and realise it is the right environment for him to be in.
We asked Amy, our Human Resources Manager, why she believes an apprentice is a great choice for students.
“Apprenticeships not only allow an apprentice to study and become qualified in their chosen field, but they can gain invaluable soft skills that can’t be taught in the classroom. The skills are critical for any business and developing talent at a young age ensures a steady flow of succession planning. It’s a great way to attract talent. We could be losing out on some great engineers by only taking on graduates.
One of benefits of apprenticeships is the ‘earn and learn’ aspect; apprentices won’t be burdened with student loans whilst undertaking their apprenticeship and this is a massively undervalued benefit of the apprenticeship scheme. Apprentices earn a wage, achieve their qualification all whilst gaining those essential workplace skills.”
Conclusion
In reading this article, we hope to have provided you with a small insight into the apprenticeship program at Alexander Battery Technologies. Apprentices play a critical role in our business and we’re proud of the young talent we have on board. If you have any questions regarding our apprenticeship program, please contact us.
