Most of your apprenticeship happens in the workplace, and this is where you’ll learn many of the skills you need.
You’ll come to the Make UK Technology Hub in Aston to build on what you learn on the job.
You’ll spend weeks at a time with us as you train on equipment that most employers don’t have on site, and focus all your energy on your learning.
What equipment will I be using?
Most people arrive expecting to sit in a classroom being taught about some machines in the corner. That couldn’t be farther from the truth.
You’ll get to train on pneumatics, hydraulics, electronics, robotics, CNC and welding.
You won’t just watch this equipment be demonstrated by a tutor. You'll be the one running it.
Who will be teaching me?
Tutors at the Tech Hub learned their skills in industry, with many boasting 20 years on the tools before they walked into a classroom.
They’ve done the job you’re training for, so they understand what your employer needs you to be able to do.
And when it comes to their expertise, it’s easiest to quote one of your apprentices, who told us, “Ask Remy anything, he’s a rocket scientist!”
Will I actually get good at this?
You will, but you probably won’t notice your progress as it’s happening.
Apprentices are so focused on practising the next weld that their growing abilities sneak up on them.
Then one day you notice you’re not thinking about it anymore. You’re just doing it.
Beth Walker, an apprentice in her third year at Ibstock Brick, remembers giving tours to new starters and realising she was explaining machines she couldn’t have named a year earlier.
What’s expected of me?
You’re not at school anymore, and you’ll be expected to behave as you do in your new workplace.
Just like at your job, you need to turn up on time, wear the right kit and look after your equipment.
We expect you to treat the people around you – your tutors, your apprentice colleagues and visiting employers – the way you would want to be treated.
It’s the standards that your employer will expect from day one, so it’s a good time to get into good habits.
What will I come out with?
The main thing is you’ll come with the ability to do a job, and an employer who knows you.
You’ll also finish with a nationally recognised apprenticeship qualification.
The qualification means you know engineering machines, processes, tolerances and how to work as part of a team.
It also shows you’ve got the practical abilities that only come from actually doing the job, not just studying it.
How does it connect back to my job?
Everything you do and learn at the Tech Hub is designed to support your role.
You’ll use what you practise during your block training weeks at your workplace the following month.
The two halves of your apprenticeship reinforce each other, and make you a better engineer.
FAQs
You spend the majority of every year with your employer, working with them like a normal job.
In your first year, you’ll spend around four weeks at a time at the Tech Hub – we call these periods ‘training blocks’ – then head back to your employer until the next block.
From year two onwards, your time at the Tech Hub gets shorter as you spend longer in the workplace. By then you’re not learning the basics, you’re doing real work and building up the hours spent doing practical work.
The full schedule is agreed well in advance, so your employer knows when you'll be at the Hub and when you'll be with them.
You’ll spend your time learning and training, without any of the distractions that come from being in a busy workplace.
Our tutors will give you their full attention as they teach you the science behind the skills you need. Then you’ll spend time practising the practical skills themselves.
You might spend days deep in one skill as you work towards mastering it, and being ready to use it in the workplace.
Block release lets you work on one thing until it clicks, rather than getting an hour of training a week and forgetting everything in between.
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Make UK trains apprentices from across the country, so you don’t need to be living or working near Birmingham to train here.
Find out more about how our residential offer works.
Don’t worry – there isn't one big scary exam at the end of your apprenticeship.
We watch how you’re doing as you go, building up a portfolio of evidence of your practical work and knowledge checks.
Once your employer confirms you’re working to the right standard for your role, you move into the final stage, which is called End-Point Assessment – sometimes shortened to EPA.
This takes place in your final year, and typically includes a knowledge test, a practical assessment and an interview based on your portfolio.
It’s not a surprise test to catch you out. By the time you reach the EPA, your employer has already told us you’re ready. We’re just confirming you can do everything they say you can.
Ready to take the next step?
Know what kind of engineering interests you? Have a look at the programmes we offer to see where they could take you.
Or hear from people who’ve been there and done it, with the stories of seven apprentices.
And when you're ready, here's how to apply.