To mark National Apprenticeship week, we talked to two of our apprentices, Steven Bell and Jonathan Middleton about how their Apprenticeships are helping develop their skills, what they enjoy the most and why they took the decision to go down this route.
National Apprenticeship Week is an annual celebration which showcases the impact Apprenticeships and work-based training can have on companies, communities and the individuals who enrol on these types of courses.
Both Steven and Jonathan, joined MSP in 2022 on Level 3 Software Development Technician Apprenticeships after studying A-levels at Sixth Form.
Jonathan works full-time on UCCserver, a Renishaw PLC software product that MSP helped create and continue to develop. He says, “My days are often filled with writing and testing code for the product, ensuring that I write documentation on every task and making sure that any new functionality works as intended.”
Currently, Steven sits in the AutoClock team, MSP’s latest piece of hardware that automates the machine setup process. Steven’s role in the team is to assist with coding new functionality for AutoClock and help with the build process. He has also completed tasks on MSP’s company website and the UI on MSP’s NC-Checker software.
As part of the Apprenticeship, both are also required to complete certain tasks to fulfil the course requirements. Jonathan explains: “In between doing development work on UCCserver, I have course work for my Apprenticeship to complete which often involves writing reports that detail how I can cover the standards set out by BCS to qualify for the Level 3 Apprenticeship”.
The theme for this year’s National Apprenticeship Week is ‘Skills for Life’ to highlight how an Apprenticeship is a good foundation to develop skills and knowledge for a rewarding career. When asked what ‘skills for life’ Steven has developed within his apprenticeship he explains it is the format of the Apprenticeship that has helped him develop his multi-tasking skills significantly: “Having the two different kinds of work with multiple deadlines, means a lot of juggling but I’ve learnt how best to organise myself to make sure I don’t get overwhelmed and don’t get behind on any of my work.”
Jonathan also feels he has developed important life skills during his time at MSP: “The people I work with on the UCCserver team have been so supportive and I feel like I learn something new about coding every day which is helping me become a better programmer.
“They have also allowed me to take charge of some of our UCCserver morning meetings which has helped grow my confidence massively. I used to hate speaking in front of people, especially in group settings, but this has helped me become more open and better at speaking with people”.
This does not mean Apprenticeships are without their challenges. Before MSP, both had little to no knowledge of metrology, CMMs or CNC machining but this did not deter them from applying, as Steven comments: “It was a steep learning curve to begin with and I’ve had to learn about metrology and MSP’s coding standards quickly but my colleagues have been really supportive in helping me understand things that I find difficult to grasp.”
Jonathan finds the challenge of the work has been enjoyable: “There’s something satisfying about persevering through difficult tasks and finally getting it to work after struggling through it”.
The ‘Skills for Life’ theme for 2023 is not just aimed at how Apprenticeships can help individuals but how they can help businesses too. MSP Commercial Director, Tony Brown, notes: “To continue the digital improvements of the manufacturing industry, we need the workforce to match. This is why we’re advocates of work-based training at MSP as nothing can replace the experience of learning on the job”.
Both Jonathan and Steven would encourage anyone thinking about taking up an Apprenticeship to do it. Steven knows doing an Apprenticeship was the right choice for him: “I wanted to do an Apprenticeship because I prefer learning on the job rather than in a classroom environment. It is also great to see how my job fits into the world of industry and I like knowing I’m working towards a qualification as I do it”.
Jonathan adds: “This apprenticeship has been great for me! I have been able to gain new skills as well as develop others, all whilst gaining valuable working experience which will continue to benefit me for the rest of my life”.
If you’re interested in starting your journey with MSP, visit our Careers Page to view the latest vacancies and get in touch.