Brodie – Aerospace Engineering Degree Apprenticeship Scheme
Becoming an Engineer
So, how do you become an engineer? In sixth form, I was asking the same question. I knew I wanted a career working on exciting and innovative aerospace projects – but I was not sure how to get there.
I knew that a university degree would give me the required knowledge for an engineering role, yet I was hesitant to pursue this option, as I wanted to prepare myself with real-life experiences for my career afterwards.
From attending careers fairs, I knew there was far more to engineering than just knowledge – after all, engineering is about applying this knowledge to create things.
With this in mind, I looked into degree apprenticeships. I was encouraged by what I found – an opportunity to both learn, develop, and apply my knowledge whilst working on actual aerospace hardware. I would still study for a degree (with no tuition fees) in aerospace engineering and obtain further vocational qualifications to develop my practical skills.
Now, I am four months into my apprenticeship with Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), a specialised procurement agency within the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Whilst the first 10 months of the apprenticeship scheme are entirely study-based, I will then move to working four days a week and studying one day a week. All the knowledge, practical skills, and soft skills I am currently learning are preparing me for the workplace.
And it is in the workplace that I will learn the most, applying my knowledge and skills to real aerospace projects and being surrounded by other experienced engineers.
To become an engineer, you need to go beyond theory and work on actual projects to gain experience – and my degree apprenticeship journey shows how you can accomplish exactly that.
To find out more about STEM apprenticeships, sign up to the GSE Profession event on 5th February at 2:30-3pm here.
