Gemma has just finished her first year of an Electronic Advanced Apprenticeship programme with MBDA in Bolton and is about to embark on her second year of a four year HNC programme.

At the age of 14 I had no idea what I wanted to do when I got older. My dad’s an engineer so I've always aspired to follow him. Also, at the age of 14 an opportunity came about at school where, instead of doing two GCSE options, I could do a course in engineering and do an industry level 2; this meant visiting MBDA one day a week doing engineering, which included five different placements as well as study for an NVQ, so I got both educational and work experience.

I grew a lot more in confidence as I matured, having to work with adults as well as go back to school and work with people my own age.  I was one of the first to take part in the new Young Apprenticeship Programme, sponsored by MBDA, at Mount St Joseph Business and Enterprise College in Bolton. 

Gareth Humphreys, programme manager at MBDA, gave us a talk about what was involved, with our parents. I had to follow the same process as getting any real job.  Basically, I had to send in a CV and be interviewed before being offered a place.

Completing the Young Apprenticeship Programme did not give me any preference in getting an advanced apprenticeship, but obviously the experience helped my application. I had to go through exactly the same application process as before to apply for an advanced apprenticeship with MBDA. 

What is a typical day?

The first six to seven months was on the shop floor doing manufacturing. I was doing both mechanical and electrical, but more electrical-based, and had to do a test. I was then moved to printed electronic circuit boards (PECs), going from how they started as basically a board through to how they are finished. I go to college one day a week, for the first three years, to do an electronic engineering course.

The apprenticeship programme works quite well as I get to learn key skills as well as receive work-based learning and educational learning. Also, I get to go out and do lots of presents. For example I went to Westminster, which was interesting because I got to meet so many people, and the IET engineering event for women was a good opportunity to see how many different women there are out there doing different types of engineering. Quite a few of the apprentices do get asked to present at different events.

As I was on the Young Apprentice scheme I get quite a bit of attention because of the new national diplomas coming out next year. These new diplomas are sort of what I did but better, so it’s quite interesting that people want to know my views and why the national diploma should be better for young people nowadays.

I get to do quite a bit of work with Business Dynamics at Lostock and I get to work with and teach school kids about MBDA and what apprentices do. I've just done a presentation to the new intake of young apprentices at Mount St Joseph Business and Enterprise College in Bolton; I gave a talk to them and their parents. I think it's better for apprentices to give the talk, rather than Gareth, because the parents can relate to us more, as we have already done the Young Apprentice scheme rather than having to take Gareth’s word. 

I also get to talk to management teams about what we're doing at the moment and I also get to go out and meet people like the IET and talk about our experiences. Basically I present to different age groups and a wide variety of people. 

What sort of project work have you been involved in?

I was given a task to do on the Young Apprentice scheme and produced, with two colleagues, a credit card size CD called "Invest in the Future". This helped us along in our educational studies, because we took it as our media project in English, getting As. Also, the fact that we presented the CD to all the MBDA management around the north west of England helped us get an "A" in speaking (communications) as well.

The idea behind the card was to show other companies that early investment into schools could allow them to speak to people of our age and build up interest. All business people to whom we presented related to the card and thought it was a good idea. Quite a few people have taken in apprentices since then.

What aspects of your apprenticeship have you particularly enjoyed?

Networking basically. I have met quite a few people including MPs and that’s something I would never have dreamt of doing. I enjoy going out and speaking to people of all different ages, explaining what I've done and what they can do, as well as visiting lots of different places.

Do you have a mentor?

Yes, as soon as you start the programme you are assigned a mentor, normally the person that is above you in their second year. You get to know them really well; it’s not just a work-based relationship but also a social friendship. If I have questions or queries on printed electronic circuit boards or how to run a brand new machine, my mentor will help. If I ever do get stuck I have people to turn to for help.

Has the apprenticeship route made a difference to your career so far?

Yes, because I was at MBDA for two years prior to starting the advance apprenticeship, I saw what the other apprentices did when they were in their first year. To be honest I have done quite a bit more than them, because I have been out giving quite a few different presents. Plus, I already knew a lot of people in the factory and was not just coming in for the first time. It’s great that I am now part of the furniture, as I have been here for three years!

At school I took graphics as a technology option which has helped me with my 3D drawings which I am doing now in design. If I hadn't got an apprenticeship this year then I would have been at college doing an electronic course anyway. 

Having developed a lot of life skills over the last couple of years do you feel you have a head start over other young people leaving school or going to University?

You can certainly tell the difference between me and some of my mates as my communication skills are a lot better. Although they can talk to people of the same age or younger they start to struggle if they want to speak to people older than themselves. I don't have a problem with talking to people at any age now because communication is one of the key skills learnt whilst working for MBDA; so to be honest you can definitely see the difference.

Communication skills have helped me a lot, in that I can work in teams as well as work as an individual and also project manage something. My mates would probably not know what project managing was at the moment. They are a bit jealous of how much money I am on! However, they are also quite interested in what I do; the fact that I am down south quite a lot doing presents and they are quite interested in where I am going every other week. 

Do you have a most unforgettable experience?

The first presentation I ever did was awful! We, the first year apprentices, presented to our parents after the first six months of being at MBDA. We had not learnt any presentation skills at that point, but did it anyway. The week after we were supposed to be doing the same presentation to the management team, but Gareth picked up on the fact that we were dreadful, so a week later we were all put on a presentation course! We did the presentation to the management team the week after the course and it was apparently superb.

Another unforgettable experience was the first week I came into MBDA from school as a Young Apprentice. I came in wearing my school uniform, because we hadn't been told what to wear. I was in my large checked skirt and they weren't too happy. A week later I was kitted out with MBDA t-shirt, shoes, overalls, etc. It was an interesting experience to go into a workplace in school stuff, but as it was a different environment, you could wear what you wanted. 

What does it mean to you to enter achievement awards and UK skills competitions?

Apprentices are pushed to enter as much as we can. I have just applied for IET Young Woman Apprentice Engineering of the Year award. I think it’s great that I have only just done my first year but, having learnt a lot in that year, I have achieved sufficient skills to be able to enter and have a chance of winning.

It was interesting reading previous Young Woman Engineering nominations to see what and how much they have or haven't done compared to me over the last year. I am definitely inspired entering these awards, because if I don't win this year, I will always enter again next year and hopefully get into the finals.

MBDA has just won an award - Best Business with Educational Links, hosted by the IMechE. I was one of the youngest to attend this event. All apprentices do get a chance to attend these awards. At this year’s UK Skills competitions both the winner and runner-up in the individual competitions came from MBDA Lostock.

A team consisting of apprentices from the south and north was also entered and came first in the team event. We aspire to do as much as we can electronic-wise and then take that forward in both the team-building and individual competitions. With the support of a trainer we are encouraged to make circuit boards within a certain amount of time and try to fault find, which are both required skills for UK skills competitions.

I will be entering the London 2011 world skills competitions. I will do a bit of fault-finding in my second year whilst I am in test engineering, but basically it is down to knowledge you learn from college. Once I have my ONC, I will know quite a bit about fault-finding, which will all help in 2011.

Will you continue your studies after your apprenticeship?

At the end of the four year apprenticeship I will be qualified at level HNC and be working towards NVQ level 4; if I want to do an HND that will be in my fifth year, when I come out of my apprenticeship and will be supported by MBDA.

What are your future career aspirations?

I would love to be a test engineer, but I am also looking at going into quality engineering, because it is quite interesting and you get to do lots of different jobs. In October I am also applying for the National Learner Panel, a group of people of all different ages who sit down with Parliament to discuss and decide what can be done to improve education; there is already one person at MBDA who is a member. 

Are you guaranteed a job at the end of your apprenticeship?

No, we are not guaranteed anything, but there will probably be a job if we have worked well and achieved good grades over the four years.

As one of the IET’s youngest members do you feel the IET has helped you in anyway?

Monthly newsletters have been useful – it’s interesting to find out what jobs are out there and what is going on in the world of engineering. 

Organised events have been worthwhile - such as the Faraday Lecture and the all-party parliamentary group event for 'Young Women in Apprenticeships', supported by the IET, where I got to meet Claire Curtis-Thomas MP and other women engineers.