Meet Owen, Level 3 Automotive Apprentice. Hear about his aspirations beyond the programme and his advice for the application process.
Q: What position did you start in and what is your position now? Please describe your current responsibilities.
For the past year I have been undertaking the Level 3 automotive apprenticeship at JLR. I am just about to start my second year of the apprenticeship and I am currently on placements internally within Fen End, in order to gain the knowledge and understanding of the job and what I will be required to do as part of my job role.
Q: Are you involved in any other projects / networks? If so, please describe what they are and what your contributions are.
I am currently involved in other projects/networks such as being a STEM ambassador, being part of the early careers ambassador group and also part of the Women in Engineering and Allies (WIE&A) group which will allow me to go to careers fairs and early careers events to further promote the apprenticeship and reach a wider audience.
Q: What do you like about working here?
The experience and opportunities which are available if you put the effort in are unrivalled. You can learn so much and gain valuable knowledge in a short period of time which will contribute massively to your career. There are also a lot of experienced technicians, engineers and managers who are willing to pass on their knowledge and help you to progress.
Q: What are your career aspirations? Do you feel that you get the necessary support from your management / department to help achieve your learning & development goal?
One day I aspire to become the director of Fen End, having worked my way up through the apprenticeship and potentially a degree, allowing me to build up the knowledge and experience to do a good job. All the managers and supervisors are very supportive in terms of progressing within the business and gaining knowledge and experience whether it be through events or activities both in house and in out of work opportunities.
Q: Describe your team / department, and what makes it stand out from our competition?
My current department is EVO based at Fen End. I believe we stand out from all of our competition as we are trusted by many VIP’s and event teams to deal with the most luxurious and important “Special Vehicles” that go out to VIP’s, press teams and events. This makes us stand out because we certainly do have something special as a department to be trusted with these sorts of vehicles and people can be sure we will deal with them to an extremely high standard.
Q: Tell us a few interesting facts about yourself.
I enjoy being in the countryside and have a passion for cars which is very useful within this job. One of my achievements I am proud of is completing my Clay Pigeon Shooting Association Safety Officers Course 4 at a young age which allowed me to teach people how to shoot and gain knowledge and experience. These skills will be useful to me throughout life and in my current job role.
Q: What hints and tips can you share with the potential candidates who are going through the application / interview process?
Any potential candidates who are going through the application/interview process should research the company and its history to find out what the company is after in terms of attributes and experiences of candidates. My advice is to then display when you have shown these qualities and talk about those experiences. You should also ensure you have a real passion for the company and what they do as this shows how special it is to you and if you enjoy your job, you are much more likely to work harder and become better at it.
