Level 3 Engineering Apprenticeship

[Robbo26]

Hi guys, looks to be a lot of information on here about various jobs within Network Rail, so figured you would be the right people to ask.

I've been offered an apprenticeship starting next month as an Engineering Maintenance Technician, and I was looking for some details about the job. Obviously the wages initially are apprentice wages, which is fine as it is only a 3-year apprenticeship, but once I was time-served, what as an estimate should I expect to be making? Also, I know that during the apprenticeship, there's unlikely to be any shift work involved but what kind of shift pattern would a maintenance engineer expect to work when qualified?

I've been offered another engineering apprenticeship elsewhere, and though I am heavily weighted in favour of the NR one, based on everything I've read about the company, seems incredibly positive, I do want to get as much info as possible to weigh up before I make my final decision.

Thanks

 

[TSG]

That's pretty hard to answer because you don't say what discipline you're aiming at, and it also depends where you are. For technicians there is no national rate, a hangover from Railtrack days when different companies maintained different areas. I think track tends to be either a lot of nights (maintenance) or a lot of days (patrolling), whereas S&T is usually rotating 3 shift early/late/night. S&T pays more than track. I have some idea of rates south of the Thames but I don't think that will help you at all if you're in Dundee.

 

[alxndr]

As TSG says, it's very hard to answer without any more detail on the discipline that you'd be going into, and there is some variation in wages (e.g. I'd be looking at around a 10k pay cut to move to Glasgow from England).

Also, I know that during the apprenticeship, there's unlikely to be any shift work involved but what kind of shift pattern would a maintenance engineer expect to work when qualified?

It's actually very likely that you'll be doing some shift work during the apprenticeship. You won't be doing shift work while on training courses (with the exception of some people in the current situation where they're having to split courses into mornings/evenings to squeeze everyone through while maintaining social distance), but when you're on your placements at the depot you'll be expected to follow the shift pattern of the team that you're shadowing.

 

[Robbo26]

As TSG says, it's very hard to answer without any more detail on the discipline that you'd be going into, and there is some variation in wages (e.g. I'd be looking at around a 10k pay cut to move to Glasgow from England).



It's actually very likely that you'll be doing some shift work during the apprenticeship. You won't be doing shift work while on training courses (with the exception of some people in the current situation where they're having to split courses into mornings/evenings to squeeze everyone through while maintaining social distance), but when you're on your placements at the depot you'll be expected to follow the shift pattern of the team that you're shadowing.

Sorry mate, should have said, I'm going into signalling maintenance. That's good to know about the shifts. Do you get paid shift allowance on top of your apprentice wages then?

 

[alxndr]

Sorry mate, should have said, I'm going into signalling maintenance. That's good to know about the shifts. Do you get paid shift allowance on top of your apprentice wages then?

I'm probably a bit biased, but that's the best discipline...
As a rough guide for S&T (signalling maintenance) pay in Scotland you're looking at (before shift enhancement):

Operative - £25,000
Technician - £31,000
Team Leader - £38,000

You can expect to come out of the apprenticeship as either an operative or a technician. In theory you're supposed to be trained to technician level, but it's quite common for managers to feel that you're not quite ready to be a technician yet as you don't have enough experience. Some people do get technician (I did), but despite what they might say on the apprenticeship don't assume that it will be the case and it's certainly not a given so worth putting the effort in and pulling your weight to try and earn it. Of the people I can think of off the top of my head, about half came out as operatives and half came out as technicians.

There is shift enhancement while being an apprentice as well. I think it was 25% in my day, but I've feeling that it's now 30%.

Shift patterns depend on individual depots and rosters, but our roster is a mix of earlies (0600-1400), lates (1400-2200), nights (2200-0600) and 12 hour days/nights (0600-1800 and 1800-0600). We do one weekend of days and one weekend of nights every five rotation. It's likely that your pattern will be different but being S&T it will almost certainly be something vaguely similar as there's only so many possible ways to provide 24/7 shift cover.

If it's worth anything, I started on the apprenticeship 7 years ago and still thoroughly enjoy it. Can't quite believe it's been that long. If you've any other questions feel free to ask away (although the apprenticeship has changed a bit since I was on it).

 

[Robbo26]

Thanks very much for all the info mate. That's honestly class.

How do the shifts work then in terms of days worked and how many weekends do you work in each rotation?

 

[alxndr]

For us it's:

1. Mon-Thurs nights
2. Mon-Thurs lates
3. Mon-Wed earlies, Fri-Sun 12hr nights
4. Thurs early, Fri-Sun 12hr days
5. Mon early

Although as I say, it's unlikely that yours will be exactly the same. Some rosters I've seen are a lot more complicated.

 

[Railengineer]

Most engineering apprenticeships are 4-years. What is the 3-year one not giving you? It may not have the same level of qualifications as a full technician.

 

[alxndr]

Most engineering apprenticeships are 4-years. What is the 3-year one not giving you? It may not have the same level of qualifications as a full technician.

3 years is length of the Network Rail apprenticeship and has been since it began around 16 years ago. It covers all that is required.

 

[Railengineer]

3 years is length of the Network Rail apprenticeship and has been since it began around 16 years ago. It covers all that is required.

OK thanks. I looked at NR brochure and it is for basic level 3 NVQ so does not include HNC etc. which explains why only 3 years.

 

[TSG]

Worth pointing out that S&T Trainee Technicians have done three years for a very long time before the apprenticeships came along, and then, as I believe now, you could carry on to HNC. Now they sponsor a foundation degree at Sheffield which you can take through to BEng. I know of someone who is being sponsored through an MEng. Although the formal apprenticeship lasts 3 years, to my knowledge they've always been willing to develop people who want to put the work in.

 

[LiftFan]

For us it's:

1. Mon-Thurs nights
2. Mon-Thurs lates
3. Mon-Wed earlies, Fri-Sun 12hr nights
4. Thurs early, Fri-Sun 12hr days
5. Mon early

Although as I say, it's unlikely that yours will be exactly the same. Some rosters I've seen are a lot more complicated.

Exactly the same as my roster. On the apprenticeship the wages are a bit crap for the first year, second year is much more liveable especially with shift enhancements ad overtime (which you do work when the wheel falls off and have to fix something that's broke).