Engineering is pretty much in the family for teenager Tim Egerton. So it was no surprise that he chose it as his career after leaving secondary school.
Tim, from Tamworth in Staffordshire, embarked on an Advanced Modern Engineering Apprenticeship with BMW in September 2010. He is based at the company’s engine manufacturing plant at Hams Hall, near Birmingham where small petrol engines are produced for both BMW and MINI cars.
As part of his apprenticeship programme, Tim studies at Birmingham Metropolitan College. He spent the first year of his apprenticeship at the James Watt Campus where he completed NVQ Level 2 in performing engineering operations and year one of his BTEC course. The 19-year-old is now back at BMW, gaining first-hand experience in the workplace and attending college one day a week to progress to NVQ Level 3 and to complete his BTEC.
Tim, who previously attended Belgrave High School in Tamworth before joining his apprenticeship, said: “There have always been engineers in the family. My grandad used to repair grandfather clocks, so engineering just seemed the obvious career for me. I didn’t want to go down the university route so decided to study for an apprenticeship because I was keen to be out in the workplace.”
The budding engineer, who is focused on becoming a quality engineer, has taken to his chosen profession so successfully that he was recently named STAR apprentice of the year by Birmingham Metropolitan College.
He added: “So far, my apprenticeship has been really enjoyable. Attending Birmingham Metropolitan College and having work placements on site at BMW is brilliant, just the right balance. As well as continuing work towards my NVQ, I will also start a foundation degree or similar qualification as I move into the third-year of my programme.
“At BMW, I have work placements in different areas of the plant. As my apprenticeship is focused on quality engineering, most of my experiences are with areas responsible for ensuring all of the engines produced at our site are of the highest quality. I’m gaining new skills all of the time and improving my knowledge of how the business and different systems work.
“I will be continuing my studies as well as undertaking different placements around the plant for the next two years. Then, in the final six months of my apprenticeship, I will be placed somewhere where I am best suited to move into a full job role.”
“There are jobs out there you just need to be trained up to do them. My apprenticeship has been a great way to join a global company and gain valuable training and experience. I believe this will stand me in good stead for my future career.”
BMW Plant Hams Hall is currently looking for 24 new apprentices to join a wide variety of different apprenticeships from Engineering to Logistics to Business to Manufacturing. The deadline for applications is April 8, 2012. For further information and to make an application, see the BMW website at www.bmwplanthamshall.co.uk
