Apprentice Support

Apprentices can be as young as 16 years old when they start an apprenticeship with Uniper’s Engineering Academy. For many, this will not just be their first experience of life away from home but also their first experience of a mature working environment. Regardless of age, we understand that apprentices will require support at certain points throughout their apprenticeship. This is important as a learner in knowing that you’ll be looked after but also as an employer who will want to know that their new recruits are in good hands whilst away from site! 

We have several mechanisms in place to ensure that the apprenticeship experience is the best that it can possibly be for apprentices developing with us and employers alike.

Our dedicated apprenticeship team can cover the management of apprentices that learn with us and they manage all aspects of co-ordination between the academy and site. The team also carries out assessments and can be involved in review meetings where necessary. To provide employers with greater flexibility, we provide them with log in access to live progression information on their apprentices. 

Whilst in our care, apprentices will learn employability skills and will be able to reflect on themselves and their achievements as they go about their personal development. Where we have agreement to do so, we will also support their professional development by offering advice and support on achieving EngTech status.

All apprentices are provided with information, advice and guidance on welfare including, physical and mental health, keeping safe, employability skills, local facilities etc. To bolster this, we have integrated college provision with Derby College so that it is held at the Engineering Academy. We have links to local accommodation where apprentices stay as a community and we provide taxis to and from the accommodation. This approach means that apprentices never need to worry about where they should be whilst training with us and if there are any issues, they will be swiftly identified and acted upon. 

The Engineering Academy is committed to Safeguarding learners of all ages. Staff within the EA may have contact with children and young people through work programmes, however all staff may at some time be involved in working closely with children and young people, some of whom may be marginalised, disaffected and vulnerable. EA staff may be in a position whereby they may become aware of a situation of possible abuse.

It is a condition of the contract with the Skills Funding Agency to follow these guidelines. However, the EA considers that there is also a moral and professional imperative to engage fully with these practices for both the protection of children and young adults and the staff working with them. Consequently, all staff need to be aware that:

• They have a direct responsibility to protect all learners and visitors to the EA
• They have a duty to act quickly
• They should never assume that if they do not act someone else will
• Working with learners and visitors in an unstructured/unsupported way can put them at risk

To view the EA safeguarding policy in full please click here

Reward your apprentices skills and help them become an Engineering Technician, here are the benefits:

• Achieving EngTech status marks apprentices out as a skilled professionals
• Customers are more likely to have a higher level of confidence in individuals listed on the professional register
• Apprentices will gain a professional title that recognises their hard work and expertise
• It can help to elevate apprentices career prospects within the company
• Gives access to life-long learning resources

Our Uniper apprenticeship programmes are fully accredited by the IET and IMechE, ensuring that once the apprenticeship has been completed, apprentices will meet the EngTech standard and will be eligible to apply for EngTech status.

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