Apprentice Profile: Jessica M

Jessica applied for an apprenticeship as part of a career change – moving from pulling pints in her local pub to creating the electronic components that power some of Moog’s most advanced technology.

Originally, Jessica had dreams of becoming a veterinary nurse but after several work experience placements, found that the profession wasn’t the right fit for her. While she was working as a pub manager, her uncle encouraged her to look at engineering as a potential career path, following his own successful apprenticeship when he was younger.

“I used to drive past Moog every day on my way to school but never fully understood what the company did. While I looking at lots of engineering firms, my dad suggested Moog, and I decided to apply after reading reviews from existing employees and the apprentice success stories on the website,” Jessica said.

Currently, Jessica is working on the electronic build rotation, so she is assembling PCB boards – this involves finding the right components, soldering them, and then testing the board. “We usually start the day at 7.30am with a team briefing, so we know what we’re working on from the day,” Jessica said. “Then, when I’m done with my daily tasks, I write up the theory behind them to help consolidate my learning.”

So far, Jessica has benefited from using common sense and creative approaches to her work. “When I was taking part in a section assessment day, which would determine where I would be working for the next part of my apprenticeship, I was asked to calibrate a gauge and use a dead weight tester. The gauge was extremely sensitive and the other apprentices found it quite hard to keep the gauge dial in the correct place.

“To make this easier for myself, I used a piece of blue roll so that I was only making minute changes to the dial, which made it easier to control and less sensitive to adjust. I was really proud of this as I felt that even though I had no knowledge in comparison to the other apprentices who had done diplomas in engineering principles, I could still understand what was asked of me and apply the right solution,” Jessica said. 

Jessica still enjoys horse riding, and has her own horse – an ex-racehorse called Cromwell. She’s also an avid rugby player and plays for a small local team in Pershore. Working at Moog gives Jessica plenty of time for hobbies, as well as offering a wide range of other benefits.

“Everyone at Moog is really approachable, and they really invest in their people. I’d like to get a degree once I’m done with my apprenticeship, and Moog offers the chance to pursue a good range of degrees – I could train further in engineering, but equally, I could pursue business management. It’s really exciting to know that I’ve got plenty of career progression ahead of me,” Jessica concluded.