The role of an EPA supporter

Paul is registered with FEANI as EurIng, is a Chartered Engineer registered with UK Engineering Council and a Fellow of IMechE. He is currently working with Indian engineers developing their wider skills across various parts of India.

Paul started as an apprentice mechanical fitter with ICI in 1972 and completed his BEng (Hons) and MSc part-time degrees. In his career Paul has focussed on people development in many countries and companies over a broad career in engineering spanning over 50 years.

Do’s & Don'ts

Apprentices need access to support as they progress their development in companies, hence the role of a supporter in their EPA submissions.

Successfully completing EPA and being awarded an Engineering Technician Apprenticeship can be the first step on a progression of professional registration through EngTech, IEng, CEng, and ultimately Fellowship of a Professional Engineering Institution so it is important to their long-term career.

Do’s

• Ensure the apprentice knows they can ask you, as their supporter, for guidance.
• Ensure they read and understand the requirements of the submission process – i.e. word count, specific examples of their own contributions.
• Ensure you read the submission.
• Offer positive guidance on where they can improve the submission.
• Encourage the applicant to use spell checkers and editor functions.

Don'ts

• Spend too much time with them, their development is their own responsibility with oversight from the Training Organisation.
• Do not write the submission for them.
• Correct their grammar and spelling too much, accept the fact that their literacy may not be perfect as long as it is understandable.
• Let them focus on statements or first-person plural (what we did). We need to know what their personal contribution is.