You’re hired! Arron Faulkner on life after his degree apprenticeship

We make no secret of the fact we think our degree apprentice scheme is the best thing since sliced bread. Better even. So, we’re speaking to some of the people who’ve successfully completed the scheme and gone to even bigger and better things at E.ON.

Meet Arron Faulkner, aged 23, who successfully completed an IT & Digital Degree Apprenticeship with E.ON while also achieving a First Class Digital and Technology Solutions Professional (Software Engineering) degree from Nottingham Trent University.

Having now been working within E.ON as a full-time colleague for a year as a Technical Expert in our Digital Technology Expert Services team, we asked Arron to share his experiences, insights and advice. Here’s what he had to say.

Why did you choose to work at E.ON?

I chose to work at E.ON because of the apprenticeship opportunity. I like being able to use what I learn in real situations because it helps me understand the theory better. E.ON also has plenty of positive reviews from present and past colleagues, especially around career progression and growth within teams.

Can you tell us a bit about where you worked within E.ON during your apprenticeship scheme?

I worked within eight different areas during my apprenticeship, from transforming business processes to helping secure our on-site servers. My favourite placement was with our website team, helping to fix accessibility issues and enhancing our websites search rankings, such as on Google. My last placement was with the team I’m currently in, Tiny Digital Things, where we deliver small digital improvements for colleagues across the company, and upskill them to improve their IT literacy.

Why did you choose the specific scheme you’re on?

I’ve always had an interest in Digital Technology and developing my own programmes and apps, and this scheme allowed me to gain a degree doing what I loved whilst building an understanding of how to use those skills in the workplace. It also had the perfect learning style for me, tailored to coursework and having projects to deliver each university term.

Please could you tell us about the role you have secured at E.ON – what made you choose this as your first role after your apprenticeship?

Throughout my different placements on the apprenticeship, it became clear that there were new opportunities becoming available to empower our colleagues with automations and dashboards that they simply didn’t have the skills to build themselves. Our team, Tiny Digital Things, builds these and most importantly upskills colleagues on them, so that they can continue to support and build into the future. It has also allowed me to continue developing apps and experimenting with new technologies, with opportunity to upskill myself for future career growth.

What are the elements you enjoy the most about your time at E.ON so far?

The people and the work culture at E.ON, everyone in my placements and my new role are great to work with, and happy to talk through anything you may not understand about their team. This also allows you to work in different areas without needing to worry about how you will get up to speed.

What are the main challenges about working at E.ON?

There’s a lot of work to do, especially as an apprentice when you’re managing your workload as well as a university degree! And whilst placements do allow you to get an understanding of many different business areas within a few years, it also means you’re always on your toes, learning new ways of working and meeting new people.

What are the key things you have learned from your time at E.ON so far?

I’ve enjoyed learning more about the challenges of the energy industry, whether it’s how we support our large industrial customers or home customers, and how various government policies can create change within these processes. From a personal standpoint, I have enjoyed working on and finishing my degree. It was quite a comprehensive course, with new areas to me whilst expanding my knowledge in other areas.

What advice would you give to someone considering a degree apprenticeship?

If you find a degree apprenticeship in something you’re passionate about, you should absolutely be interested. It allows you to take your learnings to the next level straight away, giving you insight on what the most valuable learnings from your degree are. It also gives you a head start in the business world, putting you alongside experienced colleagues who are more than happy to share their knowledge.

How have you found the experience of working while studying?

Working whilst studying is the toughest part of any apprenticeship. Whilst a regular student at college or university will be able to focus most or all of their time on their modules, you will have less time dedicated to that. However, with the right time management, you can absolutely balance having a work, study and social life!

What are your views on green jobs?

With climate change becoming a greater concern by the day, it’s especially important that people are trained with the right green skills for the future. Whether that’s training engineers in the field to fit air source heat pumps, or optimising IT processes to be less intensive, everyone plays a part in decarbonising at E.ON.

How do you think E.ON is helping to create a new energy world?

At E.ON, there are various initiatives which aim to decarbonise energy use and support both industrial and home customers in transitioning to greener solutions. Our expertise in fitting modern solutions like solar, batteries and EV chargers at scale allow us to help other businesses decarbonise and bring our home customers along with us.

If you had to describe your time at E.ON so far in three words, what would they be?

Empowering, exciting, innovative.

To find out more about the exciting careers we have available at E.ON, visit our careers page.