Aircraft technical jobs ?

Author
Discussion

EC225Eng

75 posts

161 months

Monday 18th August 2014
quotequote all
S3_Graham said:
The apprenticeship must be through a company though, the college ones are crap! If he can get in anywhere just for experience then do it. The industry as a whole is massively incestuous and i've found its all who you know and rarely what you know.

Where abouts are you based? There is obviously a fair amount of stuff in the south but wages vary massively. I'm B1.1 and work in Private aviation (learjet/hawker/challengers/gulfstream/BBJ). The goal for everyone in my field is to find an aircraft owner and work directly for them, answerable to the lead pilot normally. Wages can top £100k!! though more normally £60-70k.

I did my college stuff via brooklands, then my license through LRTT.
I'm based up in Aberdeen on North Sea helicopters as a B1.3 on the 225 and S92. You are right it is incredibly incestuous at times, I've managed to get a few old RAF buddies who are in the process of studying for their licence in through the door. It's going crazy again up in Aberdeen, all the companies are ordering new aircraft and we'll be up to 26 aircraft by the new year. The older experienced guys up here are not to far from hitting 6 figures with some sitting about £85k+ and that's doing a 4on 4 off, 6 on 4off, 4 on 6 off rota and we have plenty O/T if you want it. It's a bit of a culture shock for the ex-military sometimes as it's so busy, I went from maybe 5 or 6 flights a day on the squadron to 40+ here! it took a bit of getting used to!

I did my licence via a mixture of CAA exams, Perth AST and LRTT.

AshVX220

5,929 posts

189 months

Monday 18th August 2014
quotequote all
There's also the Bae Systems apprenticeship scheme's available, if he'd prefer to work on military stuff. I'm the recruitment manager for higher apprentices to do Combat Systems Engineering for Naval Ships, so if you want any advice to go down the Bae route feel free to PM me.

eccles

13,721 posts

221 months

Tuesday 19th August 2014
quotequote all
EC225Eng said:
For a young guy with no military experience like the OP's son then an apprenticeship is necessary and certainly up here in Aberdeen then it's the only route to a newcomer to the rotary world. We don't do day release up here but time off is generally allowed to attend B licence modules and exams. Once someone completes their apprenticeship here they end up with an A licence and help to get their B. We have unlicensed mechs here but the management want people to go for their licence as it means they can sign off the jobs from filters to G-checks instead of just helping on the job. A young unlicenced mech with no military experience or apprenticeship is a very rare thing up here. If anyone has a B1.3 and types on EC225 or S92 and looking for a change of scenery PM me as we're looking for qualified guys.
The point I was trying to make was if you want to work on aircraft, you don't have to be licensed. You have to have training, whether it be an apprenticeship or day release and a NVQ, and it's still an interesting job with an OK salary as a mech.
Certainly agree with incestuous comments, once you've been around a while, you can go almost anywhere and know someone, the down side being if you do a major cock up, it usually follows you around for the rest of your career (not speaking from personal experience here!).

EC225Eng

75 posts

161 months

Tuesday 19th August 2014
quotequote all
eccles said:
The point I was trying to make was if you want to work on aircraft, you don't have to be licensed. You have to have training, whether it be an apprenticeship or day release and a NVQ, and it's still an interesting job with an OK salary as a mech.
Certainly agree with incestuous comments, once you've been around a while, you can go almost anywhere and know someone, the down side being if you do a major cock up, it usually follows you around for the rest of your career (not speaking from personal experience here!).
To work as a civvie in a military environment on military aircraft means that you don't have to be licensed as you're not subject to the CAA & EASA's rule, no Part M or Part 145. If you work on civilian aircraft then it certainly is a major advantage to have an apprenticeship then be licensed. With reference to the Op for his son to get a start in aviation I think it would be best for his son to either undertake a relevant apprenticeship or join the military rather than do the Btec.

Edited by EC225Eng on Tuesday 19th August 12:15

S3_Graham

12,830 posts

198 months

Tuesday 19th August 2014
quotequote all
It's probably worth noting that an apprenticeship is a good way of working out if it really is a career he wants to do! He has to be prepared for some massive frustrating rules. You can see what's wrong, you know how to fix it and you even have the part in your hand. You can't leave the office though as a certain box doesn't have a certain tick in a certain coloured pen.

EASA and the CAA are special.

J4CKO

Original Poster:

41,287 posts

199 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
Well he has signed up for a two year Aeronautic Engineering Btec course at the local college, he is aware of the licenses but its early days yet, at least he has something to start and see if it suits him, he is very methodical, doesn't flap and is very dexterous.

I am hoping it is more interesting and enjoyable than doing A levels, which I think were pretty dry, this place has actual planes to work on, I think once he know that it is what e wants to do, he will be off and running, certainly has the aptitude, it just needs a focus. If needs be we will pay for the license courses.




nessiemac

1,525 posts

240 months

Saturday 30th August 2014
quotequote all
British Airways run a very successful apprenticeship scheme run in conjunction with various colleges but all in the south east. A great way in if he wants to work on commercial aircraft and can work his way through from mech to licensed via in house training.
We have a lot of young guys and girls coming through lately and if you are career minded you can progress into lots of different areas around the airline.


Edited by nessiemac on Saturday 30th August 00:11

J4CKO

Original Poster:

41,287 posts

199 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
quotequote all
nessiemac said:
British Airways run a very successful apprenticeship scheme run in conjunction with various colleges but all in the south east. A great way in if he wants to work on commercial aircraft and can work his way through from mech to licensed via in house training.
We have a lot of young guys and girls coming through lately and if you are career minded you can progress into lots of different areas around the airline.


Edited by nessiemac on Saturday 30th August 00:11
Thanks, will pass that on to him.

Mr Classic

224 posts

118 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
quotequote all
I am starting an Apprenticeship tomorrow as a helicopter technician basically. 400 applicants, down to 40 interviewed and assessed. 8 of these final 40 had just finished Aircraft Maintenance courses at Farnborough Technical college, and were trying to join the apprenticeship, where they would have done exactly the same course as they had already done. Only 1 of these 8 got a place, so a two year college course can't even help you that much, just go straight for an apprenticeship.

nessiemac

1,525 posts

240 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
quotequote all
J4CKO said:
nessiemac said:
British Airways run a very successful apprenticeship scheme run in conjunction with various colleges but all in the south east. A great way in if he wants to work on commercial aircraft and can work his way through from mech to licensed via in house training.
We have a lot of young guys and girls coming through lately and if you are career minded you can progress into lots of different areas around the airline.


Edited by nessiemac on Saturday 30th August 00:11
Thanks, will pass that on to him.
No problem. 25 years on since starting my BA apprenticeship and can recommend it if that is what he
wants to aim for. Any questions feel free to ask. Cheers


J4CKO

Original Poster:

41,287 posts

199 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
Mr Classic said:
I am starting an Apprenticeship tomorrow as a helicopter technician basically. 400 applicants, down to 40 interviewed and assessed. 8 of these final 40 had just finished Aircraft Maintenance courses at Farnborough Technical college, and were trying to join the apprenticeship, where they would have done exactly the same course as they had already done. Only 1 of these 8 got a place, so a two year college course can't even help you that much, just go straight for an apprenticeship.
So, he needs to not bother based on potentially getting something where there is such competition ?

Point being, his University plans didn't happen, grades were not high enough, to be honest I don't think he could see the point, A levels are a bit dry.

He seems fairly fired up and enthusiastic about this so I don't want to tell him it isn't worth bothering with, could just be a different way in, get this done then go on to train for a license. Potentially whilst doing this he could look into apprenticeships, he was a bit stuck and needed to get something lined up.

Why do they run the course if it supposedly a waste of time ?







RCBRG

603 posts

140 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
You need some sort of company backing. A college course won't get you a look in anywhere, unless the training was done with a respected airline

Mr Classic

224 posts

118 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
If 8 people coming from a college course were looking to start an apprenticeship covering the same qualification what would you think?

J4CKO

Original Poster:

41,287 posts

199 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
See your point, Not sure where he is going to get an apprenticeship before tomorrow morning though, am thinking whilst he is doing it he will be able to gain some skills and get looking.

Edited by J4CKO on Monday 1st September 21:25

J4CKO

Original Poster:

41,287 posts

199 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Well, he has been at it at college for over a year and has come pretty much top of his class getting distinctions and the like so is ready to take the next step.

So, where next for him, he is at college until June next year and will come out with a BTEC and wants to take the next step, he has enquired at Liverpool university who apparently have an appropriate course.

Any pointers for him as to where to go next, any opportunities you are aware of, appreciate the Oil industry thing isnt perhaps where it was 12 months ago.

johno_78

121 posts

205 months

Sunday 4th October 2015
quotequote all
J4CKO said:
Well, he has been at it at college for over a year and has come pretty much top of his class getting distinctions and the like so is ready to take the next step.

So, where next for him, he is at college until June next year and will come out with a BTEC and wants to take the next step, he has enquired at Liverpool university who apparently have an appropriate course.

Any pointers for him as to where to go next, any opportunities you are aware of, appreciate the Oil industry thing isnt perhaps where it was 12 months ago.
Is he doing a mechanical or avionics course? Guessing at your location, BAE in Warton isn't too far away. BAE's subcontractor, Morsons, are always looking for new people, but i'd only use Morsons for job experience on his CV and co-workers' industry contacts.

If he's reasonably well spoken, a trip to the RAF careers office, could get him on a engineering officer training program, which would pay for his degree and set him up career wise.

J4CKO

Original Poster:

41,287 posts

199 months

Sunday 4th October 2015
quotequote all
johno_78 said:
J4CKO said:
Well, he has been at it at college for over a year and has come pretty much top of his class getting distinctions and the like so is ready to take the next step.

So, where next for him, he is at college until June next year and will come out with a BTEC and wants to take the next step, he has enquired at Liverpool university who apparently have an appropriate course.

Any pointers for him as to where to go next, any opportunities you are aware of, appreciate the Oil industry thing isnt perhaps where it was 12 months ago.
Is he doing a mechanical or avionics course? Guessing at your location, BAE in Warton isn't too far away. BAE's subcontractor, Morsons, are always looking for new people, but i'd only use Morsons for job experience on his CV and co-workers' industry contacts.

If he's reasonably well spoken, a trip to the RAF careers office, could get him on a engineering officer training program, which would pay for his degree and set him up career wise.
Yeah, he is well spoken, went to a decent school so it has rubbed off, he deifnitely has a work ethic, he works in a local convenience shop and seems to be very well regarded, will pass on the RAF thing, he has considered it in the past.


AshVX220

5,929 posts

189 months

Monday 5th October 2015
quotequote all
Applications for BAE in Warton open agaion on 1st November, but here's a link to the web page about it.

http://www.baesystems.com/en-uk/careers/careers-in...

J4CKO

Original Poster:

41,287 posts

199 months

Monday 7th March 2016
quotequote all
Well, he has a weeks work experience with an airline at Manchester this week, I got talking to a guy at my brothers at new year who is an Aircraft engineer at MAN, he did the exact same course, I asked if he would mine my lad emailing him some questions and he suggested some work experience and has arranged it, am so grateful, its a good chance to get a feel for the industry, pretty competitive though, for 4 apprenticeships there were 800 applicants last year but apparently 2 were off his course so that bodes well.

He took cakes in this morning as that is apparently a tradition, I think he will make the most of this, he is so enthusiastic.

RCBRG

603 posts

140 months

Monday 7th March 2016
quotequote all
the aircraft engineering industry is built upon bribes of cake. he'll fit in very well