I'm joining the British Army as an Aircraft Technician next year.
I'd like to know if it's easy to get a job in the civilian market afterwards.
Would I have to study additional courses or will the experience from the army land me a good job? What kind of a salary would I be looking at?
Are ex-military tech's in demand?

Thank you.

I'm joining the British Army as an Aircraft Technician next year.
I'd like to know if it's easy to get a job in the civilian market afterwards.
Would I have to study additional courses or will the experience from the army land me a good job? What kind of a salary would I be looking at?
Are ex-military tech's in demand?

Thank you.

You must study all courses and can get credit for your practical experience from the military!
For the A,B1 or B2 licence please see info below!

http://www.jartraining.de/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=102

easaman@<hidden>

As for the job prospects when you leave, at the moment it's very good, lots of heli work out there if you've got a license. Start to study early and then you can have everything in place for when you leave.

Hang on, am I missing something here? You're joining the Army next year and already you're thinking about leaving!

Do bear in mind that for 9 or 12 years your primary task will be that of a soldier (bang bang shoot shoot) and an aircraft technician second. That's the way the Army work. You'll need to do more than 5 years and do your 'upgraders' to come out as anything other than a 'tyre-kicker' so you really are looking at 9-12.

Also bear in mind that after 12 years you'll be coming out fairly high up the Army ranks (Sgt, maybe S/Sgt) and you'll suddenly be reduced to grubbing on the hangar floor again as you'll have no experience of any use to a civil operator. (Not much call for Apache maintainers on the North Sea).

Yes, you'll have basic experience under your belt but don't expect to come out and be feted as god's gift to aviation - because you won't be.

On a more positive note; the Armed Forces are working toward aligning their training packages with civil aviation to make it easier for people leaving to move into the civil side.

And as quichemech says - start studying early.

Good luck

Taff

Taff Missed is spot on! Soldier first, technician second!!
Make sure you train as a greenie though. Their the brighter bunch!!!!:p
BEWARE THE WATTISHAM TRIANGLE!!!!!!!!!!

Couldn't agree more with Taff and Plump! 37 years ago I couldn't spell LAE now I are one!! All the best chap, and enjoy the Mob. Keep bobbing and weaving!!

Couldn't agree more with Taff and Plump! 37 years ago I couldn't spell LAE now I are one!! All the best chap, and enjoy the Mob. Keep bobbing and weaving!!

37 years ago!! Christ! Shouldn't your handle be Skeeter man??:)

Taff

Beaverman, you are my era, gawd you're old! I remember when the Islander came into service with 1 Flight - we thought we were thrustingly modern! :bored:

Steady Taff!! I'm not that old!! But...aaaah Beaver!! Now your talking! Tail draggers...real aeroplanes!!

Phooey....you can drag your tail on an Islander - just makes a mess at Aldergrove! Nobody notices at Wallop.....;)

Phooey....you can drag your tail on an Islander - just makes a mess at Aldergrove! Nobody notices at Wallop.....;)

Except the PropMan! He's worse than a greenkeeper sometimes.

Not being funny fellas, but that's a little off...

It may well be the official line but seriously, apart from a few exercises a year n the odd op tour most of our working life is spent in the hangar and on the pan fixing aircraft.

Torkhild - Just so you know, 90 % of your Army career as an Air Tech will be spent at Wattisham Airfield nr Ipswich (should that be Wattishame?)...

Why?
9 Regt (Dishforth) - is apparently closing down in 2008
1 Regt (Germany) - is closing down in the next couple of years
5 Regt (Ireland) - rumoured to be going Civvy
Brunei - Gone civvy \
Belize - Gone civvy - (B@<hidden>)
Cyprus - Gone civvy /
Canada - You'd be VERY lucky to get that and is also rumoured to be going civvy

Hope you like Ipswich - If you really want to travel, then there's always Iraq, Afghanistan n Bosnia!

Steady Taff!! I'm not that old!! But...aaaah Beaver!! Now your talking! Tail draggers...real aeroplanes!!

And they are looking at putting em back into production along with the Twin Otter..... Sigh :)

And they are looking at putting em back into production along with the Twin Otter..... Sigh :)

What!! Beavers and Twotters!! Have I died and gone to heaven!!...It is hard to comprehend that the same company that produced these two leg ends of aviation were responsible for the Q400!!

Yup Twin Otter is planned and the Beaver is been looked as as well I heard
see

http://www.vikingair.com/

http://www.aviation.ca/content/view/3607/117/

Probably all been said above by now, but I can't emphasize enough that no-one in civvy street gives a rats arse about what rank you attain in the Army/RAF etc, it's all about what civvy licences you hold when you leave. I couldn't get this through the thick skulls of those with higher rank than me when I was leaving the RAF many years ago, they all thought 'I'm a corporal, you're not, so you'll struggle to get a job but I won't. Franlky, that was b#llocks on their part, get in, get licensed, get out I reckon!

I know that the RAF and RNAS bods get an annual allowance to buy job-related training, more or less of their choice, and I imagine that the Army gets that too. It's not much (<£200 per year?), but every little helps. The unit education people should know about it, and if not you should rattle their cage a little.

Others on this thread will probably know more about this.

You've got 9-12 years to get fitted up with qualifications (EASA Pt 66 B1 or B2 all modules passed?) for when you leave after having had the best time of your life. Keep dodging the incoming.

If the Government - may their mistresses be infected - decide that you would benefit from early redundancy you won't regret doing it now.

Aaaaaahhhhh..............those were the days...