I’m an ex RAF aircraft engineer (A Tech AV) and would like to add my thoughts and experiences. Hopefully some policy maker will read and learn why theres a shortage of Engineers…
It’s a retention issue not just a recruitment issue.
The problem with aircraft engineering is how long it takes to for someone to become suitably qualified and experienced (SQEP). You can’t simply replace an engineer with 22 years experience with a kid who’s fresh out of school. It takes years to gain the knowledge for fault finding and the knacks of what to do when things inevitably don’t go to plan.
RAF Trade Training now seems to be ran by the accountants. By having the recruits in the training pipeline for the bare minimum amount of time. The training has got so cut back that the system is now kicking the can down the road. Recruits are turning upto a frontline squadron knowing nothing, without being taught any flight line operations. So frontline squadrons are now expected to teach their new arrivals what was originally taught at Cosford.
From what I’ve seen. The RAF changed in pension scheme, so the new guys joining now don’t get awarded an immediate pension if they were to stay in for 22 years. They only get a pension at 65 regardless of how long they serve. So there’s no longer any retention incentive, such as the “pension trap”.
The PVR rate is not just about the money, but the conditions in the RAF compared to having a civilian job instead. In my own opinion Junior Ranks in the RAF are treated poorly, patronised and talked down to. There’s still a Victorian class-system culture, where Junior Ranks are treated like second class citizens. I can’t think of any civilian job where I’d be told where I can and can’t live or eat.
On recent OOAs we’d be living in transit accommodation that’s literally not fit for a prisoner and deliberately provided with the worse food that PAYD could get away with. My thoughts were a civilian would never accept this back home and have a much higher quality of life.
“That’s life in a blue suit” … but we did not join to be worse off than the alternative careers that we could have had.
The retention posters that say we should stay in the RAF for the adventure training and dental care, but don’t see the bigger picture. On a undermanned and busy frontline squadron, it’s very difficult to get time off work to attend sport and AT. The dental care is no better than civilian life if you’re waiting months for an appointment with the med centre.
From what I’ve experienced working alongside a big name civilian aerospace company. They’re no alternative to RAF manpower. As this civilian company is entirely driven by profit. They won’t touch anything that won’t make them money. For example, if they’re contracted to fix 8 widgets a month then the RAF will only be getting 8 widgets and no more, regardless of how many are sat on the shelf U/S
Last edited by gr4techie; 14th January 2025 at 15:42.