Kingston is a University with Part 147 approval, and runs a Foundation Degree course in Aeronautical Engineering, or some similar title. The syllabus covers the EASA Part 66 Modules for Cat B1 and maybe B2. At the end of the course you have an EASA Basic Training Certificate and a Foundation Degree.
City of Bristol College, Perth, Newcastle, Barry and others are Colleges with Part 147 approval and run courses which combine BTEC and City & Guilds courses which also cover the Module and Practical syllabuses for EASA Part 66 Modules for Cat B1 and maybe B2. At the end of the course you have an EASA Practical Training Certificate and various BTEC and C&G certificates.
For the aspiring aircraft maintenance engineer the two outcomes are precisely the same. You keep the Basic Training Certificate and go and do 2 years work experience, after which you can apply for an EASA Pt 66 AME Licence. You can paper the toilet with the other certificates.
The reason why, in the UK, the EASA Part 66 course is disguised as Foundation Degree, BTEC, City & Guilds etc courses is because the British Government does not recognise the EASA qualification as a vocational qualification.
Someone needs to rattle the Government's cage to put this extraordinary anomaly right. That someone is the CAA, of course, but it's tea-time and then time to go home, so they'll carry on pretending that it's someone else's job to sort it out as they have done for the last decade.
The fully approved 2400 hour Part 66 Cat B course provided by Kingston and the Colleges comprises 3 elements, the Modules, Practical Training, and 400 hours OJT. (Practical training is done in a training workshop, OJT is supervised work on operational aircraft monitored by the Part 147 school.)
The Basic certificate is only awarded after all 3 elements are completed. Beware schools which do not guarantee all 3 elements within the course price, and then suggest that students must find their own OJT.
The alternative non-approved course route is to study for and take all the Module exams within a 5 years period. Instead of the Practical Training and OJT elements, you must have 5 years relevant work experience logged before you can apply for the EASA Pt 66 AME Licence with the Module exam certificates.. The study and work can of course be concurrent, and many people combine working to get the work experience, with home and/or part-time classroom study to get the Modules.
Last edited by Capot; 22nd Oct 2011 at 17:55.