Hans,
Have a good read of this topic. There has been plenty of mention, and the relevant links posted on governmental assistance available to prospective employers.
Arm yourself with this info. If I was you, apart from posting here looking for a job, I'd go cold calling. You really need to sell yourself.
Some attributes I'd consider working a speil on (in no particular order)
Government assistance available to the employer.
Your Maturity, and how it relates to your dedication level to your work and goal (qualification)
Your manufacturing history, and how it relates on the floor.
Have in mind as to which area of Maintenance you want to work in. No good walking into an airframe shop if you want to do avionics.........
I originally left school into an AME apprenticeship. The job wasn't advertised, and nor did it exist. I cold called. The job I eventually got, the initial response I got was that he was not interested in another apprentice, as the one before me gave him a bad experience. I told him, I wasn't that guy and he should reconsider.
I turned up exactly a week later, and asked him if he had reconsidered. He said no, but he'd think about it. So I went back the next week
I pestered him weekly until he decided on a formal interview. I believe I was the last apprentice he ever hired.
I have found this particular area of the industry is very tough to break into...you need to be johnny on the spot when a job comes up, or like pilots in the face of perspective employers.
Good luck
Jas