New engineering apprentice scheme
Hi All
Been brooding on this for sometime... so I have to vent a little! Over the last few years I have taken care of graduates of various aircraft engineering schools as work based placements.
Most (all I have seen) seem to be let down by the system . Personally I am in favour of the traditional 4 year apprenticeship scheme . Where student does 6 months on the job to see if he first of all likes the job and it is suited to him. Then once they accepts the apprenticeship starts his two week blocks of theory. Think I had roughly 40 weeks over my 4 year apprenticeship.
Under the new system students don't see an working aircraft or a real life organisation operating aircraft . Theory is shoved down the necks of students week after week relentlessly over a 9 month period. Certainly dumping the previous weeks lessons from their brains.
It seems very few hand skills are taught . Such as how to strip a wire , crimping and using a nav test set. It seems the blackhanders are taught how to file a block aluminum and basic lockwiring. Even more beneficial teaching would be how to actually conduct a service, powering on an aircraft and even safety in aviation environment (not just the theory).
The new journals are even harder to navigate , it seems this was written by someone from the education department with no idea of what is actually involved in aircraft maintenance. Personally I see nothing at fault with the current SOE books.
Combine this with the death of self study I see a great shortage for licenced guys coming into the system. Lets hope 457 visas don't dry up
That is my little rant :-/