hey guys, can anyone offer me any advice?

[newbie89]

hi, im new to this forum so big hello to everyone. I'll get straight to the point...im 20 years old and have just dropped out of uni cos it wasnt what i wanted to do. I really really want to be an aircraft mechanic!! i live in luton so applied to monarch apprenticeship last year but did not get past the interview :( :(

i just want to get my foot in the door but its almost impossible!! can anyone offer me any advice on what i can do to improve my chances of getting an apprenticeship or where i go from here?

Does anyone know if i can do voluntary work at a hanger to gain experience? or if anyone knows somewhere in luton/bedfordshire where i can get my foot in! it just feels like im banging my head against a brick wall >:ugh:

Many thanks

[eagleflier]

Maybe they'll take you more seriously if you got a college degree

[Too low]

And what about doing your part66 by distance learning, or on site... dunno what's available in the UK... and then look for a job?

Have you tried thomascook apprentice scheme in manchester? they were recruiting a few month ago.

Good luck, it's a rewarding, interesting and not to badly paid job :ok:

[smith]

Are you surprised that you have not got "your foot in the door"? If you hadn't realised or have been living in a cave for the last year and a half, we are slap bang in the middle of a global recession, with aviation companies being hit pretty hard thus redundancies are more the norm than taking on staff!!!!!

[corsair]

Suggest you go to the Engineers and Technicians forum and ask there.

You can simply go to college (again) and learn to be an Aircraft Engineer. City of Bristol College - Course Finder (http://www.cityofbristol.ac.uk/coursefinder/CourseDetails_ft.aspx?uiid=2633&classid=15&subclassid=15) My brother studied there and never looked back. Now he has more money than God but then that's probably because he doesn't spend it.

Don't just look at big maintenance companies. You should go to all the local airfields that have small maintenance facilities and ask if they need an apprentice.

[Aerouk]

I had a friend, last year, who had dropped out of a degree in Aero Eng and ended up on the Ryanair engineering course so it is possible.

Have you thought about an apprenticeship with the RAF as an engineer?

[PAPI-74]

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Monarch
BA
They all have engineers just get applying, but as was mentioned - get a degree.
The MOD will pay for your degree if you join up.

[Appoo]

Join the RAF. Very good pay, assistance with education, excellent promotion prospects, excellent training and a wide variety of experience. Leave when you are good and ready with a wealth of experience and hopefully make the transition into civvy street unless you find you like it in the RAF.

[sb_sfo]

And, while you're at it, learn to spell the name of the place where you likely want to be employed. Unless you're going into the dry cleaning trade, it's "HANGAR"

[newbie89]

yeah i do know we are in a global recession... but i thought aircraft engineers, would not so much feel the effect, after all planes still need to be serviced and maintained. its not like the housing market!

[Dodo56]

Newbie, the truth is, the mainstream airline life of new aircraft is getting ever shorter, with old buses needing lots of fettling being parked or shuttled off the godforsaken corners of the globe where labour is 50p/hour and the lives of the pax not valued much higher. Meanwhile our carriers prefer to bring in new aircraft and live off warranty and low initial servicing costs. And of course new aircraft are more reliable than ever before.

While you are right that the industry needs good engineers and there is many a maintenance manager bemoaning the shortage of supply they are an expensive resource, many companies can't or won't pay what it takes to get as many as they want and fewer still are prepared to put in the time and money to train them up. The shortages can't be that bad, then.

So at your end of the career ladder it's Catch-22 and not easy to get in. On the plus side once you are there you're in a good career. So get working at it, nobody's gonna make it happen for you, it's down to you. Good luck.

[Ingeniero]

What is exactly you want to do, become a licensed engineer.....B1, B2?

What did you study at the time you were in uni? Anything maths, science, engineering related would be an advantage if you decide to start studying for a license. Most license exams are about a-level standard.

Look around, there's a number of colleges around the country now that do the EASA Part 66 courses. Most apprenticeships and college courses start in September though......are you prepared to wait that long before beginning a course?

If you're after work experience keep emailing around. I've found that it's the smaller airlines that are more likely to give you the experience as they have more time to 'look after' you and teach you.