Becoming an engineer. Need advice

[manjra14]

Hi there, I basically made this thread because I want to know how I can become an aircraft engineer. I'm eighteen and I'm currently finishing my A-levels. I'm from Barbados so my qualifications maybe different but the exams I'm doing is equivalent to a-levels.

So, I've been reading online but I'm finding it very difficult as to how I go about to become an aircraft engineer. I've checked Canada but read on a different forum that doing AME in Canada is rough and you don't get paid well.

So that discouraged me a lot and now I'm looking at getting an EASA Part-66 license. The thing is, from my research I only found two places in England that do this course. City of Bristol college and Kingston. Are there any other places or ways I can become an aircraft engineer in England? I've checked apprenticeships but they only seem to accept citizens. Also, Kingston is really expensive and Bristol college never replied to my email about international students and fees.
So, any information would be appreciated as to how I can achieve my goal to become an AME.

[Arthur Bellcrank]

Kingston is the better training in everyway, incorporates the necessary On Job Training and is linked to degree course.
Another option you may explore is Welcome to Resource Group | Resource Group (http://www.resourcegroup.co.uk/)


You may find the FAA A&P route better for you, good luck with your choice.

[BluFin]

You might want to look at this link for other options, if you don't hear back that speaks volumes I would say.

https://www.caa.co.uk/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=4294973541

[manjra14]

You might want to look at this link for other options, if you don't hear back that speaks volumes I would say.

https://www.caa.co.uk/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=4294973541
I agree, haven't got a reply so that should say something... The site doesn't have much info either. I checked out northbrook college and they offer the Category A license. How is the pay in the Category A path compared to category B?
I also saw a few guys who attended that college and got apprenticeships at BA.

[Edgar Jessop]

Also consider International Centre for Aerospace Training (http://www.part66.com) who take a lot of international students.

To be honest your biggest problem is not going to be getting the theoretical training but rather the practical side. I used to get requests all the time from young lads offering to work for free for the experience, but we couldn't do it because there are liabilities involved with putting someone inexperienced on a live aircraft, and you would need to have an experienced engineer looking over their shoulder and telling them how to do things. The cost and time involved means 'free' labour would be anything but free.

To start the ball rolling you could try offering your services to a local flying club at weekends and see a year or two later if a contracting agency will take you on its books. You'll get all the crap jobs at first but you gotta start somewhere.

Obviously apprenticeships are the best way to go if this is your favored career path, but they are very competitive.