Airbus and or Bae engineering apprenticeships.
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Airbus and or Bae engineering apprenticeships.
My stepson has face to face interviews for both. As a doting stepfather (more specifically I want to appease his mum) I’m trying to find any gen on either. A y leads?
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Just because no one has answered don't give up, it's because we do not know.
A lad up the road from me has just got into this years TUI apprenticeship scheme and is over the moon about it, he has almost zero aircraft engineering knowledge but got selected. I believe these days they are looking for basic behaviour and personality traits first, be positive, show enthusiasm for the scheme and just have a cool head on young shoulders. I went thru with him roughly what the scheme would be about, I explained how he would be trained and how to gain the engineer licences, very basic aerodynamics, jet engine theory and aircraft structure but I feel his enthusiasm and mature, inquisitive mind are what got him in.
Do some study on the company, know some basics about the history of the company, number of employees, where are the factories, where is the HQ etc
Hope all goes well with your lad.
Do some study on the company, know some basics about the history of the company, number of employees, where are the factories, where is the HQ etc
Hope all goes well with your lad.
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Airbus
Hi,
I was a BAe Airbus apprentice at Chester/Broughton in the 1980 intake. It was a great apprenticeship then (5 years), this has been reduced. I have since become a 787 training Captain but the time I spent with BAe /Airbus was invaluable not least because it taught me how little I know about aircraft ystems. Most pilots think they know a lot about their aircraft, the reality is our Flight Crew Operating Manual is the ladybird book of aircraft systems etc. Whenever I want to know anything of significance I always come on this forum and get the advice of some people who really know their aircraft.(I'm on here now to post my latest question)
Your son would do well with Airbus, if it is Chester you are interested in give me a shout as I still have contacts there who can get you more info.
I was a BAe Airbus apprentice at Chester/Broughton in the 1980 intake. It was a great apprenticeship then (5 years), this has been reduced. I have since become a 787 training Captain but the time I spent with BAe /Airbus was invaluable not least because it taught me how little I know about aircraft ystems. Most pilots think they know a lot about their aircraft, the reality is our Flight Crew Operating Manual is the ladybird book of aircraft systems etc. Whenever I want to know anything of significance I always come on this forum and get the advice of some people who really know their aircraft.(I'm on here now to post my latest question)
Your son would do well with Airbus, if it is Chester you are interested in give me a shout as I still have contacts there who can get you more info.
Depends if he wants to get into maintenance or manufacturing. I know some that started at Airbus and moved to airline work soon after. The career path is slightly different though. The industry is crying out for keen young new blood though. Best of luck.
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Hello, I joined BAE as an apprentice in the early 2010s on the aircraft maintenance/technician side of things.
In my case, it was about a year of classroom and practical training in workshops and on some old Hawk T1 aircraft.
The second year, I moved onto an RAF base where you effectively train on the job working with both the RAF and BAE personnel. Back when I started, you were sent to Coningsby, Marham or Cottesmore and often weren't given too much say in that decision.
As I understand it today, the training centre is at Humberside Airport and the main locations are Coningsby (Typhoon) and Marham (F-35). Worth mentioning, the Marham location will come with extra security screening on top of what you already do for obvious reasons.
The pay is quite reasonable for an apprenticeship, better than most and often opens up a raft of career opportunities outside of BAE as well as internally as many have taken up. You can make a lot of money in Saudi Arabia for example but that's not for everyone's taste.
The one thing I would stress, is that at least on the maintenance side, full time employee pay overall is still a ways behind typical industry "standard". Staff turnover is also quite high these days I'm told from those who still work there.
I left personally as at the time, the salary wasn't close to being competitive. I'm told it's improving but has a ways to go. Not to say the apprenticeship can't give you a leg up overall. There is no service retention clause in your contract, so you could leave the day after you got your qualification for example. At least there wasn't when I was going through the process.
All of the above pertains only to the aircraft maintenance apprenticeship. I can't speak on the apprenticeships offered at Salmesbury/Warton.
In my case, it was about a year of classroom and practical training in workshops and on some old Hawk T1 aircraft.
The second year, I moved onto an RAF base where you effectively train on the job working with both the RAF and BAE personnel. Back when I started, you were sent to Coningsby, Marham or Cottesmore and often weren't given too much say in that decision.
As I understand it today, the training centre is at Humberside Airport and the main locations are Coningsby (Typhoon) and Marham (F-35). Worth mentioning, the Marham location will come with extra security screening on top of what you already do for obvious reasons.
The pay is quite reasonable for an apprenticeship, better than most and often opens up a raft of career opportunities outside of BAE as well as internally as many have taken up. You can make a lot of money in Saudi Arabia for example but that's not for everyone's taste.
The one thing I would stress, is that at least on the maintenance side, full time employee pay overall is still a ways behind typical industry "standard". Staff turnover is also quite high these days I'm told from those who still work there.
I left personally as at the time, the salary wasn't close to being competitive. I'm told it's improving but has a ways to go. Not to say the apprenticeship can't give you a leg up overall. There is no service retention clause in your contract, so you could leave the day after you got your qualification for example. At least there wasn't when I was going through the process.
All of the above pertains only to the aircraft maintenance apprenticeship. I can't speak on the apprenticeships offered at Salmesbury/Warton.
I beg to differ Matt.
Mechanic's pay today is where LAE pay was about 3 years ago. Jet 2 are paying in excess of £42000 for Mechs only just out of their apprenticeship. With an 'A' Licence that can accelerate to over £55000 at some airlines. B1 and B2 LAEs are now pulling in £70000-£90000 depending on type and location. It's an employees market at the moment. The lack of investment and training in this industry has come home to roost. Shame I'm about to retire. 🙄
Mechanic's pay today is where LAE pay was about 3 years ago. Jet 2 are paying in excess of £42000 for Mechs only just out of their apprenticeship. With an 'A' Licence that can accelerate to over £55000 at some airlines. B1 and B2 LAEs are now pulling in £70000-£90000 depending on type and location. It's an employees market at the moment. The lack of investment and training in this industry has come home to roost. Shame I'm about to retire. 🙄
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I understand what you're getting at, and I think we might be agreeing with each other.
My point was, BAE are not matching the going rate that you see elsewhere in those types of jobs. Jet 2 paying £42,000 for mechs fresh out their apprenticeship is a far cry from BAE who are paying around £10,000 less than that for the same level of experience. Until only 2 years ago, the typical starting salary out of the apprenticeship was £26,000. It's not until you get to a more supervisory position, that £42,000 is attainable in a reasonable timeframe. It's perhaps the main reason for the high level of staff turnover, at least on the shop floor in my experience.
My point was, BAE are not matching the going rate that you see elsewhere in those types of jobs. Jet 2 paying £42,000 for mechs fresh out their apprenticeship is a far cry from BAE who are paying around £10,000 less than that for the same level of experience. Until only 2 years ago, the typical starting salary out of the apprenticeship was £26,000. It's not until you get to a more supervisory position, that £42,000 is attainable in a reasonable timeframe. It's perhaps the main reason for the high level of staff turnover, at least on the shop floor in my experience.
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Interview
Hi, just got into the TUI Apprentership, never thought I would as I felt as though the online interview went very badly as I didn't use the full amount of time.
Then I got into the assesment centre (very surprised at this point). We had to do a practical task, answer multiple choice questions on maths and general logic based engineering and science questions, and had to write an essay on the 4 forces of flight.
I was then told around 3/4 days later that I had got through to the interview where I had to do a presentation too. I felt this went well. The panel seemed interested and I had contacted apprentices from previous years for what they were asked, they were generally the same (what I knew about TUI, how would I approach a situation where someone had a different view than me, all along thoes lines). Then they asked how I would cope moving to Luton which I felt was a good sign.
I also had one after that with AirTanker, where they said I passed on the day and that I would need to go to the assessment centre. I had already had received the offer for TUI so I waited my contract to come then I told air tanker that I no longer wanted to proceed. TUI was also my first choice (no pun intended) as I have followed the company due to my strong interest in aviation and particularly with the charter airline industry.
But my advice would be to know ins and outs of the company as I found it relatively easy to answer some of the TUI based questions. I had practiced the others in my spare time. I have always been a big aviation nerd so this is why I found this bit quite easy. Some questions however, needed me to think on the spot and find and example I had, I found that I had examples that I hadn't even thought of in practice and they just came to me on the day when asked. I think I went into it with the mentality of knowing that "they don't know what they don't know" so I was telling them everything. Saying that, I had forgotten to mention examples that I had practiced which was wiered like how I volunteered at Coventry airport on the Nimrod. I was kicking myself....
I would also say that it would be a good idea to know what your ideal career progression would be and to understand the difference liscenses you can gain from the apprentership (something that I didn't necessarily think of/focus on in detail when going into the interview).
All payed off in the end however and I was (and still am) over the moon as I've always wanted to do this, especially with an airline that I have followed and continue to go on holiday with since a young age.
Then I got into the assesment centre (very surprised at this point). We had to do a practical task, answer multiple choice questions on maths and general logic based engineering and science questions, and had to write an essay on the 4 forces of flight.
I was then told around 3/4 days later that I had got through to the interview where I had to do a presentation too. I felt this went well. The panel seemed interested and I had contacted apprentices from previous years for what they were asked, they were generally the same (what I knew about TUI, how would I approach a situation where someone had a different view than me, all along thoes lines). Then they asked how I would cope moving to Luton which I felt was a good sign.
I also had one after that with AirTanker, where they said I passed on the day and that I would need to go to the assessment centre. I had already had received the offer for TUI so I waited my contract to come then I told air tanker that I no longer wanted to proceed. TUI was also my first choice (no pun intended) as I have followed the company due to my strong interest in aviation and particularly with the charter airline industry.
But my advice would be to know ins and outs of the company as I found it relatively easy to answer some of the TUI based questions. I had practiced the others in my spare time. I have always been a big aviation nerd so this is why I found this bit quite easy. Some questions however, needed me to think on the spot and find and example I had, I found that I had examples that I hadn't even thought of in practice and they just came to me on the day when asked. I think I went into it with the mentality of knowing that "they don't know what they don't know" so I was telling them everything. Saying that, I had forgotten to mention examples that I had practiced which was wiered like how I volunteered at Coventry airport on the Nimrod. I was kicking myself....
I would also say that it would be a good idea to know what your ideal career progression would be and to understand the difference liscenses you can gain from the apprentership (something that I didn't necessarily think of/focus on in detail when going into the interview).
All payed off in the end however and I was (and still am) over the moon as I've always wanted to do this, especially with an airline that I have followed and continue to go on holiday with since a young age.
I think you should bear in mind that Airbus and BAeS are NOT by and large aircraft maintenance organisations, they are aircraft manufacturers. An apprenticeship at either is about manufacturing engineering, not about aircraft maintenance. So it's setting somebody up for a career path into manufacture, possibly into design, quite probably into senior management (BAeS' MDs are almost always ex company apprentices). But, it's not about getting aircraft maintenance engineer licences and anybody offering advice in that regard, basically doesn't understand these companies.
Yes there are maintenance people there, but they're a small minority of the overall. Far more people are building new jets, or even working on the development of the next generation of jets.
A candidate for these apprentice wants to learn as much as they can about the company, their role, their product range - and be able to convincingly show that they not only have the mathematical and practical aptitude to become a good technician and potentially an engineer, but they also need to show that they have an interest and attitude that could lead them into a full career at these companies, building and developing the next generation of aeroplanes.
These apprenticeships are not, I repeat not, usually about maintenance engineering. Comparisons to airline maintenance engineering apprenticeships are generally comparing apples to oranges.. They are on the other hand certainly amazing opportunities for the people who are lucky enough to get in.
G
Yes there are maintenance people there, but they're a small minority of the overall. Far more people are building new jets, or even working on the development of the next generation of jets.
A candidate for these apprentice wants to learn as much as they can about the company, their role, their product range - and be able to convincingly show that they not only have the mathematical and practical aptitude to become a good technician and potentially an engineer, but they also need to show that they have an interest and attitude that could lead them into a full career at these companies, building and developing the next generation of aeroplanes.
These apprenticeships are not, I repeat not, usually about maintenance engineering. Comparisons to airline maintenance engineering apprenticeships are generally comparing apples to oranges.. They are on the other hand certainly amazing opportunities for the people who are lucky enough to get in.
G
