Distance Learning advice on Aerospace engineering
 

Hi all, I'm a 25 year old female and i work as a civillian at Wattisham Airfield UK. I have only been there for 6 months but the job i do and the people and vehicle i work with have inspired me to want to further myself in the career of Aerospace Engineering.
As I work full time, I am unable to attend college. So I am looking for a distance learning course in this field. I have emailed countless colleges and universities, but none seem to be able to help. I was wondering if anybody on here could give me some advice on where to start or who to contact.
I have the required GCSE in physics but I understand i would need to re-sit my GCSE maths and english as I scored a D and the required grade is C or above.
My workplace have spoken about apprenticeships but i have been told by other staff that apprenticeships were spoken about 3 or more years ago also, so i would rather start the ball rolling myself.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Many thanks
Claire

As a search of the forums will show, I've been on a crusadeabout this for years. Unfortunately, so far, I've been unsuccessful in persuading any UK university to offer an aero-eng degree distance learning. I'm not giving up, but right at the moment I'm in the wrong job to get the right people to listen to me - give me a few more years and I'll start making people listen to me again.

Also, you'd almost certainly need A level maths and physics - but that at-least you should be able to do at evening classes, most local colleges will do that for you. With your existing GCSE grades, that's going to be a significant chunk of effort - but you can't get away from the fact that maths is the language of engineering.

After that, personally I think that the best option in the UK would be the Open University's BEng(Hons) in General Engineering - with a bit of judicious selection of the right modules and in particular making sure that your major project is firmly aeronautical, it starts to look adequately like an aero-eng degree.


The other option is to perhaps look at a part time /distance learning aircraft maintenance type course. I'm no expert on those, but other people here are and I'm sure somebody will explain them shortly.

But, the graduate type work that comes after a degree, and the skilled type work that comes after an apprenticeship or licence qualification are quite different. You need to get reasonably clear in your mind about which types of work it is that you're interested in. There should be plenty of people about you at Wattisham who can show you what the various jobs are. In really simplistic terms, on a squadron, the Engineering Warrant Officer is near top of the tree post-apprenticeship, and the SEngO (or Wg.Cdr.Eng Wing) is about halfway up the tree post degree. There is significant overlap.

G

Teamauk,

I think the first thing to do is to clarify exactly what sort of work your inspired to do?

Do you want to work in aircraft design/manufacturing or aircraft maintenance/maintenance management?

The two are completely different fields bound by a similar subject...aircraft.

Ghengis is good in his field which is engineering, including how to get degrees in aerospace subjects.

I, on the other hand, hold no qualifications other than some licences and some experience. But I'll have a stab at helping you on the maintenance side, if thats what you want?

There are some part time degrees which you may want to consider for degree in aero. But embrie riddle university in USA runs a degree program distance learning.but how far this degree will get you is open to debate. I m a b1 maintenance engineer.if it's maintenance you are looking for then I can help drop a pm.if you looking at design or manufacture side then u need a solid degree from proper university. the only way u keep your job and study as well is part time not distance learning and get decent degree from a decent university

Hi Claire,

If you are looking at a decent engineering course at a part time basis, you can consider University of Bradford's programme. They offer a part time BEng programme, which is open only to UK residents. If conditions do not permit you to exercise this option, then feedback from some of our esteemed members of this thread will do well; Open University (UK) and ERAU. Yet another option: Massey University(NZ) have been running a credible distance learning programme for some years now.

But most importantly, you have to know what is it you are really after. Your choice of degree should reflect on your eventual career aspirations, preferably, so as to yield maximum benefit for you, just like what another member mentioned earlier.:ok:


Idris
SIN

Bradford Undergraduate Part time Degrees (Mechanical Engineering, while not the same, is similar to Aero-Eng and is a good route into the industry).

ERAU offer many impressive courses, but they don't do a distance learning first degree in engineering.

G

hi guys thanks for the supportive messages.
i want to become what is known in the military as a blackie, we strip inspect clean and repair the aircraft where i work, this is the thing i am aiming for if it helps.
I have looked into the open university course in engineering and this does seem the only feasable route in the UK.
I know one way is to join up with the RAF but i need to keep my current job due to personal circumstances.

In that case, you want to look at licence courses, not degrees.

You could also look at apprenticeships, they still exist, either in maintenance or in manufacturing at places like Westlands or BAeS.

Your employer may well be amenable to improving yourself within the current job, with a view to climbing their particular career ladder. Show the right loyalty, and it does get showed back.

G

Claire,

I don't know the Army's Hat system so I assume 'Blackies' are mechanical trades. I also don't know which company has the Apache contract - either westlands, Serco or vector I assume?

Your employer may have some form of apprenticeship and may also have some form of technical training college, most of the MOD contractors do. Your first call is to enquire there - and see what they have to offer.

After that, if you can't move from the Ipswich area you should look at distance learning, as you first said.

"Licence by Post" is worth googling, but you may find it, or any others, expensive.

Some or your colleagues may have already tried this approcah and may still have some LBP notes that you could copy (or buy) Put a note on your intranet to see if anyone can help.

There are Licence websites like Part 66 .com that may also help - for a fee.

Even while you're doing this YOU MUST start recording your maintenance experience in detail and logging it by ATA Chapter - you will need to show that you have been working in an aircraft environment for at least three years to get a CAT A Licence. Your log is important.

If you need further please ask on here or send a PM. Ill post any answers on here to let others see them.

Rigga