Work Experience
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work experience
hey g 126 ive recently finished a beng in aeronautical engineering. if you have any questions id be happy to answer them.
as far as work experience goes you are not likely to get paid for working in this field as you have no qualifications or experience, i did mine whilst still in school with Bombardier.
If you are in England send a letter to Airbus im sure they would take you in for a week or so to find out what its all about. There are many other companies also such as NATS, Rolls-royce,Quinitec any company who employs aeronautical engineers would be relevant.
I dont think you should be worrying about this too much at this stage though you will have other options later on, for instance during summers between university semesters you can get engineering placements with the companies i mentioned, or even take the entire year out of uni and get paid to work for one of the engineering companies for £12,000 which could cancel your student debt effectively.
Do you know that if you join the RAF before University they will pay you to go to University £5,000 per year if you sign up to work a minimum of 3 years for them after graduating? Dont know if this has changed since i went through but if you are decided that you definitely are going into the RAF why not take the £15K? you will also have guaranteed employment after graduating. Which is very good as out of my entire class only one person has so far secured graduate employment and its not even in an aeronautical field!
Employment oppertunities in this field are limited and very competitive so you need to have the edge which is done through acheiving high marks and attaining relavent work experience (year out).
This has prob given you a bit to think about so mull it over do some research and get back to me if you need any more advice.
good luck
Smoothflier
as far as work experience goes you are not likely to get paid for working in this field as you have no qualifications or experience, i did mine whilst still in school with Bombardier.
If you are in England send a letter to Airbus im sure they would take you in for a week or so to find out what its all about. There are many other companies also such as NATS, Rolls-royce,Quinitec any company who employs aeronautical engineers would be relevant.
I dont think you should be worrying about this too much at this stage though you will have other options later on, for instance during summers between university semesters you can get engineering placements with the companies i mentioned, or even take the entire year out of uni and get paid to work for one of the engineering companies for £12,000 which could cancel your student debt effectively.
Do you know that if you join the RAF before University they will pay you to go to University £5,000 per year if you sign up to work a minimum of 3 years for them after graduating? Dont know if this has changed since i went through but if you are decided that you definitely are going into the RAF why not take the £15K? you will also have guaranteed employment after graduating. Which is very good as out of my entire class only one person has so far secured graduate employment and its not even in an aeronautical field!
Employment oppertunities in this field are limited and very competitive so you need to have the edge which is done through acheiving high marks and attaining relavent work experience (year out).
This has prob given you a bit to think about so mull it over do some research and get back to me if you need any more advice.
good luck
Smoothflier
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I don't think this might be arelevance to your course, but since I'm content in becoming a pilot I worked part time over the summer at Manchester airport. Ground handling and loading baggage etc, was quiet demanding but better than sweeping the floors, never got that close to an airline before and airside
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Thanks. There’s a lot of useful advice there.
The RAF have already given me sponsorship which is great, but that means that I am unable to do a year placement, hence the hope to find a job this summer. Possibly it is less for the practical experience and more to keep me interested, I would be bored in an office or shop job.
Also, I am restricted to one of five UK Unis so I am unable to go to Kingston, although it does sound ideal for people trying to get into the airline biz. Rolls-Royce is definitely a viable option Smoothflyer, I don't live too far away from their Derby site and I may make a few enquiries.
Also Ground handling is something I had never really considered before, but as I said, it certainly would beat working in ASDA.
Thanks a lot guys, you have given me some useful ideas there.
G
The RAF have already given me sponsorship which is great, but that means that I am unable to do a year placement, hence the hope to find a job this summer. Possibly it is less for the practical experience and more to keep me interested, I would be bored in an office or shop job.
Also, I am restricted to one of five UK Unis so I am unable to go to Kingston, although it does sound ideal for people trying to get into the airline biz. Rolls-Royce is definitely a viable option Smoothflyer, I don't live too far away from their Derby site and I may make a few enquiries.
Also Ground handling is something I had never really considered before, but as I said, it certainly would beat working in ASDA.
Thanks a lot guys, you have given me some useful ideas there.
G
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I thought I would post an update of the replies I got so that others can see what the situation is like with work experience placements these days:
NATS – Not in the towers (not practical), Swanwick ok – placement subject to interview, and all were allocated. For 2007, they require a CV, passport sized photograph and a letter of recommendation from your school/college by 30th November 2006. (For contact details feel free to PM me).
GB Airways – Supports a number of local schools, but all were allocated
Excel Airways – First letter said they were currently in the process of constructing a work experience program and that they will get back to me, and the second letter said they were unable to assist in my request at this time
MyTravel – Manchester only
Flybe – Exeter only
Thomas Cook– No
Flyjet – No
British Airways – No (says on its website)
Astraeus – No reply
BAA – No reply
I found that it should be possible as long as you apply as early as possible, and try as many companies as possible (I didn't think about trying the handling agents and missed out some airlines) and are flexible as to where to apply.
NATS – Not in the towers (not practical), Swanwick ok – placement subject to interview, and all were allocated. For 2007, they require a CV, passport sized photograph and a letter of recommendation from your school/college by 30th November 2006. (For contact details feel free to PM me).
GB Airways – Supports a number of local schools, but all were allocated
Excel Airways – First letter said they were currently in the process of constructing a work experience program and that they will get back to me, and the second letter said they were unable to assist in my request at this time
MyTravel – Manchester only
Flybe – Exeter only
Thomas Cook– No
Flyjet – No
British Airways – No (says on its website)
Astraeus – No reply
BAA – No reply
I found that it should be possible as long as you apply as early as possible, and try as many companies as possible (I didn't think about trying the handling agents and missed out some airlines) and are flexible as to where to apply.
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You could always try Alteon, GECAT, etc.. They run all the simulators and I can't think how you'd be better setup to blag some free time
In fact, i might write to them as well, better get posting! :-P
Horgy
In fact, i might write to them as well, better get posting! :-P
Horgy
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Ahh yes I forgot to include that I e-mailed Virtual Aviation, who replied that they couldn't do it because "Only the instructor can go in the simulator with the customer".
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That seems awfully strange, their website has lots of pictures of other people in the sims, infact a television crew to be exact!
Can't remember where, but someone did it over at Lufthansa flight training in Germany and had a real ball, I remember because I wanted to attack place-ee with a rusty pick. I think it was on flightsim.com somewhere..
Horgy
Can't remember where, but someone did it over at Lufthansa flight training in Germany and had a real ball, I remember because I wanted to attack place-ee with a rusty pick. I think it was on flightsim.com somewhere..
Horgy
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Yeh I bet he did 
I sent an e-mail to GECAT and Alteon just to see if they actually offer any placements shadowing the instuctors. The reply from Virtual Aviation said
so maybe I e-mailed the wrong person or maybe Virtual Aviation only deals with the admin and not the actual operation of the simulator.
I sent an e-mail to GECAT and Alteon just to see if they actually offer any placements shadowing the instuctors. The reply from Virtual Aviation said
I don't think we're what you're looking for as the work we do is office based
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I got into BA post 9/11, i was working on behalf of EDS, who were looking after BA systems, i was based just above the concorde hangar so had a really good view, we were not allowed to apply via our school due to 9/11 however my mates mum worked for BA and she asked around and got us in. They were strict there, saying we cant view the concorde or 747, however me and my friend would just walk round and ask the engineers for a look inside the flight deck etc, they were more than happy to show us round
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Hi,
I did work experience after my GCSE's, firstly at a maintenance base in ym village (lasham) with a company called ATC, spent a week in overalls climbing all over a variety of aircraft and enjoyed being the only girl in a hangar of 400 men!!
After that i managed to wangle my way to the ATC control tower at LHR, somehow my mum had contacts and spent a week talking aircraft down and up using prompt cards that the controllers had given me. I really don't think something like that would be possible now due to security but if you could get yourself into the new tower it would be something. I'll see if i can find the name of the chief controller that got me the place and i'll let you know.
I did work experience after my GCSE's, firstly at a maintenance base in ym village (lasham) with a company called ATC, spent a week in overalls climbing all over a variety of aircraft and enjoyed being the only girl in a hangar of 400 men!!
After that i managed to wangle my way to the ATC control tower at LHR, somehow my mum had contacts and spent a week talking aircraft down and up using prompt cards that the controllers had given me. I really don't think something like that would be possible now due to security but if you could get yourself into the new tower it would be something. I'll see if i can find the name of the chief controller that got me the place and i'll let you know.
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Did my works exerience at Cleveland Flying School and Teesside ATC, best week of my life to that point!
At CFS, mostly running errands for the FI's, but also got pretty much one trip per day in an a/c to somewhere (mostly maintenance flights etc, but one lovely trip out for lunch to Leeds)
Spent the whole day in the tower at the end of the week, both in the radar room, and the "Greenhouse". Very interesting, and picked up some good tips from there..
Between second and third years of Uni, spent the summer at FRAviation in operations, more of a "formal" work placement (less trips, more working, no sudoku
) but there was also a lad on (Yr. 11) work experience that I was lookin after for a while. He got a jumpseat ride IIRC.
Short answer - Stuff is out there if your willing to look for it. Dont discount the Flying schools (after all, every pilot has been through one and you never know who you might meet... (I once met Brian Lecomber, which may mean more to the older Prooners!)), and be a little bit imaginative in who you apply to (i.e. not just airlines/atc/ramp agents - try fire fighters, maintenance organisations, cargo handlers....blitz anyone and everyone you can think of. After all, how much is a stamp nowadays?)
Best of luck
Matt
At CFS, mostly running errands for the FI's, but also got pretty much one trip per day in an a/c to somewhere (mostly maintenance flights etc, but one lovely trip out for lunch to Leeds)
Spent the whole day in the tower at the end of the week, both in the radar room, and the "Greenhouse". Very interesting, and picked up some good tips from there..
Between second and third years of Uni, spent the summer at FRAviation in operations, more of a "formal" work placement (less trips, more working, no sudoku
) but there was also a lad on (Yr. 11) work experience that I was lookin after for a while. He got a jumpseat ride IIRC. Short answer - Stuff is out there if your willing to look for it. Dont discount the Flying schools (after all, every pilot has been through one and you never know who you might meet... (I once met Brian Lecomber, which may mean more to the older Prooners!)), and be a little bit imaginative in who you apply to (i.e. not just airlines/atc/ramp agents - try fire fighters, maintenance organisations, cargo handlers....blitz anyone and everyone you can think of. After all, how much is a stamp nowadays?)
Best of luck
Matt
Last edited by MMEMatty; 23rd Jun 2006 at 16:07.
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Yes i would recommend that if you can't get a place with a Major Carrier go for a local flying school. I did mine with Lydd (EGMD) In kent for a week (the other week was with my dad doing heating and ventilation work) in year 10 and i enjoyed it very much so. I got to fly in some aircraft i had never been in and got a free trip around Kent and to Le Touquet in France. I suppose doing it at a flying club gives you the chance to be in a more informal atmosphere whilst learning knew things- the only downside with work experience (what i found with mine in a few cases) was having to make coffee and tidy up the clubhouse on several occasions! 
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Work Experience
GCSE's finished today and I am looking forward to my 9 weeks off for the summer.
We were told today to think about work experience (autumn/early winter) over the holidays to get an idea of where we would like to go, as it all has to be sorted when we got back to school.
I’m aiming to be a Commercial Airline Pilot. I haven’t fully decided which way I want to go about it yet, I just want to get good A-Levels and then decide.
I would like to do my weeks long work experience at my nearest airport, Belfast City.
I know I won’t be sitting in the flight deck just watching how it’s all done and it is more likely I will be in customer relations, fire safety or maybe even ATC.
Does anyone know if airports offer this type of work experience for students?
Would it be worthwhile if I got accepted for a week there, or would it be of no benefit to me at all?
We were told today to think about work experience (autumn/early winter) over the holidays to get an idea of where we would like to go, as it all has to be sorted when we got back to school.
I’m aiming to be a Commercial Airline Pilot. I haven’t fully decided which way I want to go about it yet, I just want to get good A-Levels and then decide.
I would like to do my weeks long work experience at my nearest airport, Belfast City.
I know I won’t be sitting in the flight deck just watching how it’s all done and it is more likely I will be in customer relations, fire safety or maybe even ATC.
Does anyone know if airports offer this type of work experience for students?
Would it be worthwhile if I got accepted for a week there, or would it be of no benefit to me at all?
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It's a start, but you could try one of the operators?
ATC will give you more of an insight and would probably be a 'helluva' lot more interesting than "Customer Services". Best thing to do would be find out who the SATCO (Senior Air Traffic Controller) is and ask him directly?
Any experience you can get is always valuable!
ATC will give you more of an insight and would probably be a 'helluva' lot more interesting than "Customer Services". Best thing to do would be find out who the SATCO (Senior Air Traffic Controller) is and ask him directly?
Any experience you can get is always valuable!
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Definately worth while many of us in aviation have worked in airports prior to getting the first break.
I did 3yrs in total mostly in Airfield Operations while studying for my ATPL's and doing my CPL/IR. The experience I gained while working in OPS gave me such a good grounding in aviation and I would recommend it to anyone even if only for a week!
PS we had work experience students with us on a weekly basis so hopefully your local airport does to. Enjoy
I did 3yrs in total mostly in Airfield Operations while studying for my ATPL's and doing my CPL/IR. The experience I gained while working in OPS gave me such a good grounding in aviation and I would recommend it to anyone even if only for a week!
PS we had work experience students with us on a weekly basis so hopefully your local airport does to. Enjoy
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Theres a thread already talking about this on page 2, suggest you go investigate...
Or here's a link:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=200323
Shouldn't be a problem getting in ATC (but does very much depend on the local airport), but probably won't hurt applying to other places, airlines that have bases or hubs at the airports may also take you on. Ramp / Cargo agents etc may also look after you.
Good Luck!
Matt
Or here's a link:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=200323
Shouldn't be a problem getting in ATC (but does very much depend on the local airport), but probably won't hurt applying to other places, airlines that have bases or hubs at the airports may also take you on. Ramp / Cargo agents etc may also look after you.
Good Luck!
Matt
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Originally Posted by LOOP2STAND1
PS we had work experience students with us on a weekly basis so hopefully your local airport does to. Enjoy
What were those students doing during the week?
Thanks
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At the airport I worked in the Work Experince students spent a day in each department ie Ground Services, Customer Services, OPS/ATC, Security. When they visited us in OPS they basically shadowed us for the day helped out where they could and just got a feel for the whole operation of an airport.
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Hi due to the on-going security issues and the costs of issuing airside ID and insurance, most if not all airlines will not accept any work placements.
If you are really wanting one of these placements then do keep trying.
Telephone the airlines and request to speak to the recruitment department or cabin crew managers.
They may just have you working in the offices but at least you got your foot in the door make a good impression and maybe get offered the job that you want when you are old enough.
Let us know the outcome.
If you are really wanting one of these placements then do keep trying.
Telephone the airlines and request to speak to the recruitment department or cabin crew managers.
They may just have you working in the offices but at least you got your foot in the door make a good impression and maybe get offered the job that you want when you are old enough.
Let us know the outcome.