Aircraft Workshop Apprentice

Summary

You’ll earn work alongside some of the best engineers in the business, helping you to develop your engineering skills, whilst repairing aircraft components in both ‘ramp’ and ‘hangar’ environments. You’ll rotate through different workshops, learning different skill-sets, so you understand the nature of highly sophisticated aircraft components.

Annual wage: £16,916 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Training course: Composites technician (level 3)
Hours: Year 1 & 2 Monday to Friday, with varying times depending if at college or BA. Year 2 Monday to Friday, 4 days BA & 1 day college, varying times depending on college/BA. Year 3 - 4 days on and 4 days off – 12 hour days (shift start 06:00-18:00)
37 hours a week
Possible start date: Friday 29 August
Duration: 2 years 9 months
Positions available: 4

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

• Work with our engineering teams and develop your skills helping repair aircraft components and conducting “on wing” repair on our full fleet of aircraft

• Be involved in component workshop checks and help with significant composite and sheet metal repairs

• Working with and repairing components using the latest materials, processes and technologies, from a simple panel to a complete Engine Thrust Reverser

• Learn about the importance of health, safety and security in everything our engineering teams do

• Develop your engineering skills and knowledge through a combination of on - the - job learning and coursework

Where you’ll work

London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5

The Compass Centre

Nelson Road

Hounslow

TW6 2GA

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

FARNBOROUGH COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Your training course

Composites technician (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents

Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand task.
Plan work. Identify and organise resources.
Identify hazards and risks in the workplace.
Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
Apply sustainability principles for example, in choice of materials, minimising waste.
Prepare and use mould tools.
Select and check hand tools, equipment and machinery including calibration record.
Use or operate hand tools, equipment, and machinery.
Store mould tools, hand tools, and equipment.
Select, check, and prepare materials for example, weigh resins, cut reinforcement.
Follow quality control processes during manufacture for example, check for contaminants, record batch numbers or expiry dates.
Apply laminate to mould for example, cut, add darts, corner definition, orientation, position, and order.
Complete preparation for and start curing process for example, select and apply consumables for example vacuum bag, infuse with resin, add heat or pressure.
Extract product from mould (break out).
Conduct final product quality assurance procedure. For example, conduct grading parameters checks (size, appearance, weight), and take samples for laboratory testing.
Identify issues for example, de-laminations, inclusions, surface defects, surface imperfections, and maintenance requirements.
Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
Record or enter data - paper based or electronic. For example, process and production records, traceability records, and quality assurance records.
Interpret data for example, defect data and geometrical measurements. Use data to validate suggestions.
Investigate a problem to identify the underlying cause. Identify a solution to the problem.
Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement. For example, improving the energy consumption or waste profile of processes and procedures to improve the sustainability or carbon footprint of a product, process, or task.
Apply team working principles.
Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
Communicate in written form in the workplace for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
Use information technology for work tasks. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned continued professional development (CPD) activities. Evaluate CPD against plans made.
Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand task.
Plan work. Identify and organise resources.
Identify hazards and risks in the workplace.
Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
Apply sustainability principles for example, in choice of materials, minimising waste.
Prepare and use mould tools.
Select and check hand tools, equipment and machinery including calibration record.
Use or operate hand tools, equipment, and machinery.
Store mould tools, hand tools, and equipment.
Select, check, and prepare materials for example, weigh resins, cut reinforcement.
Follow quality control processes during manufacture for example, check for contaminants, record batch numbers or expiry dates.
Apply laminate to mould for example, cut, add darts, corner definition, orientation, position, and order.
Complete preparation for and start curing process for example, select and apply consumables for example vacuum bag, infuse with resin, add heat or pressure.
Extract product from mould (break out).
Conduct final product quality assurance procedure. For example, conduct grading parameters checks (size, appearance, weight), and take samples for laboratory testing.
Identify issues for example, de-laminations, inclusions, surface defects, surface imperfections, and maintenance requirements.
Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
Record or enter data - paper based or electronic. For example, process and production records, traceability records, and quality assurance records.
Interpret data for example, defect data and geometrical measurements. Use data to validate suggestions.
Investigate a problem to identify the underlying cause. Identify a solution to the problem.
Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement. For example, improving the energy consumption or waste profile of processes and procedures to improve the sustainability or carbon footprint of a product, process, or task.
Apply team working principles.
Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
Communicate in written form in the workplace for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
Use information technology for work tasks. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned continued professional development (CPD) activities. Evaluate CPD against plans made.

Your training plan

This training plan has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (Hold or be predicted to hold) (grade 5)
Maths (Hold or be predicted to hold) (grade 5)

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

Science (grade 9 - 4 (A* - C))

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Number skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience
Physical fitness

About this company

At British Airways, we take huge pride in our past – but we’re looking to the future as an airline that loves embracing the best of modern Britain. Our country’s creativity, diversity, style, wit and warmth are the same special qualities that make us who we are. Now, we’re looking to build on this spirit and passion to make tomorrow even better. If you’re made the same way as us, discover how great it feels to connect Britain with the world, and the world with Britain like no one else.

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

By getting a broad understanding to use the latest repair technologies and materials to repair and maintain aircraft components from our fleets, you will also gain the qualifications you need to become an Aircraft Workshop Mechanic.

Further development with your engineering skills, knowledge and on the job experience will set you up for a future career as an Aircraft Workshop Technician.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is: