Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice Review

As an aircraft maintenance apprentice the first year of the apprenticeship is spent split between classroom work completing modules as well as spending time in either the mechanical or AV workshop. The first year is spent training at the academy in a college like setting whilst the second year involves a placement to another location e.g. possibly an RAF base or other BAE site in order to complete the NVQ part of the apprenticeship.

I have learnt a lot already and am only halfway through the first year. In the mechanical and AV workshops you get your own toolbox to look after so you learn what all the different tools are for specific tasks as well as how to use them correctly which comes in handy for the exam on one of the modules. The first few modules cover the basics such as maths and physics then begin to progress onto aircraft specific training and materials etc so a lot of variety to the education.

Personally, I really enjoy the course and the way it is structured is fantastic. All of the instructors are great and really supportive so any issues are sorted out immediately. We get given a chart which shows the plan of action for the whole first year day by day so you always know exactly by the hour what you're going to be doing when you go to work.

Compared to colleges and sixth forms I've attended before this course is extremely well structured and organised and was a pleasant surprise coming from a disorganised college. There are usually a few changes that get made to do with the day by day chart but usually with plenty of notice and you always get an updated copy to view.

Support is very generous at BAE systems, have experienced a few work related and personal problems since beginning the apprenticeship but support has been extremely helpful and have not felt unsupported or that there was a lack of it at all. Definitely the best employer I have worked for. The instructors are all lovely.

During the module part if an exam needs to be re taken then we are provided with further classroom training going back over any topics or parts that weren't fully understood the first time in order to help make sure we pass the second time. In all we get 3 chances to pass an exam and with some more difficult than others the instructors are all available at one point or another throughout the day to answer any questions within or out of the classroom.

This is a hard question to answer due to not being in an actual working environment but I would anticipate that through doing the combination of theory and practical that we, as apprentices, will be ready to further our learning and experience whilst on base or placement. The skills we learn here will definitely give us a good grounding to begin the real work on placement. If we had some work experience days that could improve our preparation for placement.

At our accommodation there is access to a gym for free which is great and very close to the accommodation so that's brilliant. There's a team bonding week at the beginning of the apprenticeship but not so much once properly in the apprenticeship. There is still a decent range of people in order to socialise.

Yes

Absolutely brilliant company, so well organised, lots of support available with amazing opportunity's once the apprenticeship has finished. I receive more support with passing exams than I did at college and everyone that works here is lovely and always have time for you. It's a lovely place to have an apprenticeship.

Spend a lot of time really filling out your application with anything relevant and don't stress about the aptitude tests, they're strange but it's more common sense than high tech physics. The assessment days and interviews are really relaxed so don't need any worrying for that either.