Aircraft Maintenance Technician Apprentice Review

I work on aircraft as an apprentice shadowing and taking the lead on jobs to maintain the aircraft and get them ready for flight. I move around between the military and civilian bases we operate out of and participate in STEM projects encouraging people to go into the STEM field.

I have learnt many new skills including; hand skills, business skills, people skills and many more. I get to work on Avionic teams to develop an understanding of the electrical engineering used on aircraft as well as structural teams who help me develop an understanding of frames and how the aircraft withstand stress.

I enjoy the apprenticeship very much and enjoy getting to visit different parts of the country and meet many new people which is a very unique experience to be offered. There is an amazing team who you can turn to at any time for support and help when you get stuck.

Within the Boeing aircraft maintenance technician apprenticeship I would say it is structured very well. There is always a point of contact for you to turn to and they always keep you busy with responsibilities and projects. Turning up to work on the different teams at the bases is always a great experience with people happy to share there knowledge.

I receive support daily from my employer always having training available if you want to develop your skills in a specific area which could be within the teams I am working or being reached out to via email. We are given time to help us with projects and complete our college work.

We have a monthly catch up with our ALS appointed training provider who is always helpful and uses his own knowledge of working on aircraft to help us develop a better understanding of our job role. There is always an open line of contact available incase there is need for more support.

Completing the City and guilds part of my Apprenticeship allows me to gain theoretical knowledge of the systems I work on and gives a good foundation to develop knowledge on while out on OJT (On The Job Training). It also gives me time to reflect back on tasks I have completed to fully understand why a job was carried out.

Each year, Boeing put on an Apprentice Graduation which all Apprentices attend where you get an all expenses paid meal which is attended in smart clothing and watch fellow apprentices get recognized for achievements in STEM and excelling during there normal working activities. We are encouraged to partake in projects and STEM events outside of the work place and get the resources to complete them.

Yes

The role is very interesting and offers a route into the aviation industry which can be quite complicated to get into. It allows you to work with many different teams and on a number of different aircraft to build up a good base knowledge of the role of being an Aircraft Technician.

There are minimum grades to get onto the Apprenticeship however it is definitely worth taking the time to achieve these as the pay off is huge. Make sure to be yourself and include any times that you have volunteered or why you believe STEM is an important part of your life.