Aircraft Maintenance Technician Apprentice Review

As apprentices who have completed our 1st years training in Cardiff, we are now completing our on-the-job training in order to gain our experience requirements. Our day-to-day roles involve working with the technicians and supervisors at our placement and assisting with maintenance jobs on the aircraft.

The role will involve working with various tooling and equipment in order to complete the maintenance activities. Consequently, you will develop hand skills and the ability to use tools.

I enjoy my programme as you will gain the necessary qualifications required for the job role and the apprenticeship is in a secure job area.

The programme is well organised with a structured plan. The first 10 months are dedicated to training, and the following 2 years are dedicated to 6 month placements to gain level 3 NVQ experience requirements. There are a wide range of military placements but the apprenticeship placement options are currently being altered with the commercial side removed.

You will receive a lot of support on OJT from your team leads, supervisors and technicians and they are very helpful, understanding and are happy to give advice. However, you do not receive much support from the apprenticeship programme management.

On OJT, you will receive support from your training provider in the form of 8-10 weekly check-ins. This will involve updates for your NVQ and to create future NVQ goals to be achieved.

The qualifications that you will receive currently is a City and Guilds qualification (required to become an Aircraft Maintenance Technician on military aircraft) and an A-licence qualification to become an A-licence technician. These qualifications are required for the job role and so is crucial in performing your job role.

As apprentices, we are encouraged to become Boeing STEM Ambassadors so that we can volunteer for professional networking events such as school careers fairs in order to promote Boeing apprenticeships.

Yes

The apprenticeship will give provide you with the necessary qualifications required to enter the aircraft maintenance technician role with secure job prospects with Boeing after completing the apprenticeship, and are transferrable to the same job roles with other companies. However, Boeing do offer a competitive salary and benefits to their employees.

Ensure that your CV is well written and best reflects your interest in the job role and that you are willing to have to move around the UK multiple times in the 3 year time period.