Aerospace Engineering Degree Apprentice

Emily is an Aerospace Engineering Degree Apprentice. Her four-year programme combines a bachelor’s degree with hands-on placements in manufacturing, design, analysis, automation, systems and metallics both at Filton and at the Global Technology Centre, giving experience in manufacturing, project management and CAD design. She values the supportive apprentice community, sustainability and STEM outreach. Emily aims to become a full-time manufacturing engineer, lead a team and achieve chartered engineer status.

How did you hear about the GKN Aerospace Apprenticeship?

Nobody in my family is in aerospace engineering. But when I was doing physics A-level, one of my teachers said: "Why don't you go for engineering? There's a shortage of engineers, and you should give it a shot." So, I looked at engineering, and then I narrowed it down to aerospace. When I Googled aerospace engineering, GKN Aerospace came up, and I found out they did a degree apprenticeship, which was perfect.

I applied to about six companies, but I was really interested in sustainability – cutting down waste and improving efficiency. So, when I looked at GKN Aerospace’s website and the projects they’d worked on, it was very broad, and they do a lot for sustainability.

How is your apprenticeship structured?

It's a four-year apprenticeship, partly delivered by Weston College in partnership with the University of West England in Bristol. My first year was full-time at Weston, but from the second year, it was delivered in both GKN Aerospace’s Global Technology Centre and at UWE Bristol’s Frenchay Campus. In that first year, half the week was focused on the degree, and the other half, I worked towards a hands-on Level 2 qualification, which gives you an understanding of general engineering processes. I welded for the first time, did some sheet fabrication, milling and turning, and I learned about how a shopfloor works and improvement techniques.

After that first year, you start placement rotations around the business. You’re given a structured placement plan, and each placement length varies between three and nine months. Then your fourth year is a final placement – I chose to go into manufacturing engineering.

What skills have you learned and how have you made a difference?

On the degree apprenticeship, you get a Level 2, Level 4, and Level 6 qualification. I completed my Level 2 and the Level 4, which is linked to my placements and equivalent to an HNC. Then Level 6 is a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering.

I’ve learned to use CAD using CATIA software, and I have been on project management courses. So, I’ve led projects to test tools and been the main contact for the suppliers. I’ve had a lot more responsibility than I thought I would, and I can feel it’s making a difference.

In terms of personal skills, I've become more confident and outgoing. I could talk to people and present before, but I was a bit nervous. But everyone here is very supportive. If you have an issue, they encourage you to speak up, and I think that’s improved my ability to present and talk to people quite a lot.

What’s it like being a woman at GKN Aerospace?

There aren’t many of us girls in aerospace, I want to encourage more and let other people know that they can do it. I think that empowers me.

There are a lot of misconceptions about engineering. People think it’s dirty, hands-on or noisy, and I think a lot of girls are put off by that. But if you’re good at maths or physics, or have an interest in seeing how things work, you can do this. It’s more about your actions and how you work, rather than who you are. If you put your heart into the job, that's what people care about, especially at a company like this, where we all treat each other with respect. I had no engineering experience before, but if you’re willing to learn and develop, you can do it.

What have been the highlights of the apprenticeship for you?

I've had such a varied experience, along with an amazing opportunity to get a degree, while working in a paid job. I've participated in a load of STEM outreach activities, from visiting local schools to promoting apprenticeships and engineering at events, which I'm really proud of.

I've also had the chance to visit suppliers and work on some really big and interesting projects. I do like being able to make a difference.

What’s it like being part of the apprentice community at GKN Aerospace?

It’s been very important. I’m not from the Bristol area, so I moved here and it's nice to have a little community that you can talk to and go out with. Apprentices at most of the local aerospace businesses go through the same college, so in your classes, you're mixed with people from other companies, which is really good.

So, it's not all about work, it's about enjoying your time outside as well. I think there’s a big misconception that if you don't go to university, you don't have the university experience with the social life. But it's what you make of it.

I’m also part of a group called Future GKN, and I encourage all the apprentices and people in their early careers to join it. We have a monthly catch-up and discuss any events or activities going on. It’s a community that gives you the opportunity to talk to people across the different business sites, which is really nice.

What are your ambitions for the future?

After I graduate, I'll be a full-time manufacturing engineer, which is guaranteed at the end of the apprenticeship. I enjoy working with people, so I'd really like to lead a team to achieve some sort of goal or outputs. And it'll be nice to become a chartered engineer.

Basically, I just want to keep developing. I'm not one to do the same thing every day for the rest of my life – I like to keep going for the next thing. So I just want to develop myself as much as possible and try and get the most out of engineering.