Aircraft Mechanic Review
at British Airways
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Paisley
Review Submitted: May 2024
Overall Rating
4.1 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
5/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
3.4/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
5/5
As an aircraft maintenance apprentice in heavy maintenance. Your day consists of a variety of tasks. From aircraft component strip out and removal, routine servicing to greasing of flight controls and mechanical components to being involved in problem solving when aircraft functions produce problems requiring to be solved. All of this can be very diverse and you have to be adaptable to different areas of the aircraft all while working safely and in compliance with aviation regulatory standards.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I have had some experiences with BA I never thought I would. I’ve seen almost every aspect of the business from our LHR base tovisiting projects we’ve fundraiser for in Cape Town, SA. Some of this is life changing and really brings perspective to the role and company I take so much pride in working for.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I’ve learned so much about the airline, the industry and massively improved my hand skills. This is the perfect entrance into a very specific industry and can ease the transition of apprentice into the role of an experienced mechanic seamless. I have massively increased my skills in manual and drawing interpretation and can work my way around most problems now confidently as I’m almost out my time.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
2/5
The 3 year programme is well structured with college and qualifications. Within the heavy maintenance base, the structure of the training from Ayr College and City and Guilds is great. It’s tailored to aviation and most aviation organisations use the college for their apprenticeship training. The organisation within the hangar requires a bit of attention. With no accountable manager for the apprenticeship, the 1-2-1 and catch up phase slowly fades after a while. You’re almost left to your own devices and your progression isn’t accurately tracked by a line manager.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
2/5
My employer looks after the apprentices very well. However at the heavy maintenance base in Glasgow, we do not have a line manager we report to and therefore our progress and experience is really left down to ourselves to manage in our own hands. Once we have got over our initial 6 month probationary period, there isn’t an accurate track of our progression or any feedback given.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
When we require time to study or focus on our qualifications we are given more than sufficient time to do so. If we require any help we can ask anyone on the shop floor and management will make sure if we require any experience that we receive it. As most of our tasks for the Level 3 SVQ are self-led it’s a matter of gaining the time and experience in the workplace to carry it out.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
The HNC gives good basis on theory of flight and mechanical operations while working on some hand skills based work. The SVQ is based on explaining the work we do in accordance with manuals and procedures so you are encouraged to gain as much experience in line with company policies and aviation practises, bettering your skill set and knowledge.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
5/5
Yes. We have done a load of fundraising within the business and had countless opportunities to visit the company base in Heathrow and beyond! In general the shifts at the base are very social so there are a lot of opportunities local too. We were also invited to attend Farnborough airshow with the Air League and got to present our ideas of how to reach Carbon Net 0 by 2050 within aviation.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend British Airways to a friend?
Yes
Why?
The airline in general is a very reputable company to work for. The process of working in maintenance is one of the more exciting and this is excelled when working with aircraft as the variety of systems, mechanics and aerodynamic precautions in place make the work a tough but rewarding challenge.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to British Airways?
Ensure your passion for working with a diverse group people, for engineering and problem solving and aviation are at the heart of what you do. An ability to be confident in what you can do and a keen-to-learn attitude goes a long way. When this shines through someone’s personality it is obvious they are an ideal candidate for a role within BA.
