ENGINEERS! Please come and talk to me

[OrmRenewed]

DS1 is going to a careers fair. One of the companies there will be Babcock International. According to their website they offer apprenticeships in various areas including aero-engineering. Anyone got any experience of them? Are they worth a visit?

Oh god yes if he can get an apprenticeship there that will be great.

They are a large multinational - I have had dealings with them in their marine business. I am an aeronauitical engineer and heartily recommend it as a career - it is a fantastic thing to do. Apprenticeship is a really good start - and if you have a good employer (like Babcokc) they will support you all the way.

You are in Somerset aren't you? Also look at Airbus, Rolls Royce and GKN. I used to work for Airbus and GKN and they are fantastic companies (GKN especially).

The pay isn't bad either for an apprenticeship. I was amazed when I worked at GKN last year and one of the apprentices was driving around in an Audi TT (don't tell your son that!)

Airbus, Rolls and GKN are in Filton, btw.

Thanks getorf! Great news. I hoped you'd answer but then wasn't 100% sure I was right that you were in engineering.

Yes we're in Somerset. I'll check those out. He's only in Yr9 but it won't hurt to get his focusing on the right areas already. He's very keen on doing exactly what you are doing

I'm not an engineer but I do know a fair bit about apprenticeships. Engineering apprenticeships are a great way to go. Babcock would be a good place to start. As GetOrf says, Rolls Royce and Airbus also offer excellent apprenticeship schemes: good pay, good training, lots of support and mentoring, great progression prospects (including into HE - paid for by the company), and the possibility of a well paid job for life. You can't say fairer than that!

Engineering apprenticeships with large companies like Babcock are highly competitive though so if your DS is interested he'll probably have to get through quite a tough recruitment selection process.

Thanks rosa.

I suspected it wouldn't be an easy option but he's bright and keen. Anyway...long time to go yet.

It is a really brilliant career - I have loved it. Aerospace companies in the UK are still thriving, and are still decent places to work (in comparison with otehr industries).

My dd is a bit of an aeroplace geek as well (how the hours fly by at my house!) but she is joining the RAF and training that way. You do meet a lot of ex-RAF people in the aerospace industry, go in and train as fitters and go all round the world, they then leave the forces and are much in demand as practical aircraft engineers in civilian life.

But, if he doesn't want to do that an apprenticeship in a decent company is a brilliant way of getting on, they will recieve training in a HNC/D level (god knows what that is called nowadays) which can then be converted to a BEng/BSc with further study.

Lucikly there is a large amount of aerospace companies in the Bristol/SW area so there should be loads of opportunity.

There is also a company called Exova in Bridgewtare which does non-destructive testing for aerospace companies, they may be worth a look for work experience/apprenticeships.

Thanks getorf, you are a star. Will google exova now.

Plus, god knows how far you are from Yeovil, but Agusta Westland helipcopters and Honeywell Aerospace are there are well (both excellent companies)

The selection process for engineering apprenticeships can be quite tough but don't let that put you off.

The apprentices that I recruited generally had to pass some basic criteria, i.e 5 A-C GCSE's, then they had to sit a few multiple choice tests (they are only short and are sat all at once over a couple of hours), then if they meet the pass mark on the tests, they will be asked for an interview possibly along with a practical test or exercise.

From my experience at the interviews, as long as they can show that they are keen on a career in engineering and can show an interest in building things/how things work - i.e fixing a car or building a computer, etc then they have a very good chance at getting a job.

I recruit for a major engineering company and although the application numbers are very high, the vacancy numbers haven't really suffered during the recession so the chances of getting in aren't as bad as people think and the training/progression is fantastic.

Of course. But I thought Westland were struggling?

Clearly he is in a good place for it

I'm also an aerospace engineer and agree with GetOrf - it's a fab career. I currently work for Airbus and have also heard good things about both our apprenticeship and graduate schemes in the UK (I'm not UK based so no direct experience though).

I've never worked with Babcock directly but they have a good reputation and are involved in so many different areas it would give your son loads of possibilities for future development.

DS is an engineer and the mags he get from the IET have articles about the huge shortage of engineers at the moment.

There is also a bit of problem with the mentallity of some HR departments who will not accept anyone without a degree, no even those who went through the apprenticeship route like DH and his colleagues even though they have many many year of experience.

OP have you or your son heard about The Smallpiece Trust They offer courses from year 9 onwards

Thanks fenouille. I tried the Airbus website and they do quiet a bit of intersting stuff with school children but it seems to have to come from the school not the child. Might have to get DS to speak to his tutor.

bruffin - no I haven't heard of them. Will look into it. thankyou.

I am trying to rack my brains Orm and remember the email address of the woman at GKN who managed the apprentices.

Tbh GKN bought the Airbus manufacturing business last year, so all manufacturing apprenticeships will be with them (I know the vast majority fo Airbus apprentices transferred to GKN). They also have an engineering division based in Weston Super Mare, and have a joing composites company which they set up earlier thsi year with Rolls Royce.

They are a really good company, about 50-50 aerospace and automotive, and one of the last really major UK owned manufacturing companies.

Sounds like I work for them! I wish I still did, best company I have ever worked for by a mile.

Have a look at the EADS website as well EADS owns Airbus). I find the Airbus site a bit of a mess but the EADS site has a good vacancies search engine.

And MBDA as well, which is based on the Airbus site in Filton linl

Also a link [[http://www.ukes.aerospace.gknplc.com/aesinternet/technician_apprenticeship_2006.html here] to GKN aprenticeship page, is out of date but does give some info, and also has links with bridgwater college, so if you contact them they may be able to give you up to date info.

try again

dh is a Weapon Engineer submariner in the RN. He has a degree in electronic engineering and has had a fantastic career. I know the services have a place called Welbeck College which they run for sixth form, teaching A levels, but aimed at those who want to do engineering in the Services.

Although dh is an engineer, he now works on the international/diplomatic side, and has lots of very transferable skills.

I don't know (or can't remember) how you feel about the Defence side of things, but that is one of Babcock's main income streams, including refitting the Trident boats in Plymouth and building the new aircraft carriers in Rosyth.

Thanks scary.

Regardless of what I feel I suspect DS would be interested. And it's his life.

dh has been in now for almost 32 years and has never had a job he hasn't enjoyed. You can't say much better than that.

My brother did a GKN apprenticeship. School tried very hard to put him off but he persevered. He ended up with a fab CV and they even paid for his degree and sponsored his year out. He's now Commercial Director for a group of engineering companies and has a great career, salary and a seriously enviable company car!

His experience is that when interviewing him people note his degree but then talk about his apprenticeship - even 15 years on.