Aerospace Engineering Technician

Typical Salary

£20,000 To £35,000

Typical Hours

40 to 42 a week

evenings / weekends on shifts

How To Become a Aerospace Engineering Technician

You can get into this job through:

a university course
a college course
an apprenticeship

College / University

You can do a foundation degree or higher national diploma in engineering to get into this career. Relevant subjects include:

aeronautical engineering
mechanical engineering
electrical or electronics engineering
avionics

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science

1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma

You could do a college course like:

Level 2 Diploma in Aviation Engineering
Level 2 Extended Certificate Engineering
Level 3 BTEC Foundation or Extended Diploma in Engineering
Level 3 Diploma in Mechanical Engineering
Level 3 Diploma in Electrical Engineering
Level 3 Diploma in Aerospace and Aviation Engineering

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science

Apprenticeship

You can train through an advanced engineering technician apprenticeship with an airline operator, airline manufacturer or service engineering company.

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

knowledge of engineering science and technology
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to work well with your hands
the ability to use your initiative
persistence and determination
the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
maths skills
the ability to work well with others
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Day To Day Tasks

You could work in the following fields:

mechanics - to build and service aircraft fuselage, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, like wings, engines and landing gear
avionics - to install and test electrical and electronic systems used in navigation, communications and flight control

In your day-to-day duties in both areas you might:

develop component plans using computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) software
investigate and test solutions to engineering problems
build and test prototypes
use prototypes to predict and improve the performance of aircraft systems

Working Environment

You could work in an aircraft hangar, on an aircraft, in a factory, in an office or in a laboratory.

Your working environment may be cramped.

Career Path & Progression

Career Path & Progression are not listed for this job.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Further information

You'll find more on working and training in aerospace engineering from Careers in Aerospace and Tomorrow's Engineers.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.