Aircraft Workshop - Apprenticeship
BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) LIMITED
Harmondsworth (UB7 0GB)
Closes in 31 days (Thursday 19 November 2026)
Posted on 19 October 2026
Contents
Summary
You will rotate across a variety of engineering disciplines to build a broad understanding of the highly sophisticated systems and components that keep our aircraft operating safely and efficiently. Equipping you to become one of British Airways’ future Workshop Engineers.
- Wage
-
£17,339 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Wage increase in year two and three.
- Training course
- Composites technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Shift patterns including night, early, late and 12 hour shifts.
• You will be required to attend Farnborough College of Technology and must travel or relocate
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Wednesday 1 September 2027
- Duration
-
3 years
- Positions available
-
4
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
The initial induction to the business for this Apprenticeship will take place at our London Heathrow Base. For the remainder of the first year, this Apprenticeship will then split between Farnborough College of Technology, where you will study 3 days per week towards a Composite Technician apprenticeship and 2 days on the job training in the Fleet Support Facility workshop at Heathrow, with weekends off. During year one, you will achieve an EAL level 2 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering and study towards your knowledge skills and behaviours. You will undertake placements at British Airways Heathrow base to learn practical skills which under pin the formal learning.
In your second year, you will still follow a Monday to Friday pattern, attending college 1 day per week to further cover the knowledge skills and behaviours criteria, with 4 days on the job training at Heathrow.
In your final year you will transition to 4 on/4 off day shift pattern and complete your work-based portfolio of evidence in preparation for the end point assessment which will complete your apprenticeship
Where you'll work
Waterside PO BOX 365 Speedbird Way
Harmondsworth
UB7 0GB
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
FARNBOROUGH COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
Training course
Composites technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand task.
- Plan work. Identify and organise resources.
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace.
- Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
- Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, in choice of materials, minimising waste.
- Prepare and use mould tools.
- Select and check hand tools, equipment and machinery including calibration record.
- Use or operate hand tools, equipment, and machinery.
- Store mould tools, hand tools, and equipment.
- Select, check, and prepare materials for example, weigh resins, cut reinforcement.
- Follow quality control processes during manufacture for example, check for contaminants, record batch numbers or expiry dates.
- Apply laminate to mould for example, cut, add darts, corner definition, orientation, position, and order.
- Complete preparation for and start curing process for example, select and apply consumables for example vacuum bag, infuse with resin, add heat or pressure.
- Extract product from mould (break out).
- Conduct final product quality assurance procedure. For example, conduct grading parameters checks (size, appearance, weight), and take samples for laboratory testing.
- Identify issues for example, de-laminations, inclusions, surface defects, surface imperfections, and maintenance requirements.
- Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
- Record or enter data - paper based or electronic. For example, process and production records, traceability records, and quality assurance records.
- Interpret data for example, defect data and geometrical measurements. Use data to validate suggestions.
- Investigate a problem to identify the underlying cause. Identify a solution to the problem.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement. For example, improving the energy consumption or waste profile of processes and procedures to improve the sustainability or carbon footprint of a product, process, or task.
- Apply team working principles.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Communicate in written form in the workplace for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
- Use information technology for work tasks. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned continued professional development (CPD) activities. Evaluate CPD against plans made.
- Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand task.
- Plan work. Identify and organise resources.
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace.
- Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
- Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, in choice of materials, minimising waste.
- Prepare and use mould tools.
- Select and check hand tools, equipment and machinery including calibration record.
- Use or operate hand tools, equipment, and machinery.
- Store mould tools, hand tools, and equipment.
- Select, check, and prepare materials for example, weigh resins, cut reinforcement.
- Follow quality control processes during manufacture for example, check for contaminants, record batch numbers or expiry dates.
- Apply laminate to mould for example, cut, add darts, corner definition, orientation, position, and order.
- Complete preparation for and start curing process for example, select and apply consumables for example vacuum bag, infuse with resin, add heat or pressure.
- Extract product from mould (break out).
- Conduct final product quality assurance procedure. For example, conduct grading parameters checks (size, appearance, weight), and take samples for laboratory testing.
- Identify issues for example, de-laminations, inclusions, surface defects, surface imperfections, and maintenance requirements.
- Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
- Record or enter data - paper based or electronic. For example, process and production records, traceability records, and quality assurance records.
- Interpret data for example, defect data and geometrical measurements. Use data to validate suggestions.
- Investigate a problem to identify the underlying cause. Identify a solution to the problem.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement. For example, improving the energy consumption or waste profile of processes and procedures to improve the sustainability or carbon footprint of a product, process, or task.
- Apply team working principles.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Communicate in written form in the workplace for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
- Use information technology for work tasks. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned continued professional development (CPD) activities. Evaluate CPD against plans made.
Training schedule
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Passion
- Strong self-motivation
- Intuitive
- Safety Awareness
- Adaptability
- Technical aptidue
Other requirements
- You will be required to attend Farnborough College of Technology and must travel or relocate
- A passport with at least 12 moths validity is required
About this employer
At British Airways, we believe anyone can bring new and original ideas to the table. It’s why we invest in our emerging talent and offer them opportunities to work on projects that sit at the very heart of our airline.
Our Emerging Talent programmes offer a boarding pass to a great future, one where you’ll be able to make an impact right from the moment you join us. If you’re inspired to help shape the future of air travel and you’re ambitious to learn, then we’re ready to help you spread your wings.
https://careers.ba.com/search-jobs (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Part of our apprentice network and community
- Involvement in our bold sustainability vision, volunteering an active role to champion specific community groups
- Volunteering in schools and colleges sharing personal experiences to inspire, empower and mentor students
- Access to heavily discounted flights and a generous annual leave entitlement to turn your bucket list into reality
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Look to secure a role within British Airways.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
FARNBOROUGH COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000059874.
Apply now
Closes in 31 days (Thursday 19 November 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.