Aircraft Maintenance Technician Apprentice
SERCO LIMITED
Helston (TR12 7RH)
Closes on Tuesday 1 September 2026
Posted on 2 July 2026
Contents
Summary
You will be carrying out the duties of an Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice (by Trade) across both on Aircraft areas and Off Aircraft Workshops facilities (by Trade) as directed by the Training programme. With structured training and real responsibility.
- Wage
-
£15,808 to £25,114.96, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
- Training course
- Aircraft maintenance technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday – 38 hours per week. Shifts to be confirmed.
38 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 4 January 2027
- Duration
-
3 years 6 months
- Positions available
-
10
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
You’ll be entrusted to:
- Learn and carry out aircraft maintenance duties across on-aircraft and off-aircraft workshop settings.
- Follow all health, safety and environmental policies and procedures.
- Attend college two days per week as part of your structured learning programme.
- Complete practical, on-the-job training and development tasks.
- Undertake additional training courses as required to support your role.
- Support wider team objectives by remaining flexible and assisting with other tasks when needed.
Where you'll work
H M S Seahawk
Helston
TR12 7RH
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
CORNWALL COLLEGE
Training course
Aircraft maintenance technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Collect and interpret information or data to perform maintenance tasks.
- Record or enter information: paper based or electronic. For example, job sheets, risk assessments, equipment service records, test results, handover documents and manufacturers' documentation, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records and any reporting requirements.
- Comply with health and safety regulations and procedures. Apply safe systems of work. For example, risk assessments, COSHH, tool control and use of equipment and tools.
- Identify problems, collect evidence, analyse evidence, and determine the cause and maintenance activity required.
- Plan, organise and use resources to complete tasks.
- Follow instructions. For example, manufacturers and maintenance procedures.
- Follow standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Apply mathematical techniques and engineering principles to solve engineering problems.
- Apply maintenance methods and practices. For example, remove, refit, replace, repair, systems or components.
- Test and check aircraft equipment or aircraft systems. For example, built in test equipment, flight control systems, line replacement units or items.
- Assess condition of aircraft components and aircraft equipment. Identify action required. For example, visual inspections.
- Select, check, use, store and control tools and equipment. For example, ground support equipment or test equipment.
- Apply good housekeeping, for example, prior to, during and after completion of the activity to the work area.
- Use information technology. For example, for document creation, communication, and information management. Comply with GDPR and cyber security.
- Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations and procedures. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Communicate in writing.
- Consider the properties and characteristics of aircraft materials and the possibility of damage to aircraft whilst performing the activity. For example, barely visible impact damage.
- Select aircraft consumables for carrying out maintenance activity.
- Carry out pre-use checks of resources and ensure sufficient supplies of materials and consumables for maintenance activity.
- Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
- Apply equity, diversity and inclusion policies and procedures.
- Apply quality assurance procedures. For example, completion of aircraft servicing schedules or aircraft technical logs.
- Apply team working principles.
- Collect and interpret information or data to perform maintenance tasks.
- Record or enter information: paper based or electronic. For example, job sheets, risk assessments, equipment service records, test results, handover documents and manufacturers' documentation, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records and any reporting requirements.
- Comply with health and safety regulations and procedures. Apply safe systems of work. For example, risk assessments, COSHH, tool control and use of equipment and tools.
- Identify problems, collect evidence, analyse evidence, and determine the cause and maintenance activity required.
- Plan, organise and use resources to complete tasks.
- Follow instructions. For example, manufacturers and maintenance procedures.
- Follow standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Apply mathematical techniques and engineering principles to solve engineering problems.
- Apply maintenance methods and practices. For example, remove, refit, replace, repair, systems or components.
- Test and check aircraft equipment or aircraft systems. For example, built in test equipment, flight control systems, line replacement units or items.
- Assess condition of aircraft components and aircraft equipment. Identify action required. For example, visual inspections.
- Select, check, use, store and control tools and equipment. For example, ground support equipment or test equipment.
- Apply good housekeeping, for example, prior to, during and after completion of the activity to the work area.
- Use information technology. For example, for document creation, communication, and information management. Comply with GDPR and cyber security.
- Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations and procedures. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Communicate in writing.
- Consider the properties and characteristics of aircraft materials and the possibility of damage to aircraft whilst performing the activity. For example, barely visible impact damage.
- Select aircraft consumables for carrying out maintenance activity.
- Carry out pre-use checks of resources and ensure sufficient supplies of materials and consumables for maintenance activity.
- Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
- Apply equity, diversity and inclusion policies and procedures.
- Apply quality assurance procedures. For example, completion of aircraft servicing schedules or aircraft technical logs.
- Apply team working principles.
Training schedule
- Expected Apprenticeship Duration: 36 to 42 months based on completion of end point assessment.
- Apprenticeship qualification: Aircraft Maintenance Technician.
- Level 2 Diploma Aerospace and Aviation Engineering (Foundation Competence) delivered at Camborne college in year 1.
- Level 3 Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance (Mechanical/Avionic) delivered at Camborne college in year 2.
- Level 3 Diploma in Aviation Maintenance (Development Competence) delivered on site in year 3.
More training information
Things to consider
- You must be able to travel to RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall daily.
- You must be able to travel to Camborne College 2 days a week during term time.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade Level 5-9)
- Maths (grade Level 5-9)
- Science (grade Level 5 - 9)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
- Be able to commute to College and RNAS Culdrose daily.
- To complete the required levels in each academic year to continue to the next academic year.
- To complete all Serco essential mandated training each year.
- To be certified Yellow Belt by end of Year three of Apprenticeship programme.
- Comply with the Royal Navy Support and the Serco Management System and all the regulatory engineering articles.
- You must not be colour blind - proof will be required that you are at least Colour Perception (CP) 2 (obtainable from any optician).
- You MUST be able to attend an Assessment Centre and if successful a face-to-face interview.
- As we are located on a military establishment, you will be required to undergo the full Ministry of Defence security checks, which includes a check of criminal records.
About this employer
At Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play, from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services. We are a team of 50,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world in areas including defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare and citizen services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Apprenticeship Qualification: Aircraft Maintenance Technician.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
CORNWALL COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000040379.
Apply now
Closes on Tuesday 1 September 2026
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.