Students get a glimpse of potential future career with Babcock

Coleg Menai students aiming for careers in aviation visited Babcock International at RAF Valley recently to see how their futures could look.

Aeronautical Engineering learners went behind the scenes at Babcock, which maintains the RAF’s fleet of Hawk T2 jets as well as the Red Arrows display team (T1 Hawks).

Coleg Menai’s Level 3 Aeronautical Engineering course has been developed in conjunction with Babcock to provide the next generation of talented engineers for the aviation industry.

Each year, Babcock runs a Hawk apprenticeship programme that is only open to applicants from this course, as part of the company’s commitment to the local economy in north west Wales.

Babcock works closely with the students throughout their time at Coleg Menai’s Llangefni campus, providing mentoring, work experience and other support to ensure that the apprentices they take on are fully prepared for the first steps towards a career with the company.

The Babcock team makes regular visits to the campus to provide mentoring support, as well as visiting local schools to raise awareness of the opportunities available to young people in the area.

For students who don’t secure a place on the Babcock programme, the Level 3 Aeronautical Engineering course provides them with a qualification respected by other sector leaders.

Recently, the learners got their first taste of what it’s like to work at Babcock when they spent the day at RAF Valley.

After a safety and housekeeping briefing, they learnt more about the critical role Babcock delivers at RAF Valley, followed by a tour of the hangars, where they saw the Hawks close up and spoke to engineers about what it’s like to work on the aircraft.

To top off the day, the students were taken to the flight path where they watched the take-off of 12 Hawk T2s, all flown by trainee pilots.

The learners will continue to receive support from Babcock during their studies at Coleg Menai, while they look forward to gaining real-world experience during work placements with the company in the second year of their course.

Mason Owen, from Bryngwran, said the day at Babcock had motivated him to apply for the Hawk apprenticeship scheme.

“Today’s been really interesting,” he said. “Babcock is a big company, so within the time available they’ve shown us a lot of stuff.

“It’s definitely motivated me to look here before anywhere else. They also motivate us a lot more by being so willing to work closely with us in college and being so helpful in our learning.”

Jamie Owen, from Llangefni, said: “We’ve been able to see a lot of different aspects of the company, so you get a good understanding of what they do, which will help me choose what I want to do after the course.

“I’m looking forward to the work placements at Babcock and getting actual hands-on experience with a company that’s been working in the industry for a long time.

“Because they’re a local company, I’d say we get to communicate with them more so we get a better understanding of what we can do with them. With Babcock being in Valley, it's very local to all of us.”

Jamie’s older brother has already progressed through the Babcock Hawk apprenticeship scheme. Following their two years at Coleg Menai, successful applicants continue their education at Babcock, where they are exposed to different areas of the business to help find the right path for them.

All successful applicants to the Hawk apprenticeship have gone on to permanent roles with Babcock. Some are now in supervisory positions, some have gone on to work in Babcock’s other locations across the UK, and others have joined industry partners in locations around the world.

Eurfon Davies, Engineering Programme Area Manager at Coleg Menai, said: “Our partnership with Babcock offers an invaluable glimpse into the aviation industry for our students.

“Experiences like this not only inspire our learners but also equip them with the skills and understanding they need to excel in their future careers.

“The commitment Babcock shows to mentoring and supporting our students ensures they are prepared for the opportunities ahead, whether with Babcock or other industry leaders.

“The partnership we have as a Grŵp with Babcock is strong and demonstrates how collaboration between education and industry can reap rewards for local young people and employers."

Do you want to work in the aircraft service and maintenance industry? Coleg Menai’s Level 3 Aeronautical Engineering diploma provides the introductory skills and technical knowledge to prepare you for a variety of aeronautical engineering roles. To learn more, click here.