and Transport Logistics www.connexions-direct.com/ wiairports Now on the internet on the Now

Working in Take off and flying and off Take Landing Preparing Preparing off take for Arriving and checking in

studies covering: real-life case real-life Includes 22 Contents

What is this booklet about? 2 It is one of over 40 in a series covering many Arriving and checking in work sectors, subjects and careers. Each book operations manager contains a number of case studies showing people handler in a variety of jobs. All telling you how it is – Passenger services agent including the good things and the bad. Passenger services co-ordinator Each job shows you what qualifications you will need, Security agent what training you can get and how much you might be Information desk assistant paid. Also, you will see which route each person took in getting that job. Sales consultant (duty-free) How can I find out more? 10 Look on the website www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u which Preparing for take off contains background information on these featured jobs plus many maintenance engineer more. You can talk to your Connexions personal adviser who will help Flight dispatcher you research more details. Or you can contact one of the organisations Flight operations manager listed at the back of the book. Load planning officer How can I contact Connexions? Aircraft cleaner In person through a Connexions personal adviser who might Fuel operations assistant be based at your school, college or reached at your local Administrative assistant Connexions centre. By telephone, text, webchat or e-mail through Connexions Direct. Open seven days a week, 19 between 8.00am and 2.00am. Take off and flying Check out www.connexions-direct.com or look in the Air traffic controller telephone book to find your local centre. Or ring Air cabin crew 080 800 13219 or text on 07766 413219 for Cabin manager Connexions Direct. Air cabin crew trainer Other formats of this booklet are available – pilot for details see back cover.

Key to salary icons 25 Landing up to £12,000 Immigration officer £12,001 to £17,000 Airport maintenance engineer Customs and Excise officer over £17,000

This represents the typical 29 starting salary for the job Further reading/ featured in the case study. Useful addresses Working in airports

So, you want to work at an airport?

The aviation industry in the UK is a large and growing one, with around 200,000 people employed in airports. They deal with about 200 million passengers who make around 2 million flights each year. What type of jobs are there in airports? How do I find a job? Airports are made up of a wide range of employers including There are job opportunities in , aviation authorities, handling agents, fuel suppliers, large and small airports across retail organisations, catering and cleaning companies, and the the UK, but most vacancies are Civil Service ( control and immigration). available at the bigger airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, There are jobs available at every level within these organisations. Manchester and Birmingham. You can join after leaving school, college or university, or after gaining experience in other jobs. Many employees are taken on as temporary staff for the peak As well as the obvious careers like passenger check-in officer holiday times, so it is often and pilot, there are many more including retail assistant, airport easier to find employment at engineer, flight safety manager, ramp agent, chef, bus driver the beginning of the summer. and customer services manager. It is then possible to transfer to full-time work later on, What are the working conditions like? when vacancies arise. Most airports never close, so shift work is the most common way of working, which includes working evenings, nights, at Some of the large airports weekends and on public holidays. Airports are generally busy have their own Jobcentres, but and many jobs require dealing with passengers and problems, other Jobcentres also advertise which may be demanding at times. vacancies in airports. In addition, you can look in local newspapers What qualities and skills will I need? for airport jobs. As most airport jobs involve dealing with people, you are likely You can also directly approach to need good communication skills. Knowledge of a foreign employers to find out if they language may be useful too. have any job opportunities, and the British In addition, a responsible attitude and the ability to work (BAA) advertises jobs for some as part of a team are important requirements for all jobs. types of airport staff.

What are the entry requirements? How do I train? Some jobs require no or few qualifications, whereas others Training for many of the airport require qualifications up to degree level. Qualifications in jobs is given to you while you subjects such as and tourism, retail or customer service are working, as well as on may be useful for some jobs. There are also some courses that the employers’ own training directly relate to working in an airport. For example, courses in courses. It is also possible fares and ticketing or airline and airport operations are often to work towards qualifications run at colleges that are close to airports. like National Vocational As well as qualifications, there may be other entry requirements, Qualifications/Scottish depending on the actual job. For air cabin crew work, you will Vocational Qualifications need to meet height and weight restrictions and have a valid (NVQs/SVQs), with the passport allowing unrestricted world travel. possibility of taking your qualifications further. Aptitude tests will be given for some jobs such as pilot and air traffic controller.

1 Arriving and checking in

Many jobs at an airport involve looking after passengers and their luggage. Staff help them to check in, provide flight and general information and ensure that nothing illegal or dangerous boards the aircraft. Behind the scenes, there are baggage handlers and managers who make sure that everything runs smoothly. Airport operations manager Manager What is your working environment like? Laura Marshall is one of I am walking around the terminals most a team of terminal duty of the time, but also spend time in my office catching up on paperwork. The managers (TDMs) at office is light, roomy and pleasant to Manchester airport, a work in. job that calls for a calm Who do you work with? approach in a crisis. She is I have dealings with nearly everyone at the airport at some time or another, and responsible for ensuring am direct line manager to the airport’s that all the work operations customer service advisors. I also work closely with the other TDMs inside the terminal and management teams at all the buildings run smoothly. airport’s terminals. What special skills or qualities do How would you outline your role? Do you have a set daily work routine? you need for your job? I’m a focal point for everyone who works Every day is different. The first thing I do You need to be an excellent in, or visits, the terminal, from airline staff is get a brief from the duty manager I am communicator and to be able to and service partners, to the travelling taking over from about anything that’s deal persuasively but sensitively with public. I help solve problems, deal with happened and anything unusual that customers, as well as employees and customer complaints and make sure might be coming up, such as VIPs visiting other partners at the airport, such as we’re meeting all the right standards, the airport. Then there are daily meetings the companies that run the shops and from high levels of customer service with the management team and also catering outlets. Part of my role is to through to complying with health and with the duty police inspector and manage staff, so I need to be a good safety legislation. security duty manager. leader and able to motivate people. My main responsibility is overseeing What training have you received? Laura’s route the terminal, anticipating any potential problems – mainly from a safety and I started work at Luton Airport and • Degree in Human Biology. security point of view – and ensuring completed numerous training that the customers are happy. programmes on airline specific areas, • Temporary job at Luton airport. as well as general customer service • Full-time work as a check in agent, What problems can occur? and management skills. When I came and then supervisor and station to Manchester I had further training in Sometimes, flights may divert to our controller for EasyJet. . We all receive training airport and I’ll have to make sure all the on a regular basis to keep up to date • Moved to Manchester airport to relevant people know and that we are with industry issues. become TDM. ready to handle the extra passengers. Aircraft emergencies, fire alarms going Laura’s tip off, security scares – anything that Do you use any tools or equipment? I use computers, CCTV (closed-circuit • Don’t be afraid to start in any role happens or affects the terminal is television) and a mobile phone, pager at the airport to gain experience ultimately my responsibility. and radio to keep in touch with colleagues. and see what’s available. What hours do you work? I work 12.5-hour shifts, generally four days on and five off. The shifts are either 6.30am to 7.00pm, or 6.30pm to 7.00am.

2 Working in airports

Baggage handler Airport baggage handler What do you like/dislike about your job? I enjoy most aspects of my job although Daniel McGlone is a early morning starts in the winter can be baggage handler at hard. On a shift system, you have to be prepared to put your social life on hold too. Liverpool John Lennon It can also be frustrating when you have airport. He is part of a to deal with situations over which you have little or no influence, such as luggage team that loads and that goes astray. I’m often confronted unloads baggage, mail, with upset passengers even though I’m trying to sort things out for them. freight and on and off planes. What are the particular challenges in your work? The need to take immediate action in emergency situations – there’s no time for hesitation when safety or security is involved. But although these situations What are your main responsibilities? Who do you work with? can be stressful, it can also be rewarding When we are loading, we use buggies to I work in a team of about four or five, to lead a team through a major drive out to the plane with all the baggage which includes a supervisor. I also work disruption or an emergency situation. on trolleys. We then load it using a with a dispatcher who checks everything special conveyor belt which takes the we load or unload. luggage up into the plane’s hold. We load Related jobs the plane in a certain way so that all the What special skills or qualities do you weight is spread evenly in the hold. Also, need for your job? Air traffic controller the urgent luggage is loaded last so that You need to be fit to do this job. It helps Customer services assistant/manager it can be unloaded first at the other end. to hold a driving licence so you can drive Flight operations manager the vehicles, which makes the job more Travel agent When we unload, we drop off the luggage at the bay and other staff load it onto the interesting. You must be able to work carousel for passengers to reclaim. There quickly and as part of a team, and always Salary information is also some office work to be done. After be aware of the dangers of working I’ve loaded each plane I fill in a form near planes. Terminal duty managers earn around detailing how many were £32,000, rising to a maximum of included and other relevant information. approximately £40,000 with experience. Daniel’s route What hours do you work? • GCSEs at college after Getting in I do a 12-hour shift, four days on and leaving school. • The most common route to becoming four days off. The two shifts start at • Worked as a games tester a TDM is to work up through other 6.00am and 6.00pm. for an electronics company. positions in an airport, such as • GNVQ Levels 1 and 2 in customer services assistant or What is your working environment like? Business Studies. a specific role with an airline. Most of the time is spent working outside, • Started work at the airport. • There are no set academic travelling to and from the aircraft. We qualifications but applicants must work in all weathers, even when the Daniel’s tips have a thorough knowledge and aircraft is grounded in icy conditions. experience of how an airport • You have to be prepared to operates. Increasingly, airlines expect work hard to get noticed. some GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3) • Lifting luggage can be hard including English and mathematics. work and you must be fit.

3 Arriving and checking in

How did you choose this type of work? Related jobs I started working part time loading the Helen Thompson is usually mail during the night shift. I then did Driver’s mate the first point of contact some overtime during the days, and was Lift truck operator taken on full time. Removals operative for passengers flying out Stores assistant of an airport. She works as What training have you had? Van driver I’ve been trained in how to lift heavy Warehouse worker/manager a passenger services agent items and I’ve been on a course teaching on the check-in desk, me how to drive on the air field, which Salary information has a written test at the end. I hope to Baggage handlers start on about booking in passengers get my fork-lift driving licence next, so £12,000, which can rise to £14,000 and their luggage. I can help load and unload freight. with experience. Team (gang) leaders can earn £15,000 or more. Do you use any tools or equipment? How would you outline your role? Getting in Buggies and conveyor belts are the main I make sure passengers are booked on machinery I use. We wear special trousers • There are no academic requirements the right flight, and know where and with knee pads, high visibility vests, ear when they are . I also process protectors and wet weather clothing. needed to work as a baggage handler, although most airports their luggage. prefer applicants to be 18 years What do you like/dislike about old or over. What is your set work routine? your job? • A driving licence and the ability to When I’m working on the check-in desk The shifts are very long and get very lift heavy objects are important. there is a set routine. I have to check tiring, and working nights makes it hard passengers’ and tickets, to plan a social life. But it is fun working • All new employees at an airport go through a series of security checks. allocate seats, check in baggage, and as part of a team and means that you issue boarding cards. I also have to ask get four days off at a time. a set of security questions and make sure passengers haven’t got anything sharp or How do you see your future? dangerous with them, in accordance with With more experience I can take on Department for Transport regulations. more responsibility and, hopefully, I have to be very precise when checking become a team leader. in the luggage to ensure each piece matches up with the right passenger.

Helen’s route • GCSEs. • A levels at college. • Worked at the Inland Revenue. • Joined present company after family highlighted vacancies.

Helen’s tips

• You must enjoy helping people to work in the travel industry. • Most work at airports involves working shifts and you must be prepared to work unsociable hours.

4 Working in airports Passenger services agent Passenger check in officer Do you use any tools or equipment? Computers play a big role, and we use radios to keep in touch with each other. Outside, on the apron (area around the ) we wear high visibility vests and ear defenders.

What do you like/dislike about your job? I enjoy working with different people everyday, but I don’t enjoy it when passengers get upset. When they turn up late for their flight they sometimes start blaming us and it can be quite stressful Do you work for a particular airline? Who do you work with? keeping calm. No. I work for a company that handles a It’s quite a small airport, so you get number of different airlines and each one to know everyone, from the rest of the has a different way of doing things, team right through to security and the which you have to learn. There’s lots of airline crews. paperwork involved, some of which we Related jobs complete manually, while other items like What special skills or qualities do you Air cabin crew baggage tags are printed out by computers. need for your job? Courier You need to be accurate, and make sure Customer services assistant/manager Do you only work at the check-in desk? things like boarding cards are filled out Holiday representative No. We also work at the boarding , correctly, otherwise security will stop the Hotel receptionist announcing when the plane is ready. passenger from going through. You’ve Travel agent Sometimes we have to escort passengers also got to be highly motivated, good at out onto the runway area and guide customer service and flexible, because Salary information them around the aircraft. We also help the hours are quite unsocial. disabled passengers and people in A new passenger services agent wheelchairs to board the aircraft. Why did you choose this type of work? earns approximately £11,300, rising to around £13,300 with the extra I also work as a team leader, helping It’s a challenging job and I like working responsibilities of being a team the passenger services co-ordinators with the public. It’s always exciting leader. They may also be paid extra to supervise staff and deal with any working in an airport, and the shifts suit for overtime and a shift allowance. problems that occur on shift. me because I enjoy having different days off each week. Getting in What hours do you work? I do four days on, and four days off, What training have you done? • Different employers have different working 12-hour shifts, either from I did two weeks’ intense training when entry requirements. 7.30am to 7.30pm, or 10.00am to 10.00pm. I started, going through all the basic • Formal qualifications are not always procedures and the paperwork, and then essential. However, many employers What’s your working environment like? shadowing another member of staff on prefer applicants with several the check-in desk to see how it’s all done. GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3) including Most of our work takes place in full glare There’s also a manual-handling course, English and mathematics. of the passengers but we do have an which teaches you how to lift heavy operations room where we can go for • A qualification in a foreign language bags, and how to push wheelchairs. our breaks. or the ability to speak another language is also helpful. A more specialist qualification, such as travel and tourism, can be useful.

5 Arriving and checking in

Related jobs Passenger services Air cabin crew Courier Customer services assistant/manager Holiday representative co-ordinator Hotel receptionist Travel agent

Passenger check in officer Salary information A passenger services co-ordinator Craig Mills is a passenger earns between £15,000 and £17,000 a year. They may also be paid extra services co-ordinator at for overtime and a shift allowance. Liverpool John Lennon airport, where he splits his Getting in time between helping out • Formal qualifications are not always essential. It is common to passengers with their travel work up from a customer service problems and ensuring his agent to a co-ordinator’s position. • However, many employers prefer team are working well. applicants with several GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3) including English and mathematics. • A qualification in a foreign How would you outline your role? What special skills or qualities do you language or the ability to speak I’m responsible for the day-to-day need for your job? another language is also helpful. operations of the team, overseeing You need good customer service skills, • A more specialised qualification, check ins and arrivals, monitoring staff and you’ve got to be able to deal with such as one of several awards run performance and time keeping, and difficult passengers. Good listening skills by BTEC travel and tourism, can responding to any problems that occur are important, because you do get some be useful. with passengers. passengers who moan a lot, and you’ve got to be sympathetic even though you all over the world, and AMOSS, a system Do you have a set routine? might not think they deserve it! that holds all the flight information. We also do a manual-handling training Every day is different, because you just What training have you done? course every two years and there’s don’t know what problems are going special security training too. to arise. If we have any major delays I I’ve had to learn several specialist travel may have to sort out coaches, different computer systems such as CADACO, What do you like/dislike about flights for people, or even overnight which is a check-in system that’s used accommodation. I also spend time sorting your job? out staff rotas, and if we are short staffed I enjoy working with people, and the best I’ll help out on the check-in desk. Craig’s route thing about the job is helping someone to sort out a problem, or even saving • GCSEs. What hours do you work? their holiday by helping to arrange an • BTEC National Certificate in Travel alternative flight. The downside is dealing I work shifts of 14.5 hours, which and Tourism. with abusive passengers, but you’ve just includes 2.5 hours of overtime. Shifts • Handling agent at Liverpool airport. got to look at it as part of the job. are from 5.00am and I do four days on and four days off. • Holiday representative in Mallorca. • Started work at Aviance. What are the particular challenges in your work? What’s your working environment like? There’s always a bit of pressure making As well as the check-in and reservations Craig’s tips sure the flights are boarded and ready to desks, where people come to pick up • It helps to have an interest in travel go on time. Keeping the staff happy isn’t or book tickets, I also work outside on and working in an airport. the easiest job either! the floor of the airport and in the departure lounge. • Be prepared to give up your social life when you’re on shifts. How do you see your future? Who do you work with? • You’ve got to be able to deal with I want to carry on in the travel industry difficult passengers – you can’t just and the next step up would be a I spend a lot of the time with all the staff, shout back at them! management position. especially the customer services manager, and also representatives from other airlines.

6 Working in airports

Related jobs Police officer Private investigator Store detective Security agent Traffic warden Salary information Security officer/manager A new security officer usually starts at £13,000, rising to about £18,000 with experience. Senior officers can Martyn Powell is an reach salaries of £25,000. aviation security agent Getting in at a commercial airport in • There are no set qualifications northern England. As part needed to become an aviation of the airport’s main security agent. • However, a good standard of spoken security team he has to and written English is important, and you must be 21 or over and remain alert to spot anything agree to have a full security check suspicious throughout his carried out by the Department for Transport. working day. • Qualifications may be obtained through the Security Industry What are your main responsibilities? Who do you work with? Training Organisation (SITO). Although we have a set routine, the work It’s a tight knit team and we all get on is varied. Our most visible presence is well together. We obviously have strong What training have you done? when people are moving through into links with the police, as well as all the All new entrants have to undergo departures and we need to check their other service providers working within a training course that meets the boarding cards and x-ray their hand the airport. requirements of the Department for luggage. If the archway metal detector Transport (DfT). This teaches the basics (AMD) bleeps when someone walks What special skills or qualities do you and explains what the role involves. through, we approach the passenger, need for your job? Once you’ve passed the course there take them to one side, and then carry Good observation and communication is on-the-job training, and that’s when out a body search. We also spend time skills are vital, and you need to keep calm the learning really starts. carrying out patrols within the airport, under pressure because it can get hectic keeping an eye out for anything at times, with people wanting to rush Do you use any tools or equipment? suspicious, such as unattended luggage. through to catch their planes. You also As well as the x-ray machines we use need to be firm and explain why you are radios, computers, hand-held metal What happens next? doing certain things. detectors and something called a wand, If we do discover something unusual, we which we use when a piece of unattended call over a supervisor and make a decision luggage has been found. This helps to whether or not to get the police involved. determine whether or not there are any We check people who work in the airport explosives in it. too, and we x-ray all deliveries for the shops and restaurants, even checking the Martyn’s route What are the particular challenges in vehicles they arrive in. • Left school. your work? What hours do you work? • Completed GCSEs at college. We’ve had a couple of bomb scares, when we’ve had to evacuate the whole • Short time with the Royal Marines. Shift work is common. I do a 48-hour of the airport. The other challenge is week, which includes breaks and overtime. • Joined Securicor Aviation. dealing with difficult passengers, and The shifts are from 4.00am to 1.00pm, or we can actually be called on to planes 1.00pm until 10.00pm. If I’m working Martyn’s tips to help calm them down. outside the terminal, on the gate where the deliveries come in, it’s common to do • Think about the hours – they How do you see your future? two day and two night shifts, and then certainly don’t suit everyone. There’s a natural route of progression in have four days off. • You do need to be understanding this job – supervisor, duty manager and, when dealing with difficult situations. finally, security manager.

7 Arriving and checking in

Information desk assistant Customer services assistant/manager

Claire Barlow is a sales and information assistant at the Merseyside Tourist Information unit at Liverpool John Lennon airport. As well as dealing with travel enquires, she also helps to run a gift shop.

How would you outline your role? What is your working environment like? What training have you done? We are the first place that passengers I spend my time at the counter or helping We undertake training all the time, and I come to if they have a travel problem or in the shop, which can get quite busy am currently working with Mersey Travel just want some information about what when a lot of passengers enter the airport. to update my knowledge about transport to do in Liverpool. The counter is centrally located in the and the best way to get to places. We main terminal building. also do welcome host courses, which What are your main responsibilities? teach you to be more aware of people There are lots of different parts to my job What special skills or qualities do you with disabilities and people for whom and I don’t have a set routine. My main need for your job? English isn’t a first language. I’ve also role is answering queries about the You have to be aware of customer needs, completed a customer care course. airport, flights and where to go. A lot of and possess a good knowledge of the incoming passengers want to know the area where you work. Computer and What do you like/dislike about your job? best way to get to the city centre, and language skills are important too. You You get used to the hours, and of course what things they should see and do also need to be pleasant and friendly, you can’t help but be a bit envious of all once they get there. I also operate the with a smart appearance. those people going on holiday. Dealing airport’s main switchboard and make with the public is interesting, but some announcements over the tannoy system. Why did you choose this type of work? people do get very angry when their I knew I wanted to use my languages, travel plans are changed. What other tasks do you do? so I spent some time as a member of the I also work in the shop, which sells cabin crew for an airline. I already had items such as guidebooks to Liverpool, some experience of working for Merseyside Claire’s route postcards, football merchandise, stamps Tourist Information, and an opportunity and souvenirs. I handle cash, cheques and came up to work at the airport. • GCSEs and A levels. credit cards, use the till and help keep the • Casual work for Merseyside Tourist shelves stocked with goods. Information while at university. What hours do you work? • BA Combined Honours Degree in French and European Studies. I work on a rotating base of three shifts, from 5.00am to 2.00pm, 9.30am to • Worked as cabin crew for an airline. 6.30pm, or 2.00pm to 11.00pm. That Claire’s tips means there’s always someone on the desk when passengers are passing • Languages skills are important. through the airport. I work in a team of • You’ve got to be able to get on eight, which means I rarely work alone. with people and enjoy dealing with the public.

8 Working in airports Sales consultant (duty free) Sales assistant

How do you see your future? Lee Clare is a sales The airport is getting bigger and bigger, with lots of different airlines setting up consultant at one of here, so hopefully there will be more and Manchester airport’s more job opportunities. branches of Alpha Retail, a chain of shops that sells tax- and duty-free goods like alcohol, perfume Related jobs and tobacco. Customer services assistant/manager Library assistant Receptionist What are your main responsibilities? What special skills or qualities do you Tour manager My job is a mixture of serving customers, need for your job? Tourist guide using the till, and stock control. Most of You need to be hardworking and the goods we sell are controlled by strict interested in what you are doing. You’ve Salary information laws that limit how much people can buy also got to be good at explaining things to take into other countries. to people, especially if you are stopping New information assistants earn them from buying something because of around £9,000, rising to a maximum What other tasks are involved? the law. You need to be polite and offer of £14,000 with experience. Senior the kind of service you’d expect if you assistants, with extra supervisory I have to check passenger’s boarding walked into a shop. duties, can earn £15,000 or more. cards to see where they are going and There may be extra payments then advise them what their allowances for overtime. are. Although you can pay with any Do you use any tools or equipment? currency in the shop, most of the rates The main thing we use is a hand-held Getting in are worked out automatically by the till. scanner for stock taking, which reads the Other tasks include printing out different bar codes. You then count how many items • There are no set qualifications, but tickets and price tags on a computer, there are, key that in and log it all into employers prefer applicants with answering the phones and doing a the computer when you’ve finished. We GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3) in subjects weekly stock take. also wear a uniform, which I quite like. such as English, mathematics, history and geography. The right personal What hours do you work? qualities are often equally important I do three days on and three days off, and previous experience of working from 6.00am to 6.00pm. with customers and handling cash Lee’s route is useful. What is your working environment like? • GCSEs. • There are many courses available in We get busy and quiet times depending • Started work at an electrical retailer. travel and tourism, some of which on the time of year. It’s obviously more can be gained while at work, hectic in the summer, but we tend to take • Spent time working in a factory including NVQs/SVQs in Tourist on extra staff then. and in catering. Information, Customer Service or • Joined Alpha Retail in 2002. Travel Services. Who do you work with? • Courses at college or university In the whole airport about 400 people Lee’s tips include BTEC Higher National work for Alpha, and we’ve got three Certificate/Diploma (HNC/HND) in outlets. As well as sales consultants, • You’ve got to be patient when Travel and Tourism Management there is a whole tier of management dealing with the public. and degrees in travel and tourism. and administrative staff who do all the • Being talkative and confident helps. wages and the training.

9 Arriving and checking in Preparing for take off

Why did you choose this type of work? Related jobs Sue Jones works at Luton I’ve always worked in retail but I thought it would be a bit different to work at Bank/Building society customer airport as an avionics an airport. adviser Checkout operator (electronic and electrical What training have you done? Customer services assistant/manager systems) maintenance Store owner/manager At Alpha, everyone does a course on Travel agent engineer for Britannia selling skills. It covers six levels and teaches you different elements of Airways. She trained customer service, health and safety and Salary information by doing a 4-year other general retailing topics. It took me Starting salary for shop assistants about 18 months to complete, as you working at an airport is around Apprenticeship with have to fit it in with your day-to-day £10,000-£12,000, rising to £15,000 the airline. work. You can carry on training towards with experience. Generally, salaries an NVQ afterwards. are slightly higher in High Street retail outlets. How would you describe your role? What do you like/dislike about I maintain the avionics systems on your job? Getting in Britannia’s fleet of Boeing aircraft by Because I work in the international carrying out different levels of service terminal, I get to meet people from all • There are no minimum qualifications checks that are similar to those over the world which makes the job although some employers ask for at associated with motor vehicles. much more interesting. The early starts least two GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3). For instance, the Heavy Check A is done can take some getting used to. • Some companies will set tests in after every 1,300 hours of flying time. C basic mathematics and English. checks are more in-depth and the aircraft How do you see your future? • Many stores value evidence of stays in the hangar for about two weeks, Each department has senior sales staff interest in retail, such as experience and I change parts, fix defects and test who have a lot more responsibility, so in a Saturday or holiday job. every avionics system. that’s what I’m working towards. After • Apprenticeships (Skillseekers Avionics engineers maintain anything that, I’d like to move into management. in Scotland) may be available. on an aircraft to do with electrics, flight computer systems or radio systems, so I have a wide range of tasks.

What things do you cover in a check? This depends on the aircraft. I could be running in cables to keep the aircraft up to date with the latest computer systems or I could be working on the autopilot system to ensure the aircraft will fly correctly. Another thing I do is electrically connect the passenger seats to make sure there is music and video audio at each seat and that the whole in-flight entertainment system is working.

10 Working in airports

A large number of airport staff have a behind-the-scenes role in preparing aircraft for take-off. For example, the aircraft needs to be cleaned and loaded with supplies including fuel and food, the crew need to be briefed, and important checks need to be made so that the aircraft is ready and safe to fly. Aircraft maintenance engineer Electronics engineer Why did you choose this career? I was interested in aircraft and wanted a hands-on job. I like the variety that this job offers – I get to work on many different aircraft systems.

What are your ambitions? I would like to move from hangar maintenance and work on aircraft maintenance between their flights. It means you have to deal very quickly with problems so you don’t delay flights.

Related jobs Aerospace engineer What tools do you use? What is your working environment like? Electrical engineering technician I was trained to use lots of tools during I work in an aircraft hangar, which can Electronic engineering technician my apprenticeship. I use hand tools like hold two aircraft and equipment such as Engineering maintenance fitter spanners, screwdrivers, cutters and pliers, docking and staging equipment, which Engineering maintenance technician as well as electrical meters to measure helps us to get on and around the voltage, resistance and so on. I also use aircraft. The hangar is large enough to fit Salary information more advanced avionic test equipment, more than 1,300 double-decker buses. It which tests the radio systems we use can be very noisy, as a number of people Apprentices earn around £10,000 to and sends out signals for the aircraft work on the aircraft. When the doors are £15,000 a year. With experience and to receive and respond to. open while aircraft are being moved in or qualifications, this will rise to £20,000. out, it can get very cold in winter. Senior maintenance engineers can What are your working hours? earn up to £35,000 a year. Who do you work with? I work on a four-week pattern of early Getting in and late shifts. Early shifts run from There are lots of small teams of engineers 7.00am to 5.30pm and late shifts from and at the head of each team is a team • Most people enter by doing an 3.30pm to 11.00pm. I work three weeks leader. The teams are told which aircraft Apprenticeship (Skillseekers in of early shifts, which can include weekend to work on by a shift or group leader. Scotland) or a full-time course in work, then one week of late shifts. engineering, in order to gain an What skills and qualities do you need? aircraft maintenance engineer licence. I have to be keen, willing to learn and • Entry to both routes is usually Sue’s route able to cope with a variety of duties, as with four GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3), there are many different jobs involved in including mathematics and science • GCSEs. getting the aircraft ready. I must be able or technology, or equivalent • Apprenticeship with to work well within a team and it’s qualifications. essential that I pay attention to detail, Britannia Airways. • With Apprenticeships, the more as the safety of the aircraft is critical. theoretical aspects of the work Sue’s tips may be covered by study at a local What challenges do you face? college. Along with workplace • Apply to airlines running It’s a challenge to work through aircraft assessments, this can lead to at Apprenticeships before leaving school. systems to find the causes of problems. least NVQ/SVQ Level 3 Aircraft • Most airlines ask for GCSEs in When aircraft are on their C checks, I Engineering Maintenance. If the mathematics and physics and have to work to a set schedule so that training does not include NVQ/SVQ practical hand skills, so make sure the aircraft are not out of service for too Level 3, an assessment will be you have these. long, which is challenging but exciting at carried out on the job. the same time.

11 Preparing for take off

Flight dispatcher Flight operations manager

Sarah Bonner is a flight dispatcher for KLM Ground Services at London City airport. She entered the work after gaining experience as a passenger handling agent.

What is your main role? What hours do you work? What training have you received? My role is to ensure the safe and quick I work 38 hours a week, which are I was given initial flight dispatch training, turnaround of an aircraft. I make sure that broken up into early and late shifts. This which included learning how to operate all the different departments have done airport doesn’t operate 24 hours a day, so the various computer systems that the their work to prepare the aircraft between I don’t have to work through the night. different airlines use. When a new airline flights. For instance, it has to be cleaned, begins to operate out of the airport, I refuelled and loaded with luggage. What is your working environment like? receive training on the airline’s policies, so I can give them the highest level of service. I also make sure that other staff such as It is generally busy, but there are quieter the cabin crew and aircraft engineers periods when there are no aircraft on the have done their checks, and that all ground. I work closely with boarding What skills and qualities do you need? passengers have boarded the plane. Once agents and the operations controller. You need to be very organised and I am satisfied that everything is ready, able to keep focused on the task when I dispatch the aircraft. Why did you choose this career? under pressure, because it is a highly I wanted an active, hands-on job that responsible job. Do you work out the payload? provided variety every day. My first job Sarah’s route After placing passengers, bags, mail and as a passenger handling agent gave me confidence and an insight into how the cargo, I then produce a computerised • GCSEs. load sheet, which the captain uses to travel industry works. After a year, I make sure the aircraft is within weight wanted a new challenge, so I applied for • Advanced GNVQ in Travel and limitations and is balanced for take off my current position as a flight dispatcher, Tourism. and landing. which I was delighted to get. • Worked as a passenger handling agent with KLM Ground Services. What equipment do you use? • After one year, applied for current I use a radio to alert arrivals of the position as a flight dispatcher. inbound flights, to call outbound flights to their gates and to be available should Sarah’s tip anyone need to contact me. To produce a load sheet, I use several computer • Anybody thinking of becoming a systems depending on the airlines; flight dispatcher should start by however, it can be done manually working at the check-in desk, to gain too. I also wear protective clothing. an understanding of the importance of documenting accurate baggage weights, aircraft weight restrictions and general aircraft security.

12 Working in airports Flight operations manager Flight operations manager What do you enjoy about your work? The main aspect of my job that I enjoy Ryan Flaherty is head of most is being able to work on my own, operations control and while still remaining in a team environment. I am able to use my own performance for Flybe initiative and, to a certain extent, work at Exeter International at my own pace. However, I still have a network of dispatchers available to help airport. He entered the me should a problem occur. job after doing a degree Is there anything you don’t like? followed by experience The main disadvantage of my job is having gained in various other to work at weekends and during public holidays. However, I get days off in lieu. roles for the airline.

What are the challenges in your work? What are your main responsibilities? What about time-keeping quality The main challenge I face in my job is control? having to turn an aircraft around quickly. I have two main areas of responsibility. Sometimes, I have just 20 minutes to do I am responsible for the day-to-day In addition, I take care of the punctuality this, and when there are delays I can be running of our operations control centre. performance of the airline. This means dispatching two at the same time. This is the office where we monitor the I have to monitor and examine all the aircraft, ensuring that they are running punctuality statistics regularly. If I see an on time, and deal with any problems issue developing, I must liaise with the Related jobs that arise during the day, such as bad relevant department to bring about an weather. As well as looking after aircraft, improvement. Air traffic controller I am responsible for allocating all the Airport baggage handler pilots and cabin crew to the various aircraft. What does your day involve? Flight operations manager I ensure that they are all available to I hold a meeting each morning with Load planning officer (aircraft) operate the flights. my staff to discuss the previous day’s operation and identify any issues. We Salary information review the first wave of departures of that morning to see if there are any Salaries for flight dispatchers start at Ryan’s route problems that are likely to impact on around £12,000. With more experience, the rest of the day and cause any delays. it is possible to earn around £14,000- • Degree in European Business £16,000, rising to £18,000 in a senior Studies and French. Throughout the day, I deal with various role. These earnings may be increased issues relating to the operation of the • Worked in various roles at Flybe – with overtime pay. airline, such as , the reservations, ticket desk work and weather, the IT systems we use and duty management. Getting in any other issues. • Transferred to head office. • Employers may ask for GCSEs to • Present position as head of I also answer queries from staff and enter the work. IT skills and the operations control and performance. passengers. Later in the afternoon, we ability to speak a foreign language have another meeting to review how the day has progressed. are desirable. Ryan’s tips • Many flight dispatchers have gained experience in an area such • Be prepared to start at the bottom What hours are you on duty? as passenger services before and gain valuable experience on I am usually in the office by 8.30am and entering flight dispatch. your way up. leave at around 6.00pm. However, given • Training involves instruction in • Be prepared to work long and the nature of my job, I must be available flight dispatch computer systems. unsocial hours. on my mobile phone 24 hours a day.

13 Preparing for take off

Where do you work? Related jobs I work in an office next to the airport India Thomas is one of a team in a general office building with large Air traffic controller of ten load planning officers windows, so I can see the airfield. I have Load planning officer (aircraft) my own room and report to the logistics Royal Air Force (RAF) airman/woman for the airport services director. The office block is shared by Royal Air Force (RAF) officer provider, Aviance UK, and is other department heads covering ground Transport planner and cabin services, for instance. based at Cardiff airport. She Salary information entered the work because What training have you had? I have attended numerous in-house With experience, a duty manager can she wanted to pursue an training courses. I have also been on a expect to earn around £25,000. This interesting and exciting career. management skills course, which was rises with progression into the higher organised externally. I’ve attended a slot managerial positions with an earning co-ordination course to learn how to potential of up to £50,000. Salaries for flight operations assistants can manage flight scheduling with the aim What do you do each day? of making the most of airport capacity. start at around £12,000. One of the most important aspects of my What skills must you have? Getting in job is to calculate the correct weight and balance of luggage, passengers and fuel, When working in an operations • The best way to get into operations as this has a direct impact on the safety department, good communication management is to work your way of the aircraft during take off and skills are essential. Time is critical, so the up from a position such as crewing landing. I work at the computer doing ability to work to deadlines is important. or operations assistant, then on to advanced planning and preparation for Specifically, it is important to have a controller, duty manager and finally the following day. It is essential to input good understanding of how flights are the higher managerial positions. registration details of expected aircraft so processed at an airport. • Generally, airlines expect applicants that the correct baggage and passengers I spent five years working in a live airport for operations assistant roles to have board the plane. environment, which proved to be good some GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3) in experience for my current role. English and mathematics. What about working outside? • Training involves both technical I spend some time outside on the airport What do you like about your work? instruction in flight operations, IT apron liaising between baggage handlers, An airport is an interesting place to work systems and management training. flight deck staff (including cabin crew as it is a busy place with lots of people and captains), refuellers, check-in agents doing a wide range of jobs. In addition, it and ground staff. I have an overview of is good to be part of a team and rewarding the tasks and responsibilities involved for to be working for a developing company. all of these groups, so that I can ensure the safe and timely turnaround of aircraft. What are the challenges in your work? When flights are running late, we need to What equipment do you need to do find solutions to minimise delays for our your job? passengers. This can be especially difficult I am always equipped with a two-way when disruptions occur that are out of radio, pen and clipboard, ear defenders, our control, such as bad weather causing steel toe capped boots, a calculator and aircraft to be grounded. security pass. In addition, I must always be near a computer.

14 Working in airports Load planning officer Load planning officer (aircraft) What are your career ambitions? I would like to stay within the airport industry and, one day, become a duty manager or trainer.

Related jobs Airport baggage handler Flight operations manager Passenger check in officer Royal Air Force (RAF) airman/woman Royal Air Force (RAF) officer

Salary information Salaries for load planning officers start What skills are necessary? What are your surroundings like? at around £12,000. With more I need good communication skills While working indoors, I am in a modern experience, it is possible to earn and confidence in dealing with people, office environment, but when on the around £16,000 to £18,000. These along with the ability to think quickly airfield, it is often cold, wet and noisy. earnings may be increased with on my feet. I make effective decisions overtime pay. when adjustments are needed at a What training have you done since moment’s notice. starting at the airport? Getting in I originally received a number of weeks’ What are your typical working hours? • Employers may ask for GCSEs/S basic training on the day-to-day functions grades (A-E/1-5) including English I work on a shift system as airlines of a check-in agent and the use of the and mathematics to enter the work. operate on a 24-hour basis, every day computer databases. When promoted to IT skills are desirable. of the year. I work on a two-shift pattern, load planning officer, I received a further from 5.00am to 11.00am or from 4.30pm eight days of intensive training with • Many load planning officers have to 8.30pm. I may also need to work continual assessment. On successful gained experience in an area such overtime at very short notice if there completion, I received a licence to as passenger services before are unforeseen delays. operate and was closely monitored for entering load planning. This helps the first two weeks. in the supervision of gate staff. • Training involves instruction in India’s route What do you find most rewarding about manual weight and balance your job? concepts of aircraft, and in • GCSEs. computerised load planning. I like the fact that it is challenging, • Worked in retail for two years. varied, stimulating and gives me a real • Appointed as check in agent at sense of achievement. On top of this, Cardiff airport. I enjoy working as part of a team. • Promotion to present position as load planning officer. What are the challenging aspects of the work? India’s tips It is a very high-pressured job, as I am always working against the clock • If you think the work would suit with deadlines to be met. Every day you, work hard and you will achieve is a challenge with new problems to whatever you want. be resolved. • You must be prepared to work on a shift system and at weekends.

15 Preparing for take off

Related jobs Caretaker/maintenance person Car valet Hotel/accommodation room attendant Housekeeper Aircraft cleaner Industrial cleaner Salary information Cleaner The average starting salary for an aircraft cleaner is about £9,500. Clare Havard is an aircraft With experience this rises to around cleaner for Inflight Cleaning £11,000. Supervisors may earn £15,000 or more. Services at Gatwick airport. She works as part of a team Getting in to make sure that all the • No formal qualifications are needed to become a cleaner. aircraft are clean before • Applicants should be in good they fly. Sometimes, her team health and active. People with breathing difficulties or skin only gets 15 minutes to allergies could be affected by prepare the aircraft for the dust and chemicals. • Training is given in health and next influx of passengers. safety and in using equipment and cleaning fluids. You may study for qualifications such as NVQs/SVQs What are your daily duties? What personal qualities do you need? in Cleaning and Support Services. I arrive at Gatwick by 6.30am, go You need to be smart, which includes through security and clock in. We are wearing a clean uniform, with clean What training have you received? then transported to the aircraft as they shoes and long hair tied back. You have As well as being trained in using the need cleaning. Apart from breaks I clean to work fast while meeting quality cleaning equipment and how to clean the the aircraft until my shift finishes. standards, so that you do not cause aircraft, I have done American security flight delays. Also, you must be able to training. On every American aircraft, there What does the cleaning involve? communicate with other people working are security guards who check that the There are different types of cleaning around you, such as air cabin crew, cleaning crew are searching the cabin operations. When the aircraft is on a caterers and engineers. properly. Sometimes they test us by quick turnaround, the cleaning operation putting dummy bombs under seats and only takes up to 45 minutes. In this time, What shifts do you work? lifejackets. If you find one, you need to my duties include wiping lap trays, taking For three days, I do a 12-hour shift call security. rubbish out of seat pockets, putting safety from 7.00am to 7.00pm. Then I have cards to the front of the seat pockets, three days off. What do you like about your job? arranging seatbelts, vacuuming, and There is a friendly atmosphere and I get cleaning toilets and galleys (kitchen areas). Clare’s route on with everybody. I also enjoy working When the aircraft remains at the airfield on the different types of aircraft. overnight we do a more extensive clean. • GCSEs. • NVQ Level 2 in Administration. What cleaning equipment do you use? • GNVQ in ICT. I use a vacuum cleaner, which is the kind • Full-time job as aircraft cleaner that you put on your back and is supported after attending a local jobs fair. with straps, so it’s comfortable. In addition, I use mops, cloths and cleaning fluids. We Clare’s tips wear a special cleaning uniform. • Be prepared to get to work early. Who do you work with? • Keep your uniform smart and clean I work in a crew of four. We have a at all times. supervisor and three cleaners in the crew. • Be able to communicate with the The supervisor’s role is to make sure that other members of staff working the cleaners are doing what they are around you. assigned to do on that aircraft.

16 Working in airports

Related jobs Fuel operations Administrative assistant/officer/manager Airport baggage handler Large goods vehicle driver assistant Load planning officer (aircraft) Royal Air Force (RAF) airman/woman Distribution manager Royal Air Force (RAF) officer Salary information Amie Clark works at Bristol Starting salary for an operations airport as an operations assistant is around £13,000. Refuellers start at between assistant for Air BP. She about £19,000 and £25,000. carries out all the Getting in administration and some • Entry requirements vary among of the operational work employers, but applicants often involved in refuelling need GCSE/S grades (A-C/1-3) and/or relevant experience. aircraft. Once she obtains • Employers run their own training her heavy goods vehicle courses lasting for four to eight licence, Amie hopes to train weeks on an airport site. • To become a refueller, an HGV1 to refuel the aircraft as well. (Heavy goods vehicle) driving qualification is necessary. What are your main role? What skills do you need for your job? To gain this, you must be 21. I get involved with fuel management, I need to be computer literate and have which involves checking and sampling numerical skills. I must have good What training have you received? incoming loads of fuel to make sure they communication skills to deal with Training is on-going. I have been trained meet the required specifications. colleagues over the phone, face-to-face in all my work tasks, including using the and by email. Being able to work as part system we use for testing and monitoring of a team is invaluable, as is being able What are your daily tasks? the fuel supplies and keeping track of all to work independently. I need to be I collect, check and sort fuel sales tickets the deliveries. Other training I’ve had enthusiastic, flexible and able to keep and information about incoming fuel includes first aid, driving on the runway calm under pressure. loads and fuel reloads into our vehicles. and defensive fire fighting. I’m re-trained I operate equipment for sampling fuel regularly to keep my skills fresh and up quality, such as a thermometer, hydrometer What equipment do you use? to date. and conductivity meter. I read and convert Apart from the testing equipment I use various gauge readings from the side of the base radio to communicate with What do you most like about your job? fuel storage tanks. the refuellers (drivers) while they are I like the fact that there’s always working, and the base car to collect something happening. As well as this, and escort visitors or deliveries. Amie’s route working in an airport gives me a real sense of pride; even though I’m such a • GCSEs. What hours do you normally work? small part of the process, I help to ensure • Advanced GNVQ in Art and Design. I have to be quite flexible. My main hours that passengers get to their destinations are 9.00am to 5.00pm, but sometimes I • Worked for airport security, safely, comfortably and on time. start earlier to deal with early morning then airport taxi company. incoming fuel loads. What are your career plans? • Current role as fuel operations assistant. I hope to get my HGV licence soon, and What is your workplace like? be trained to refuel aircraft. I’ll also be I work in a light, airy office on a busy Amie’s tips trained to conduct all the required tasks, airport fuel farm. My window looks out inspections and tests that need to be • Be flexible, constantly willing onto the main apron, so I can see aircraft carried out on various pieces of equipment to learn and conscientious. movements all day. I work with eleven so that I can become a more versatile aircraft refuellers and one manager. member of the team. • Having an interest in the aviation industry is an advantage in this role.

17 Preparing for take off Administrative assistant Administrative assistant/officer/manager

Laura Turner is a visually- impaired clerical trainee in the training and development section of the personnel department at Birmingham . She helps to administer training courses for airport staff, in particular the induction courses for new employees, as well as dealing with young people on work placements.

What does your job involve? What equipment do you use if any? Why did you choose this type of work? I get involved in most of the support I use a computer and printer. My I chose it because it became available tasks associated with organising the computer has a speech package which and I knew it would be interesting. It various training courses we hold for reads out everything that is on the was also a job that I knew I could do. airport staff. I contact the people who screen. I input by touch typing and have been selected for the various the computer will read back to me if What training have you received? courses, make their arrangements, book necessary. I also have an embosser, There has been lots of training. On the training rooms, and deal with any which prints documents into Braille. appointment, I undertook a two-day difficulties they may have in attending course that gave me a general overview the courses. In addition, there is a lot How do you find your way around a of the airport company. Since then I have of letter writing and copying of busy airport? attended presentations, such as health training material. Access to the airport is made easier and safety, equal opportunities, managing because there are tactile pavements and harassment and bullying, cultural Braille in the talking lifts. The corridors awareness, drug awareness and fire are spacious and well lit. To help me safety training. I have completed an NVQ Laura’s route within the office, Braille has been put Level 2 in Business Administration and on the pigeonholes, so I can find post. a Computer Literacy and Information • GCSEs. Technology (CLAIT) 1 course to develop • NVQ Level 2 in Business What was your route into this job? my IT skills. Administration. I heard about Birmingham International airport after a student at my school What are the advantages and • Computer Literary and Information disadvantages of your job? Technology (CLAIT) 1. talked to year 11 students about her work experience placement here. My I was made to feel welcome at the Laura’s tips initial psychometric test was provided airport and I have some good friends in Braille and I was given help through here now, who I talk to and go to lunch • Use all available sources when the selection process by members of with. My team were given some practical searching for a suitable job. the personnel team. tips before I came, to help them feel • Ensure that the job you finally prepared for working with somebody take combines work, further What hours do you work? who is visually impaired. The people are training and experience. I work normal office hours 9.00am to very helpful and I certainly feel a full and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. equal member of the team and company.

18 Working in airports

During take-off, flight and landing, staff are responsible for the safety, comfort and satisfaction of passengers onboard the aircraft. They include air cabin crew, pilots, crew trainers and supervisors. Air traffic controller Air traffic controller

What are the skills and qualities needed? Lisa Challenger is an For this job, IT experience and skill is essential. The ability to get along with air traffic controller at people you come into contact with is also necessary. Heathrow airport. She decided on the career What are your long term career goals? after an air traffic At this stage I haven’t really thought about it, although once I have completed controller visited her the NVQ Level 3 in Customer Services school to give a talk I will be able to do further study to develop my career. about the work.

Related jobs Personal assistant (PA) Receptionist Secretary Switchboard operator What is your main role? What equipment do you use in the Salary information I’m part of a team that controls the control tower? movement of aircraft in and around I use radios to communicate with the The starting salary for a clerical Heathrow and the surrounding areas, both aircraft, telephones to co-ordinate with trainee between the ages of 16 and on the ground and in the air. There are five other controllers and outside agencies, 18 is £8,500, plus benefits and control positions covering arrivals (landing and radar screens to watch aircraft in bonuses. After four years this will rise traffic), departures (departing traffic), the air and on the ground. to about £12,500, and thereafter to a ground movement control (moving aircraft maximum of around £17,500. Clerical on the ground) and delivery (giving out experience in an airport provides an What hours do you work? initial clearances to departing aircraft). opportunity to progress to a wide I work a ten-day shift pattern, which is range of other jobs and salary six days on and four days off. The days on structures within the organisation. Lisa’s route consist of two mornings, from 7.00am to 2.00pm, two afternoons, from 2.00pm to Getting in • Degree in Psychology. 10.00pm, and two nights from 10.00pm • Worked for two years as accounts to 7.00am. I am also closely regulated as • There are no minimum assistant while making applications to how long I can work without a break. qualifications, although most for air traffic control courses. Working as a member of a team we rotate employers and colleges ask for • Accepted onto air traffic control responsibilities throughout the shift. For several GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3), course and became a fully qualified instance, I work in one control position including English, mathematics and air traffic controller. for about one hour, followed by a break, IT skills. Knowledge of a foreign before moving to another position. language may be useful. Lisa’s tips • Most colleges of further education offer a range of secretarial courses, • Don’t give up applying. It took me both full and part time. Some two years before I was finally private colleges offer shorter, more accepted onto a course. intensive courses. These can lead to • Get as much background knowledge NVQs/SVQs Levels 1, 2 and 3 in as you can. Visit airfields, towers Business Administration or City & and radar centres to gain more Guilds qualifications. information about the job.

19 Take off and flying

What is it like working in an air traffic What are your ambitions for the future? control tower? Maybe in the future, I’d like to train on Vijay Patel is based at It is fine. I sit in the top of the control radar, but I know that I always want to Birmingham airport as a tower surrounded by glass, watching be an operating air traffic controller, as aircraft through the window. I sit behind I’d miss the buzz of controlling if I was member of the air cabin a console with the radar screen. There working in an office. crew for Britannia are usually five air traffic controllers, one supervisor, two air traffic control assistants Related jobs Airways. His job is to and two lighting operators in the tower ensure the safety and at any one time. We work together Airline pilot regularly, so the atmosphere is good. Coastguard watch assistant/officer well-being of passengers Helicopter pilot and includes welcoming Why did you choose this career? Railway train driver I became interested after listening to an Royal Air Force (RAF) officer them, completing safety air traffic controller for the Royal Navy Royal Navy/Marines officer procedures, and providing talking about his job at a school careers fair. The job seemed more exciting than Salary information on-board services. the other careers that were being Salaries for air traffic controllers while highlighted at the time. training are around £19,000. With experience, it is possible to earn What are your duties for each flight? What did your training involve? around £40,000. A senior officer I arrive at the crew room and log in I went to the air traffic control college, earns up to £75,000. to a computer that provides all the flight where I completed four courses paperwork, as well as rosters and email ( 1 and 2, Radar Skills and Getting in facilities. I attend the pre-flight briefing Approach Radar). I then spent a year where the cabin manager informs the training at Heathrow before sitting my • To become an air traffic controller, crew of any special requests or medical final examination. you need to be at least 18. information from our passengers, • You should have five GCSEs/S for instance. What skills and qualities do you need? grades (A-C/1-3) including English On the aircraft, I check that all safety You need patience and a calm personality, and mathematics, and have equipment is on board and in working with the ability to think quickly. You also continued studying at a higher level. order. I then ensure that the catering need to work closely with the others in Suitable qualifications include two and sales items have been loaded and the team. A levels/AVCEs/three H grades. complete the security checks. • Training is at the College of Air What do you enjoy about your work? Traffic Control in Bournemouth. Vijay’s route There is so much variety. We get plenty of The course combines classroom time off and the salary is pretty good too. instruction and practical exercises. • A levels. If you successfully complete the • Ground-handling agent at What are the challenges in your work? course, you will be posted to an Birmingham airport. Every day presents challenges. Even operational unit as a trainee air • Applied for air cabin crew job. though the same flights might be traffic controller. scheduled, something different will Vijay’s tips always be happening. We could be using a different runway configuration, the • You must appear confident and weather might be bad, parts of the happy to talk to people you haven’t airfield may be unavailable for use – met before. the list is endless. • Be prepared to work unsocial hours. Your days off may not coincide with your friends who work in other jobs.

20 Working in airports

Air cabin crew Air cabin crew What do you like about the job? It’s satisfying to help people and I also enjoy travelling. When you’ve completed the minimum amount of flying experience, you can undertake long-haul trips and stay in foreign countries for five or six days.

Common career information on air cabin crew

Related jobs Holiday representative Hotel receptionist Passenger check in officer Passenger services supervisor Royal Air Force (RAF) airman/woman Training instructor

What do you do when the passengers What are your working hours? Salary information start to board? A typical cabin crew roster usually consists New recruits earn around £9,000 - I welcome them and make sure they of about 45 hours a week. For example, I £12,000. With experience, crew are sitting in the correct seats and that may need to report for a flight at 5.00am. members can earn around £15,000. their baggage is safely stowed away. I A short-haul flight means I land back in Salaries for senior crew are around then take part in the passenger safety Birmingham the same day. However, a £17,000. Salaries for cabin briefing. Following take off, I provide long-haul flight means working sometimes managers/trainers start at around in-flight bar, meal and sales services. At in excess of 14 hours. On long-haul £17,000 and rise to about £22,000. the end of the flight I prepare the cabin flights, we always stay overnight in There is also a flying allowance, which for landing. When the customers have the country that we have flown to. can be worth up to £4,500 a year for disembarked, I start the process again new entrants. for the return flight. What training do you need? The initial training course is six weeks Getting in What equipment do you need to use? and is intense. It consists of learning and There is lots of equipment on the aircraft being tested on safety and emergency • Entry requirements vary among that I’m trained to use. This ranges from procedures, safety equipment, in-flight airlines, but all applicants should safety equipment such as a defibrillator medical care situations and customer have GCSE/S grades (A-C/1-3). and oxygen, which is used for medical service. You need to pass the exams, but English, mathematics and foreign emergencies, to cabin services equipment, it doesn’t stop there! Every year, you language qualifications are such as ovens and serving carts. I also complete further training and re-take usually required. use a personal digital assistant (PDA) to the exams to keep up to date. • There are often other requirements. record in-flight sales and to access rosters For example, the minimum age is and emails. What skills and qualities are useful? usually 19 and there are usually Safety is the main priority, so I must be height and weight restrictions. Who do you work with on the aircraft? alert and assertive at all times, and able • Airlines run their own training courses I work with the cabin manager, who is to stay calm under pressure. I need to be lasting for four to six weeks, prior to responsible for the work of all crew confident to deal with team members training on the job with senior crew. members. The cabin manager is assisted and passengers. I have to be adaptable, • After gaining cabin crew experience, by two senior cabin crew members. as there are many tasks to undertake and it is possible to enter cabin Although I always work as part of a team, flight times can be early, late, and include crew training. the team can change with each flight. weekends and overnight stops.

21 Take off and flying

Cabin manager Air cabin crew

Michele Parker works as a cabin manager for a national airline. She is based at Gatwick airport and organises and co-ordinates the tasks of cabin crews operating on short-haul and long-haul routes all over the world.

What are your typical duties? What is your onboard working What skills and qualities do you need? I assist and advise cabin crews where environment like? I need to be able to multitask, work in a necessary, ensure all safety and emergency A happy one, and that’s important. You team and display a positive attitude. You procedures are carried out, and remain in have to be able to work in a confined need to be smart and presentable, calm constant touch with the flight deck. I also space, as the working area onboard is under pressure, caring and have good assess the work of cabin crew and give small, but you soon get used to it. The communication skills. them coaching and mentoring. cabin is pressurised, so you have to be healthy because a normal task is more Why did you choose the job? What equipment do you use on the demanding on the body in a pressurised I’ve always enjoyed travel, geography and aircraft? cabin than on the ground. flying in particular. I enjoy flying so much I use a wireless pocket computer personal that I’ve now learned how to fly and have digital assistant (PDA), which contains What are your hours? my Private Pilot’s Licence. I like the variety all the information relating to the flight When flying, I may need to check in as in my lifestyle, the people I work with, (seating plans, passenger requests and early as 2.30am or as late as 11.30pm – the rewards when assisting passengers flight briefs). I also use it during in-flight it varies so much. The shift work is very with problems, and the travelling. service to assist in calculating sales flexible and I work a number of weekends transactions and to record onboard stock and bank holidays. I know my schedule for customs. I use safety, catering and up to four weeks in advance. However, audio equipment that is carried this is always subject to change. I have to Michele’s route permanently on the aircraft. be prepared for the unexpected, as delays can occur that may result in unscheduled • A levels. Who do you work with? night stops, which then impact on the • Work experience at Gatwick airport. rest of my week. I work with a whole variety of people • Worked in merchandising at including fellow crew, pilots, passengers, department store head office, overseas staff, ground staff, internal What training do you have? gaining customer service experience. departments, the training team and Initially, I completed an intensive classroom • Cabin manager job with outside companies. As a member of the and practical course covering the aircraft, Britannia Airways. frontline crew, I represent the company safety, first aid and customer service. The to passengers. course includes daily exams and a lot of Michele’s tips study. I now take annual exams to maintain my licence to operate as cabin crew. In • Gain as much customer service addition, I attend an annual conference experience as possible. that gives details of new products and • Gain exposure to working in a team focuses on customer service. environment.

22 Working in airports Air cabin crew trainer Training instructor

Paul Harrison works as a member of the air cabin crew training team for Britannia Airways. He carries out most of his training duties at a training centre at East Midlands airport.

How would you describe your role as Where do you deliver training? What training have you had? a trainer? Most of the training that I do takes place To become a trainer, I completed an As part of the training team, I deliver over the winter months from November initial trainer course run by the airline recurrent, refresher and rejoiner training, to April and I go back on line (flying) for as well as one on first aid. I have to sit as well as the training of our initial crew the summer months. My training roster yearly safety examinations and a refresher (new starters). Training covers safety, varies from week to week and can take course on training as well. customer services, sales, and the use of a place at the training centre at East personal digital assistant (PDA). Recently, Midlands airport or at one of the bases What skills and qualities does a I have spent a lot of my time writing the we fly out of in the UK, either in the crew trainer need? safety package for the initial crew courses room or at a hotel. At the training centre, You need to have the confidence to that have just started. I work in training rooms and an office be able to stand up in front of a group where I write the training material. of people you may never have met What equipment do you use? before. It’s important to have good I use a variety of equipment from What hours do you work when organisational skills, flexibility and the personal computers and laptops when training? ability to change your training plan to I’m writing a training package, to training Normally, a training course will start at work around other trainers and courses. reference manuals and computer 8.00am and finish at around 6.00pm. projectors when I’m delivering a course. When I’m running a course that requires practical training, I use a variety of equipment, like portable breathing equipment, fire fighting equipment, Paul’s route oxygen bottles, lifejackets and life rafts. • Joined Britannia Airways as temporary cabin crew. • Permanent cabin crew position after second summer season. • Promoted to cabin crew training team after two years.

Paul’s tip • Try to get some customer service experience before applying for a cabin crew position.

23 Take off and flying

Airline pilot Airline pilot

Christian Causer is a pilot with Monarch Airlines. He is a senior based at Manchester airport and he works alongside his captain and cabin crew, flying Monarch’s fleet of aircraft to worldwide destinations.

How do you organise your flying duties? What’s it like to work on an aeroplane? What is challenging in your role? Every trip is split into two sectors – It’s like any other office really (air Most flights are uneventful, but every outbound and inbound. The captain conditioned, with a computer, and cups so often, the weather or the aircraft will and I share the flying. When not flying of coffee when you need them). The only throw something unexpected at you. I do all the other tasks such as radio difference is that my office can be 41,000 That’s when all the training comes into communications, navigation, checking feet in the air and travelling at 500-600 play and the adrenalin really pumps. the weather and other tasks. We also miles an hour. deal with matters relating to engines, How do you see your work future? air conditioning and avionics (flight How do you keep your skills up I am looking forward to my first electronics) while in the air. to date? command. Being a captain is a huge Apart from the initial training, I have responsibility and one that I’ll be very What checks do you need to do continuous checks, examinations and proud to undertake. before flying? refresher training. This includes six- I report for duty about an hour before the monthly simulator checks, where I go flight. I retrieve and check all the relevant into a simulator for two days and run Christian’s route weather and other information for our through all types of flight emergencies. departure and destination airfields. I give This allows me to practise my skills and • Air Training Corps Squadron the captain the details to make decisions others that I don’t normally use on a at school. like how much fuel to carry. We do a routine flight. Every year, I sit exams on • Gliding Certificate aged 16, Private safety check before departure, to check safety procedures and equipment, have Pilot’s Licence (PPL) at 17. the exterior of the aircraft, and we liaise a refresher course on aircraft technical • Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence with ground staff such as baggage systems, and attend a course on crew (ATPL) at air training school. loaders and refuellers. resource management. I also keep • ATP Academy and accepted as abreast of all technical and operational first officer at Monarch Airlines. How many hours do you work? updates on aircraft and destinations. We’re allowed to fly up to around 100 Christian’s tips hours a month and only work up to 14 What skills does a pilot need? hours at a time. In a week, I may fly on You must have an aptitude for flying and • Join your local Air Training Corps four or five days, with others being days be physically fit. Co-ordination and the Squadron. You’ll get free flying off or ‘’, which means I have to ability to process lots of information at experience and learn many of be available for duty very quickly. the same time are essential. Teamwork the basics. skills are crucial. Even in normal flight, • Seek out airline cadetships by the continuous flow of information looking at company websites between the crew is essential. and trade magazines.

24 Working in airports

On arrival, passengers pass through control points to ensure they are legally allowed to enter the country and are not carrying any restricted goods. In addition, the aircraft needs to be checked and serviced. Immigration officer Civil Service executive officer

Related jobs Saddaff Quraishi is an Air traffic controller intelligence officer at the Helicopter pilot Load planning officer (aircraft) Heathrow intelligence unit, Royal Air Force (RAF) officer where she works as part Salary information of a team dedicated to The basic salary for a pilot starts at stopping people entering around £25,000. An experienced pilot the UK illegally. earns around £40,000. A captain normally earns up to £70,000 and, in some cases, even up to £100,000.

Getting in How would you outline your role? What are your main responsibilities? • Entry requirements vary, but My role is split into intelligence and I check passengers’ passports as they airlines usually look for at least five surveillance. As an intelligence officer, I disembark to make sure they are valid, GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3), including spend time researching the ways in which and also look out for immigration English, mathematics and science, people try and gain illegal entry into the offenders, or people who have already and two A levels/three H grades, UK, and use this intelligence to help been identified by intelligence as arriving or the equivalent, preferably in strengthen our border controls. On the on that flight. Once we know who these mathematics and physics. A degree surveillance side, I monitor flights arriving people are, we interview them and search is also preferable. at Heathrow. Our aim is to stop their baggage to gather further evidence • Details of sponsorships, bursaries passengers who don’t have permission for prosecution. and scholarships can be found on from entering the UK. I also work with the British Airline Pilot’s Association the Heathrow prosecution unit targeting What other tasks do you do? (BALPA) website. the activities of organised criminals and I also spend time in the office, following • Pilots have to be at least 18 to people traffickers. up intelligence gathered and preparing begin training and must pass a for any flights our intelligence says may medical examination. Saddaff’s route be carrying illegal immigrants. This • Pilots begin training at a pilot intelligence comes from a variety of training school, flying simulators • Studied immigration policy as part sources such as other passengers, and real aircraft. of degree. immigration staff from other airports, • Promotion to line training captain • Placement at an immigration unit and the police. can take up to around ten years during her course. to achieve. • Worked in IT support. What hours do you work? • Flight instructors at flying schools • Worked for two years on passport I work shifts for five days a week, generally need to have had 200 , before joining the including weekends. The hours vary and flying hours before beginning a intelligence unit. I could start at night, or when the first career in flight instruction. flights come in at around 5.00am. Saddaff’s tips Who do you work with? • An interest in current affairs I spend time with my team. I liaise is important. with people from various organisations • Because you are dealing with the including the police, Customs and Excise, public, you must be able to speak airlines, security staff, immigration officers clearly and explain what you are from around the world, and government doing, and why you are doing it. agencies both in the UK and abroad.

25 Landing

What special skills or qualities do you need for your job? Related jobs Martin Hayes is an airport Because you are dealing with time Criminal intelligence analyst maintenance engineer sensitive intelligence, you are always Police officer working to tight deadlines, so the ability Security officer/manager and it is his job to keep to prioritise is important. You also need to everything running be adaptable and able to learn new laws Salary information as they are implemented. Excellent smoothly, from escalators observational skills and an interest in The Immigration Service is part of the to conveyor belts and investigative work are essential, as is Home Office and pay is governed by good judgment and being able to deal Civil Service scales. Immigration heating systems to diplomatically with people. officers earn from £18,380 to £23,930. There may also be an additional cost- ventilation units. Why did you choose this type of work? of-living allowance for working in and around London, plus extra payments I’ve always been interested in How would you outline your role? for overtime and public holidays. immigration law and studying it at It’s a mixture of reactive and scheduled undergraduate level encouraged me to electrical work across the whole airport. join. It’s a fascinating area of government Getting in It can range from mending a baggage policy. The immigration service also handling system, to minor faults at a provides a clear career structure. • Applicants may not need formal check in, or problems out on the apron qualifications, but must sit a written (area around the runway) with the What training have you received? exercise designed to test analytical, floodlights. written and decision-making skills. My induction training gave me a thorough • All applicants must be UK nationals grounding in UK and European immigration What are your main responsibilities? and security clearance is required for law, as well as covering practical things The reactive work is about responding to all posts. such as how to spot forged documents operational problems and helping to keep and how to interview people. everything up and running. The scheduled What are the particular challenges in work is the planned maintenance we Do you use any tools or equipment? your work? carry out on a regular basis, and involves IT plays an integral part of the work, and Organised crime is becoming more fault finding and carrying out safety we use equipment such as closed-circuit complex and sophisticated, which checks. I get allocated jobs daily. Some television (CCTV), video and digital makes it harder to combat. I can repair there and then, but with cameras and communications systems. others I need to fill in a report, pass that How do you see your future? back to the management and then repair it at a later date, often at night, because What do you like/dislike about I love intelligence work and the policy it involves shutting the equipment down. your job? side of things, so perhaps I’ll aim at a Every day is different and I meet people more senior role working with technology, The installation work can involve from all corners of the world. I also enjoy or a job in policy at the Home Office. If anything from a light fitting in the toilets, being part of a team, sharing ideas and you have an ambition to work abroad to airfield ground lighting systems. So as knowledge, and being at the heart of then there are lots of opportunities to you can see, no two days are the same. real-life issues. There is also a good do so in the Immigration Service. balance between working unsupervised What hours do you work? and receiving support if you need it. The We work shifts, so there’s always flexibility of the shift pattern suits me, but someone on hand if anything goes working weekends and the unsociable wrong. I work four days on, and four hours isn’t for everyone. The day can be days off, either from 7.00am to 7.00pm, very busy and extremely demanding, both or 7.00pm to 7.00am. There is optional physically and mentally. overtime too.

26 Working in airports Airport maintenance engineer Electrical engineer Do you use any tools or equipment? There are certain things you use for most tasks, such as hand and power tools, and low voltage safety tools. I use hydraulic platforms, winches, ladders, scaffolding, and all kinds of other access equipment. We are also using more and more electrical testing equipment and computers. I also carry a walkie-talkie radio.

What do you like/dislike about your job? I like most things, especially the responsibility and the fact that you get to use your own initiative. There’s also a What is your working environment like? Who do you work with? good sense of job satisfaction, and I like It can vary as I work indoors as well As well as other engineers, I work closely the fact I am always being tested by new as outdoors. I could be outside on the with air traffic control, security and safety faults that I’ve never come across before. runway one minute, inside a hangar officers, airline staff and airline handling Working outside in the winter when it’s the next. There’s also maintenance to be companies. We also control outside wet and cold isn’t a lot of fun. carried out on the control towers, the fire contractors working at the airport. station and other outside buildings, as well as the terminal itself. What special skills or qualities do you need for your job? The work can be dangerous, which is why Related jobs we go on health and safety courses to It’s a very demanding job and on some learn how to avoid accidents. Aircrafts shifts I’m constantly on the go, so you Aerospace engineering technician generate a lot of noise, so you have need plenty of stamina. You need to be Electrical engineer to be alert all the time when you are practical and good with your hands, and Mechanical engineer working outside. basic DIY skills are vital, such as how to Railway fitter/electrician use an electric drill properly and how to climb a ladder. Other skills, such as Salary information running cabling, you learn on courses. Martin’s route You need to be safety conscious too, and Pay for an apprentice starts at around a driving licence is a bonus for travelling £9,500, rising to nearer £22,000 with • GCSEs. around the airport. qualifications and experience. • Began work as a labourer, installing Supervisors can earn £26,000 plus. cabling on airfields. Why did you choose this type of work? • Electrical Apprenticeship. I have always been interested in electrical Getting in • Achieved NVQ Levels 2 and 3 in work. At school I worked with electrical Electrical Installation. contractors for my work experience. The • It is possible to gain employment as a trainee airport maintenance • Current job as an airport work is also well paid. engineer straight from school and maintenance engineer. What training have you done? train on the job. Martin’s tips I’ve got a licence to work on airfield • Employers usually expect applicants ground lighting (AGL 1). Other on-the-job to have three to five GCSE/S grades • Talk to training organisations as courses I’ve completed include airport (A-E/1-5) preferably but not they will be able to point you in the operations, first aid, and how to use necessarily, in English, mathematics, right direction. abrasive wheels. science and technology or • Apply for apprenticeships at as equivalent qualifications. many companies as possible, even • Apprenticeships (Skillseekers in if they are not advertising. Scotland) may be available.

27 Landing

Related jobs Army soldier Customs and Crime scene investigator/Scenes of crime officer (SOCO) Police officer Excise officer Security officer/manager Salary information Civil Service executive officer HM Customs and Excise pay is governed by Civil Service scales. Ashley Wharf works as a Officers earn from £18,380 to £23,930. There may also be an Customs and Excise officer additional cost-of-living allowance for observing passengers as working in and around London, plus extra payments for overtime and they go through the green public holidays. (nothing to declare) channel at a regional Getting in airport. He also operates • Frontline anti-smuggling work usually requires previous experience at the red point, collecting of work in Customs and Excise. duty on declared items. • There are several entry levels to Customs and Excise (the Civil Service), including basic clerical posts which require at least two What are your main duties? What do you do when you find GCSE/S grades, and management My job is to stop the illegal import or illegal goods? posts which require two A levels/H export of controlled drugs, drug money, It depends on what we find. If we find grades and three GCSEs/S grades, firearms, indecent and obscene materials, drugs, we arrest the carrier and take including English. and endangered species. them to the cells for interviewing. Just • There are good opportunities to like the police, we read a caution, use gain experience and move into What do you look for when watching handcuffs if necessary and record specialist areas like passenger passengers? interviews. We also keep a notebook and control, operations intelligence We are trained in what to look out for – record everything that happens. If a case and related units, such as freight things like people travelling on their own goes to court we need to be able to recall control and the dog unit. on family holiday flights, unusual our questions, the responses, dates, times, behaviour, or too many – or too few – witnesses, and so on. bags. None of these things mean that What hours do you work? someone is definitely smuggling, but you How do people react to your questions? We work a shift system as there always tend to develop a sixth sense! Our Mostly they are okay, but we do have needs to be a team of customs officials suspicions are raised if the passenger is to deal with angry or abusive people available when passengers arrive. I work evasive in answering our questions, or a sometimes. We are trained to deal with a normal 36-hour week but I may have baggage search reveals that the all eventualities. to work overtime to finish questioning passenger is a drug user. a suspect, for instance, at the end of my shift. How is your work organised? Ashley’s route What training have you received? We work in teams and whilst we try • GCSEs and A levels. Initial training is over a nine-week period. to cover all flights, and pay particular • Two years as a police officer. attention to those which pose the I then undertook on-the-job training greatest risk. Sometimes, we highlight • Transferred to HM Customs at the airport. I am going on courses certain flights on the basis of information and Excise. continually on various topics that range received and indications from drug from learning how to protect myself from detector dogs. Ashley’s tips angry/abusive people to updating my knowledge on new detection methods Between flights, I spend time catching up • You must be able to talk easily and equipment. on paperwork and patrolling the airport. and build a rapport with people. We carry radios and may be called to • Working on shifts at unsociable assist security, baggage handling or times such as weekends is one of immigration staff. the conditions of the job.

28 Working in airports

Further reading London Gatwick Airport Employers Gatwick Air BP (Some may be priced) West Sussex RH6 0NP i www.bp.com p 0870 000 2468 i www.airbp.com You can find more examples of jobs i www.baa.com working at airports in the following books. Aviance UK Working in transport and logistics – London Heathrow Airport HR Department Connexions 234 Bath Road 3rd Floor Hayes First Point Transport Sector Briefing – Association Middlesex UB3 5AP Buckingham Gate of Graduate Careers Advisory p 0870 000 0123 Gatwick Airport Services (AGCAS) i www.baa.com RH6 0NT Careers in Airlines and Airports – p 01293 502581 Kogan Page Manchester Airport i www.aviance.com Manchester M90 1QX Working in Aviation – Vacation Work p 0161 489 3000 British Airports Authority Publications i www.manchesterairport.co.uk (Contains details of main UK airports) Careers in Travel and Tourism – Institute 130 Wilton Road of Travel and Tourism General London SW1V 1LQ The Air League p 020 7834 9449 TARGET Hospitality 2005 – GTI Specialist Broadway House i [email protected] Publishers Tothill Street i www.baa.com Written information is available from London SW1H 9NS p some of the contacts listed below. 020 7222 8463 HM Customs and Excise i [email protected] Recruitment Team Further information on some of these i www.airleague.co.uk 3rd Floor jobs can be found on the jobs4u website. Thomas Paine House i www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u Airport Operators Association (AOA) 2 Angel Square 3 Birdcage Walk Torrens Street Useful addresses London SW1H 9JJ London EC1V 1TA p 020 7222 2249 i www.hmce.gov.uk Airports i www.aoa.org.uk Authority (CAA) Immigration and Nationality Directorate CAA House British Airline Pilot’s Association (BALPA) Lunar House 45-59 Kingsway 81 New Road 40 Wellesley Road London WC2B 6TE Harlington UB3 5BG Croydon CR9 2BY p 020 7379 7311 p 020 8476 4000 p 0870 606 7766 i [email protected] i www.balpa.org i www.homeoffice.gov.uk i www.caa.co.uk Royal Aeronautical Society Cardiff International Airport 4 Hamilton Place Vale of Glamorgan CF62 3BD London W1J 7BQ Working in airports was researched and p 01446 711111 p 020 7670 4300 written by Eve Piggott and Mark Hillsdon. i www.cial.co.uk i [email protected] i www.raes.org.uk Apprenticeships Apprentices learn on the job, building up knowledge and skills, gaining qualifications and earning money all at the same time. There are different levels of Apprenticeship (Skillseekers in Scotland) available, but they all lead to National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), Key Skills qualifications and, in most cases, a technical certificate such as a BTEC or City & Guilds, in subjects such as Business, Design, IT, Media & Printing, Public Services, Sport, Sport & Exercise Science and Travel & Tourism. Check out more details at i www.apprenticeships.org.uk

29 Jobs which might interest you in the airports sector include:

Administrative assistant Aircraft cleaner Air cabin crew Air cabin crew trainer Aircraft maintenance engineer Airline pilot Airport operations manager Airport maintenance engineer Air traffic controller Baggage handler Cabin manager Customs and Excise officer Flight dispatcher Flight operations manager Fuel operations assistant Immigration officer Information desk assistant Load planning officer Passenger services agent Passenger services co-ordinator Sales consultant (duty-free) Security agent

Check out further details about some of these jobs at www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u Other formats This publication is available in Braille and on audio cassette. Please telephone DfES publications on: 0845 602 2260 (select option 2), or email: Feedback [email protected] to order copies. A pdf and text only version is available online at We welcome feedback on Working in airports. If you have www.connexions-direct.com/wiairports any thoughts on the information in this booklet, or how it is You will be able to use your PC to enlarge the text. presented, please contact VT Careers Management at [email protected].

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