Craft Plant Apprenticeship - Aerostructures

Job Description: Start date: September 2027 Location: Belfast Duration: 36 months Closing date for applications: 20th December 2026 Salary: A competitive starting salary of £16,632.00 36 hours per week

• Pension scheme
• Success share
• Plus many more flexible benefits!
• Fridays afternoon off

About us

Ready to build the wings that lift the world? Join Airbus as a Craft Engineering Apprentice at our site in Belfast and play a vital role in manufacturing the wings and the mid fuselage for our A220 aircraft. This 36-month programme offers valuable hands-on training, recognised qualifications, and a clear path to a rewarding career in aviation.

Airbus is a global pioneer in the aerospace industry, leading the way in designing, manufacturing, and delivering aerospace products across Commercial Aircraft, Helicopters, Defence, and Space sectors. As the global centre of excellence for A220 wing manufacturing and a production hub for the A220 mid fuselage, our Belfast site delivers over 70 wing sets each year.

Our apprenticeship programme is carefully designed to give you valuable practical training alongside your academic studies, setting you up for success and helping your career truly fly. With over 157,000 employees worldwide and as the largest aeronautics and space company in Europe, Airbus is at the forefront of the aviation industry.

During your apprenticeship you will work alongside our experienced fitters and engineers to support you to complete the work safely and efficiently.

What you will be doing

As a Craft Apprentice you’ll immerse yourself for the first 12 months of the programme learning the foundational skills required for building aircraft. While completing your academic studies the course will also cover an element of mechanical fitting activities. This programme is designed to equip you with valuable qualifications and competencies to work directly on aircraft components.

Year One

You will spend the first 12 months of your apprenticeship based at the newly renovated Castlereagh Campus of the Belfast Met working towards obtaining:

• NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Performing Engineering Operations
• Level 2 Academic Qualification
• Level 2 Essential Skills

This will allow you to develop the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to enable you to make an immediate contribution when you enter the workforce in the second year.

Year 2 and 3

Building on your foundational knowledge, you'll join our world-class team at the Airbus Belfast site. Here, you'll apply your skills directly to live aircraft projects. Your varied tasks will require a range of technical skills.

• Preparation & Setup: This involves meticulously cleaning, sanding, and masking surfaces to ensure proper adhesion and a flawless finish. It also includes accurately mixing paints and preparing spray equipment according to specifications.
• Application & Quality: Skillfully applying multiple, even coats of paint using precise techniques, while monitoring environmental conditions. A crucial part of the role is inspecting the finish for quality, making adjustments, and performing touch-ups, all while strictly adhering to safety protocols and equipment maintenance.
• Fitting Activities: This would include a placement in our single aisle and wide body business areas to perform fitting activities in our wing box production areas, these activities will include drilling and installing fasteners.

You’ll continue your academic studies on day release, working towards:

• Level 3 NVQ Extended Diploma (Aeronautical Engineering)
• Level 3 Academic Certificate

Upon successful completion of your 36-month apprenticeship, you’ll become a Skilled Fitter, specialising in the assembly of both metallic and composite components to produce the wing box structure and the mid fuselage section of our world-class A220 aircraft. You’ll receive a Modern Apprenticeship Certificate, setting you up for a fantastic career.

Requirements

In order to be eligible to this apprenticeship you must:

• Achieve a minimum of four GCSEs which must include: Grade C or 4 in Maths, Grade C or 4 in English Language, Grade C or 4 in Science or a Technology based subject.
• Plus 1 other GCSE at grade C or 4.
• Essential Skills, Key Skills or City & Guilds, at the appropriate level, will also be considered as acceptable equivalents.

Important Information

GRADES

Any offer will be conditional upon us receiving evidence of your required grades 24h after receiving your certificates on results day, in addition to completing all pre-employment checks and online forms.

SECURITY CLEARANCE

You will be subject to a BPSS (Baseline Personnel Security Standard) check. You may also need to gain UK SC-level Security Clearance or Export Control, depending on the role.

RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK

Candidates must have current legal authorisation to work in the United Kingdom for the full duration of the programme. For more information, please check the Government Website. Our apprenticeship roles do not meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas & Immigration to enable sponsorship of migrant workers.

AI GUIDANCE

We know you might be thinking about using AI to help you in your application - before you do, please read our guidelines on the use of AI for recruitment at Airbus http://airbus.com/en/careers/use-of-ai.

Company

Airbus Belfast Limited

Employment Type: Apprenticeship

Experience Level

Student

Job Family

By submitting your CV or application you are consenting to Airbus using and storing information about you for monitoring purposes relating to your application or future employment. This information will only be used by Airbus.

Equal Opportunities

We employ people from all sections of the community and are committed to the appointment of the best candidate based upon the merit principle alone.

We welcome all applications irrespective of social and cultural background, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief.

Airbus is committed to achieving workforce diversity and creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome all applications irrespective of social and cultural background, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief. Airbus is, and always has been, committed to equal opportunities for all.

As such, we will never ask for any type of monetary exchange in the frame of a recruitment process. Any impersonation of Airbus to do so should be reported to emsom@airbus.com.

At Airbus, we support you to work, connect and collaborate more easily and flexibly. Wherever possible, we foster flexible working arrangements to stimulate innovative thinking.

Airbus pioneers sustainable aerospace for a safe and united world. The Company constantly innovates to provide efficient and technologically-advanced solutions in aerospace, defence, and connected services.

In commercial aircraft, Airbus offers modern and fuel-efficient airliners and associated services. Airbus is also a European leader in defence and security and one of the world's leading space businesses. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions and services worldwide.

From sending your resume to participating in successful interviews, here you can access all important pieces of information to guide you in your candidate journey.

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