UK Direct Entry Graduate Scheme - Opportunities

Manufacturing Operations is the function that sits between the design and production engineers and the customer. While the engineers define design and production methods and the customer defines quantities and time-scale for their requirements, the operations department reconciles the two positions.

It is broad ranging and incorporates production planning - breaking down higher-level forecasts into lower level build and resource requirements, operations management and implementing lean activities within the Airbus Production System (APS). The complexity of the aircraft build means the production plans can be extensive. Customer orders come from Airbus Central Entity (Headquarters), in Toulouse, which are then pushed backwards through the supply chain to the various Airbus sites. For example, at Airbus UK, Broughton receives wing requirement figures with due dates for delivery to either Toulouse or Hamburg. Broughton would then send the necessary order, with due dates, further down the supply chain to Filton, where some wing components are made. The planners within operations manage all of this data, including the material and resource requirements right to the start of the internal supply chain, including the individual parts and components, as well as the workload requirements for shop floor. Operations Managers are responsible for ensuring that the figures generated by planners (and designs generated by engineers) are realised. This means making sure adequate resources (people, machines, buildings, logistics and suppliers) are in the right place and at the right time, hence the need to think quickly to resolve any issue that could arise and continually seeking improvements in the process to meet the build targets at lower costs. Entry Requirements: You will need to have a relevant Bachelors or Masters degree or equivalent. Relevant degree subjects include Engineering and Management, Manufacturing Engineering, Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Production and Operations Management. Also desirable is experience of a lean manufacturing environment, a leadership role, working in a culturally diverse environment and an understanding of organisational behaviour. Case Study - Rob Kearney I worked as part of the Airbus Production System (APS) team in Wing Systems. Working in APS gave me a great opportunity to get out into the different areas of the business and work with them to fulfill my project aims. This also included getting to know and work with operators on the shop floor. I had time to get involved in things not linked to my projects, such as additive layer manufacturing, which led to future placements. I also had the opportunity to develop both hard and soft skills through additional development activities and training courses. Case Study - Sacha Jingree I was based in Assembly, where components are assembled for every family of Airbus aircraft. My project was in the production facility of two small wing components called the Shroud Box and Fixed Shroud and my remit was to consider the wastes inherent in the process, consider potential solutions and attempt to implement them. The most positive aspect of this placement was the very early exposure to individuals from all levels in the company, requiring different methods of communication and different working styles. The role requires diverse skills - being able to influence shop floor to adopt changes on the one hand, and justifying changes financially to senior managers on the other. Case Study - Johanna Jaeger In the Long Range Support Business Centre, I was working on two different projects. My first project involved data collection, evaluation and analysis with regard to the number of defects and concession within Long Range Stage 01. The second project involved the implementation of lean tools and line-side delivery as part of Airbus' internal cost reduction activities. Working within an inter-disciplinary team consisting of Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Support and Operations, I gained a much better understanding of the different departments, learned about the wing-build structure and had the chance to put lean techniques into practice.






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