Meet Sid

What is one of the most exciting or special aspects of your job?

What makes my role exciting is getting opportunities to work on real flight hardware and learning from engineers who have lots of experience in working with flight hardware - it makes everything I learn feel purposeful.

What exactly does a Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Apprentice at Airbus do on a day-to-day basis, and how does your work contribute to the company's mission?

I do a mixture of “hands-on” work and office-based work, split into ten-week long placements where I have the opportunity to integrate into experienced teams, support their projects and work, alongside learning various critical skills and procedures. This includes things like learning bonding methods on the manufacturing side, and learning how to programme a microcontroller to read serial data.

As an apprentice, I am learning vital real-world skills from experienced technicians and engineers. This directly invests in the future expertise of Airbus, ensuring that all apprentices have the knowledge and talent to continue developing and delivering space missions for years to come.

What inspired you to start your career at Airbus, and what has surprised you most about the company culture?

I chose Airbus as the start of my career due to the unparalleled opportunity to kickstart my career with a renowned leader in the aerospace and defence sector. The chance to work on pioneering space projects, at the Stevenage site, provided the perfect combination of specialisation, scale, and hands-on development. I was also inspired because it offered the opportunity to support, train, and gain hands-on experience in industry while also gaining lifelong qualifications.

I was surprised by how approachable and supportive everyone is at Airbus. There is a strong culture of learning here, and people are always willing to take time to help and explain things.

How has Airbus supported your growth and development, and how has your career evolved since you joined?

Airbus has supported my growth through the structured apprenticeship programme it offers. It provides me and my fellow apprentices with a balance of formal training and practical, on-the-job experience. The rotations around different departments have been key, offering exposure to different projects and teams. Most importantly, I have benefited from the strong culture of learning and the mentorship of experienced engineers and technicians alike.

My career has evolved from spending my first year getting to grips with as much foundational knowledge and skills as I can. Then, through experience and time spent in a variety of departments during my current second year, I have advanced my technical and professional capabilities. This rotation model has been and will be key to my progression, turning me from a beginner into a more well-rounded engineering apprentice.

As an early careers professional, what has been the most surprising thing you've learned so far?

The most surprising thing I learned is how quickly apprentices get progressed on to learning flight hardware procedures. I expected a lot of shadowing for the entire duration of my apprenticeship, but within a relatively short time, I was learning specific methods that would directly impact components in space. It made me realise the level of investment and confidence Airbus as a company puts into the early careers talent.