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Researching aviation and transport apprenticeships

Aviation and transport apprenticeships include aircraft engineering, airport operations, bus and rail engineering and transport planning. What to compare at British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Heathrow, TfL, Translink and Stagecoach.

  • Applies to UK-wide
  • Reviewed
  • Reading time 2 min

The short answer

Aviation and transport apprenticeships range from licensed aircraft engineering (2 to 4 years) to bus and rail engineering, airport roles and office jobs like finance and IT. Pay varies a lot: British Airways pays £17,339 on its aircraft engineer apprenticeships, while TfL pays from £25,294 to £29,281. Many roles involve shifts, nights or security checks.

Key figures

British Airways' pay on its four-year Licensed Aircraft Engineer apprenticeships
£17,339
Source: British Airways
Heathrow engineering apprentices offered a permanent role on completion
95%+
Source: Heathrow
TfL's pay on its five-year Land Surveying degree apprenticeship
£29,281
Source: Transport for London
Annual bonus on easyJet's engineering apprenticeship
Up to 20%
Source: easyJet

Transport needs people who can keep planes, trains and buses running safely, plus everyone behind the scenes. Apprenticeships here range from licensed aircraft engineering to finance and IT.

Aircraft engineering

Airlines train apprentices to maintain aircraft, usually towards Part-66 licences from the Civil Aviation Authority:

Employer Length Where What we know
easyJet 2 years Luton, then Luton or Gatwick Licensed Cat A1 mechanic; bonus up to 20%
Jet2 4 years Manchester Airport Level 3, Part 66 A licence; 5 GCSEs at C/5
British Airways 4 years Heathrow, Gatwick, Glasgow, Cardiff £17,339

Airports, buses and trains

Employer Apprenticeship
Heathrow Engineering apprenticeships at Level 3, with the option of a Level 4 HNC; over 95% offered a permanent role
Transport for London Including IT (£25,294), finance (£28,380) and land surveying degree (£29,281)
Translink Four-year bus and rail engineering apprenticeships in Northern Ireland
Stagecoach Four-year bus engineering apprenticeship, certified in year four by the Institute of the Motor Industry
Network Rail Rail engineering apprenticeships

What to compare

Pay

The gap is big. British Airways’ aircraft engineer apprentices get £17,339, while TfL’s office-based apprenticeships pay over £25,000. easyJet doesn’t publish its salary but adds a bonus of up to 20%, plus free meals and accommodation support for the first nine months.

Shifts and nights

Transport runs around the clock. easyJet’s engineering apprentices work full-time nights for the second half of the programme. Ask about shift patterns before you accept.

Security and travel

Airside jobs need security checks. easyJet asks for a criminal record check and a valid passport.

The qualification at the end

Engineering routes can end with a licence that lets you certify work. Ask whether the apprenticeship takes you to the licence, and what further training comes after.

Next steps

Compare everyone on our transport and aviation page, and read our guide to researching engineering apprenticeships.

Summary

  • Aviation and transport apprenticeships include aircraft, bus and rail engineering, airport roles and office jobs.
  • Aircraft engineering apprenticeships take 2 to 4 years and can lead to a licence.
  • Pay varies a lot between employers, so compare carefully.
  • Expect shifts, nights, travel or security checks in many roles.

Questions you might have

How do you become an aircraft engineer through an apprenticeship?

Airlines train apprentices towards Part-66 licences. easyJet's takes 2 years to become a licensed Category A1 mechanic, Jet2's takes 4 years at Manchester Airport, and British Airways runs four-year Licensed Aircraft Engineer apprenticeships.

How much do aviation apprentices get paid?

British Airways pays £17,339 on its aircraft engineer apprenticeships and £27,611 on its Level 6 Data Science apprenticeship. easyJet doesn't publish its salary but pays a bonus of up to 20%.

Do you need a passport for an airline apprenticeship?

Some airlines ask for one. easyJet requires a valid passport because you may travel to other locations in its European network, and a criminal record check because of airside security rules.

Are there bus and rail apprenticeships?

Yes. Stagecoach runs a four-year bus engineering apprenticeship, Translink runs four-year bus and rail engineering apprenticeships in Northern Ireland, and Network Rail runs rail engineering apprenticeships.

Do transport apprentices get permanent jobs?

Often. Heathrow says over 95% of its engineering apprentices are offered a permanent role, and over half its engineering workforce started as apprentices.

Sources and review

Last reviewed . Details can change after this date, so check the official source before you rely on them.

  1. Transport and logistics apprenticeships Apprenticeships.gov.uk (Department for Education) · accessed
  2. Apprentices British Airways · accessed
  3. easyJet Apprenticeships easyJet · accessed
  4. Engineering Apprenticeships Jet2 · accessed
  5. Engineering apprenticeships Heathrow · accessed
  6. Land Surveying degree apprenticeship Transport for London · accessed
  7. Engineering Apprenticeships at Stagecoach Stagecoach · accessed

Read about how we research and review content.

  • British Airways apprenticeships

    The UK airline, with apprenticeships in aircraft engineering, business and data science at Heathrow, Gatwick, Glasgow and Cardiff. Programmes last 18 months to four years and pay £15,643 to £27,611, with discounted flights.

    Transport and aviation
    • L2 Intermediate
    • L3 Advanced
    • L6–7 Degree

  • easyJet apprenticeships

    The airline. Its two-year Aeronautical Engineering Apprenticeship trains you as a licensed Category A1 mechanic: nine months at its Luton training academy with free meals and accommodation support, then night shifts at Luton or Gatwick. Bonus up to 20%.

    Transport and aviation
    Levels not confirmed

  • Heathrow apprenticeships

    The UK's biggest airport. Its engineering apprenticeship trains you as an electromechanical technician, with BTEC and NVQ Level 3 qualifications and the option of an HNC, and more than 95% of apprentices are offered a permanent role.

    Transport and aviation
    • L3 Advanced
    • L4–5 Higher

  • Jet2 apprenticeships

    The airline and package holiday company. It runs a four-year Level 3 aircraft engineering apprenticeship at Manchester Airport leading to a Part 66 A licence, plus apprenticeships in IT, marketing, finance, customer service and operations in Leeds and Manchester.

    Transport and aviation
    • L3 Advanced

  • Stagecoach apprenticeships

    The bus company. Its four-year engineering apprenticeship trains you to maintain buses in its depots: three years towards the Bus and Coach Engineering Technician standard (a Modern Apprenticeship in Scotland), then a fourth year certified by the Institute of the Motor Industry.

    Transport and aviation
    Levels not confirmed

  • TfL apprenticeships

    London's transport authority, running the Tube, buses and more. Its apprenticeships run from Level 3 to Level 6 in IT, finance, surveying, operations and engineering, paying £24,016 to £29,281.

    Transport and aviation
    • L3 Advanced
    • L4–5 Higher
    • L6–7 Degree