Aerosystems engineering officer — Alex

After studying aeronautical engineering at the University of South Wales, Alex joined a university air squadron where he built connections with the Royal Air Force (RAF) and secured an academic bursary - leading to a job after graduation

What was the recruitment and interview process like?

I did a filter interview at my local Armed Forces Careers Office and a fitness test. I then completed the officer and aircrew selection centre process at RAF Cranwell. This process lasts one day, and you're assessed on your leadership, teamwork, communication, motivation and problem-solving skills.

The day ends with an interview, exploring your background and interests, as well as your knowledge and opinions on the RAF and current affairs. It can seem daunting, but the assessors are not looking for a ready-made officer, they are assessing your potential to become an officer if offered training.

Why did this area of work appeal to you?

The engineering officer role appealed to me because of the opportunities to work with front-line military equipment, as well as the chance to deploy on active UK military operations. It also offered a competitive salary compared to many other graduate jobs.

What's a typical day like as an engineering officer?

A typical day involves being able to carefully manage a shift of engineering technicians and aircraft serviceability to deliver operations. The role of an engineering officer is split into two distinct areas. The first is managing aircraft maintenance and being entrusted to make airworthiness risk assessments. This could involve allowing an aircraft to fly with a known fault, balancing the risk against the imperative to fly the aircraft.

The second is being a line manager for a team of engineering technicians - 50 in my case. You are responsible for the leadership of your team, balancing their wellbeing against the need to work hard and produce results, sometimes pushing fatigue and working hours to the max.

Describe your job in three words.

• rewarding
• unpredictable
• flexible.

What are the challenges of your role?

My specialisation within the engineering officer trade changes every two to three years and often involves moving to a new RAF station in a different part of the country. This can involve frequent house moves, but the RAF tries to accommodate location preferences wherever possible. Since joining in 2018 I have been posted to five different stations.

Some tasks can be mentally and physically demanding. When on deployed operations supporting critical kinetic or humanitarian missions, you may be asked to work up to 16 hours a day for a short period of time. This is not frequent, but is extremely challenging as you try to lead your team through the task. The results are extremely rewarding.

What have been your career highlights to date?

The operations I have supported. These include:

• Op SHADER - spending four months in Iraq supporting the RAF's mission to defeat ISIS in the boundaries of Iraq and Syria.
• Op POLAR BEAR - assisting with the safe evacuation of UK and EU nationals from Sudan.
• Op PITTING - welcoming UK and Afghan nationals, including very young children, to RAF Brize Norton following their evacuation from Kabul.

How has your role developed and what are your career ambitions?

My first role involved being a line manager for 15 experienced senior non-commissioned officers and working on engineering matters off-aircraft. This tour allowed me to start developing my personal leadership style and understand how the RAF operates in the real world.

After this, I was posted to a flying squadron in a position which had more responsibility, becoming a flight commander for 50 engineers managing airworthiness risk. This was an extremely busy role; however, it refined my leadership style and broadened my understanding of how front-line operations are planned and executed.

I've now started a 'staff tours with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, with no subordinates, which will assist my understanding of in-depth airworthiness policy and processes. This will make me a more well-rounded engineer and increase my promotion prospects.

What do you wish you'd known before you started your job?

The academic and professional registration prospects for engineers are excellent. I am completing a part-time Masters degree, fully funded by the RAF.

I have also registered as an incorporated engineer through the Royal Aeronautical Society. The RAF paid the associated fees for this and awarded me a bonus for completing registration.

What training have you received in your current role?

Generic training for engineering officers includes the six month modular initial officer training course (MIOTC) at RAF College Cranwell, followed by six months at RAF Cosford on aerosystems specialist engineering training (ASET) learning the fundamentals of engineering in the RAF. Individual roles after this have their own training requirements, which vary depending on the job and location.

What advice do you have for anyone considering a similar role?

Take the time to learn from those around you, in particular senior non-commissioned officers. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience that you will find more useful than any university degree or training course.

Find out more

• Read all about the Royal Air Force.
• Discover what it takes to be a aerosystems engineer officer.
• Take a look at armed forces careers.