Quality Engineering Apprentice

Job Summary

It’s great to know you’re making a difference to the future of aviation! Whatever part you play you’ll be helping us deliver operational excellence to our customers.

At our GKN Filton site, we specialise in the design and manufacture of large complex structural wing assemblies, detailed metallic components and wing systems for a combination of both civil and military aircraft.

As a Quality Engineering Apprentice at GKN Aerospace, you’ll join the world’s leading tier one aerospace supplier of systems and components; earning while you learn, combining the role of Quality Engineering Apprentice, with the studying of a Chartered Quality Institute (CQI) recognised Level 4 Quality Practitioner standard (equivalent to a HNC). In addition to your level 4, you will also complete a Level 5 improvement specialist apprenticeship standard (Equivalent to a HND). 

Working across our 3 Bristol sites; one being our £32m state of the art Global Technology Centre, offering a 48 month programme, you will gain experience of working collaboratively with various business functions on rotation, learning how we manufacture & assemble precision aircraft structures & components. We will develop you to become an expert in quality tools, practices & processes that help us on our mission to ensure we remain the most TRUSTED and SUSTAINABLE partner in the sky.

With new technologies like hydrogen & electric in development, the aerospace industry is already rapidly evolving; a quality engineering apprenticeship with GKN Aerospace will put your career miles above the rest so you can be at the leading edge of next generation aerospace technology.

How You'll Contribute

Through a wide variety of placements throughout our functions and sites in our Bristol sites, this apprenticeship will give you the opportunity to learn all about the technologies we deploy & the aerospace products we produce.

This apprenticeship will develop your knowledge, skills and behaviours to include:

Years 1 & 2:

• Learning how to interpret & deploy aviation regulations, standards & policies 
• Identifying, collecting & analysing various types of data to aid in fixing or improving production processes
• Work with multi-functional teams to problem solve complex engineering challenges on military and civil aircraft parts and assemblies
• Give you an understanding of fabrication, welding, machining, assembly, testing, composite layup & special processes used in aerospace
• Learn to how to identify, manage & complete quality improvement projects
• Plan and conduct system, process and product audits
• Learn how to analyse & mitigate risks in production processes
• Identify gaps in process performance and develop improvement plans to close the gaps
• Support design engineering, manufacturing engineering & operations teams with their quality related queries & investigations

Years 3 & 4

• Participate & lead continuous improvement projects
• Prepare project plans & present projects for approval, review & update
• Facilitate training, coach & guide others on quality tools and continuous improvement activities
• Engage in process & value stream mapping & analysis, identify improvement areas
• Study process capability and performance
• Learn how to make predictive data models
• Work with suppliers to help them develop their processes & reduce quality issues
• Work with steady state & new product introduction teams to assure quality from the early developmental stages
• Work with leadership to define strategy, prepare resources and communicate to the wider business

On completion of your apprenticeship, your career path could see you move into a Product Assurance Engineer or Supply Chain Quality Engineer role with further progression into a future leadership role.

What You'll Bring

In order to be considered for this role you’ll bring your passion for all things aerospace & engineering along with the following skills, experience, qualifications and attributes:

Essential:

• GCSE English, Mathematics & Science – Grade 4 and above
• Fluent in English language, verbal and written.
• Demonstrate critical thinking ability 
• Demonstrate Problem-Solving capability.

Desirable:

• Communication & presentation, skills, building and maintaining trust and effective internal and external working relationships.
• Work experience of project based working environments.
• A-levels or equivalent in one or more of Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths (STEM subjects).
• Entry level work experience of Quality in highly regulated industries (aviation, automotive, medical, etc.).

What We'll Offer

Once you’re on board you’ll get the following perks and benefits:

• 4 year fixed term contract
• Level 4 Quality Practitioner Apprenticeship certification on successful completion of the apprenticeship curriculum
• Level 5 Improvement Specialist Apprenticeship Certification on successful completion of the apprenticeship curriculum
• Industry standard recognised training on aerospace standards, tools & processes
• Industry Leading Pension Scheme = we’ll match your contributions up to 8% on a 1 : 1.5 basis
• As a member of the Pension Scheme, Death in Service cover (Life Assurance) of 8x salary
• Group Income Protection Scheme
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Shopping Discounts
• Employee Assistance Programme

As well as a competitive package we’ll offer you a world of opportunity. We want to see your career fly!  We’ll support your career progression by providing you with learning and development opportunities. That’s the beauty of being part of a global business, once you’re on board you never know where you career journey may take you!