What I do

I work on aircraft, diagnosing electrical problems, carrying out repairs, and replacing defective parts.

Hear more about Feven's role by watching the video below...

How I became a technician

I knew I didn’t want to go to university, mainly because I was a new mum and my daughter was eight months old, so I knew the juggle between full time study and a young child would be difficult. Also, as a single mum and new to the UK from East Africa I didn’t have a support network nearby.

I was 21 when I came to the UK and as the schooling system is very different here, I went to Manchester Adult learning centre to study English, maths, and IT. I then studied Electrical Engineering Level 2 and Level 3 Engineering.

I started an apprenticeship at Thomas Cook but the company stopped trading and so I came to British Airways. I am now more than halfway through my three-year apprenticeship.

A typical day in my
working life

I start each day by signing in and then go to the office to find out what is happening and whose team I am going to be on that day. I’m really lucky because at Gatwick airport the shift managers, planners, and engineers are all very supportive and they let me choose what I want to be involved in.

Normally, we work on long haul flights as soon as they land. We check the oil levels, tyre pressures and things like that. We walk around and look at the condition of the skin of the aircraft. We also check the communication side of things to make sure the aircraft has connectivity, as well as checking messages from the aircraft to see if anything needs attention.

After a quick break, we start to do the functional and system checks before the aircraft flies again. It’s very hands-on; we might be changing a control box or component for example. Whatever it is, health and safety is the priority for the airline.

We have a logbook that we have to send to the Civil Aviation Authority about the tasks we’ve completed as part of our training to become a qualified engineer. So, the last thing I do every day is fill this out – it means that I’m one step closer to my goal!

Volunteering and work experience really helped me along the way. Just be open to everything ask lots of questions!

I’m so proud to be working in aviation. I am now at a stage I can give something back and love talking at events to encourage other young women into this career.

A surprising fact about me

In my spare time I love learning languages, so I am learning Korean at the moment!

A little more about
my everyday role

What I love most about my job

Engineering runs in my family, so I was always encouraged to get involved in anything being fixed at home and I was hands-on from a young age. I love engineering and physics and the idea of a heavy object flying is the most amazing physics in action, so I knew that’s what I wanted to be involved in!

The best bits about working in a team

I work mostly in a team; we could be a team of three changing a harness or doing a wiring check. I love working like this because although you have a team goal, you have your own role within the team to support that goal.

My favourite piece of equipment

I love my multimeter. It is a troubleshooting device and it’s invaluable when trying to find a current or resistance. But you can’t beat a screwdriver because every aircraft panel has screws in it!

Find out more about this role

Discover what qualifications you’ll need, how much you can earn, and what the next steps are.

Nine apprentices sitting on sofas socialising

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