Meet Reece

For Reece, an apprenticeship in welding has been more than just a way to learn a trade - it’s been a gateway into the aerospace industry and opportunities he never imagined. From reading technical drawings to working on live aircraft, he gets hands-on experience every day that builds both skills and confidence.

During my apprenticeship, we worked on live aircraft repairs. I used to travel around to different bases, welding planes and helping produce parts. I would start at 7 in the morning, begin by reading technical drawings, work out the job, and then spend the day with my welding inspector, a fitter, and a sheet metal worker producing aircraft parts.

One of the most memorable projects I worked on was making aluminium ducts for an Airbus 8320. It was a commercial plane, and I spent a month on that job because there was a batch of 200 to complete.

It was challenging, but really rewarding to see my work become part of a real aircraft.

The apprenticeship also gave me the chance to move around the company and gain experience in different sections. I developed the ability to interpret technical drawings and gained hands-on experience working with various aircraft and sheet metal fabrication.

Being rotated through different areas taught me so much and gave me a better understanding of the whole process.

By the end of it, my qualifications were strong and my CV had really improved. I could see how an apprenticeship differed from just going to college - it showed dedication and real commitment.

Companies appreciated that I had spent three years putting in the effort, and it really opened doors for me.

In fact, I was even headhunted by a Formula One team and went down to McLaren for some conversations. In the end, I decided to stay in aerospace, but knowing that so many routes were open to me was really exciting.

I loved my apprenticeship, learning every day, and gaining experience that would stay with me for the rest of my career.