Mechanical Engineer

In this video Callum from Spirit Aerosystems answers questions about his role as a mechanical engineer

What You'll Do in This Job

Your Role as an Aerospace Mechanical Engineer

You'll work on creating aircraft components that meet rigorous safety and performance standards, combining precision manufacturing with advanced technical knowledge. Callum works with wing components for commercial and military aircraft, including EasyJet planes (A320s), Boeing aircraft, and US military refuelers (767s).

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

  • Advanced Drilling Operations: Managing complex drilling operations for critical components like engine pylons

  • Process Development: Testing and implementing manufacturing processes to improve efficiency

  • Quality Assurance: Ensuring all components meet strict customer specifications from Airbus, Boeing, and military clients

  • Equipment Management: Overseeing approximately 300 specialized drilling machines worth £10,000-£12,000 each

  • Problem-Solving: Developing solutions for technical challenges in manufacturing processes

  • Testing and Compliance: Rigorous testing of all machinery, tools, and processes to meet safety standards

Technical Work You'll Handle

Manufacturing Processes

  • Precision drilling: Operations at various sizes, including massive 24-25mm holes for engine mounting brackets

  • Component assembly: Working with complex wing parts and structures

  • Advanced materials: Handling specialized aerospace materials with precise specifications

  • Automated systems: Implementing machines to replace manual operations and reduce errors

"Instead of somebody going along with four different sized drills and potentially messing up and causing bother as well, we've got machines that are like £12,000 each... they just throw a full size hole straight off."

Real-World Projects Currently working on A350 aircraft components - focusing on pylon structures where engines attach to wings. These require massive brackets and precision drilling for engine mounting points.

"It's like a really, really expensive Lego set. And we get paid a lot of money to assemble that Lego set. So basically what we've done was to join something together. You have to drill holes and then fill them and stick the parts together."

Working Environment

  • High-precision manufacturing: Working to strict specifications with zero tolerance for error

  • Team collaboration: Working alongside fitters, mechanics, and engineering teams

  • Continuous improvement: Constant trial and error to optimize processes

  • Safety-critical work: Understanding that your work directly impacts aircraft safety

How Much You'll Earn

Mechanical Engineer Salaries (2025 UK Data)

Entry Level

  • Apprentice starting salary: Around £20,000-£25,000 during training

  • Graduate/Entry level: £25,000-£30,000

  • Early career (1-4 years): £35,418

Experienced Mechanical Engineers

  • Average salary: £39,122

  • Typical range: £30,891-£49,920

  • Experienced professionals: £37,000-£50,000

Senior/Specialist Roles

  • Senior engineers: £50,000-£65,000

  • Management positions: £60,000-£85,000+

  • Highly experienced: Up to £135,000 in specialized roles

Location Impact

  • London aerospace roles: £36,031-£75,757 (significantly higher than national average)

  • Major aerospace hubs: 15-25% premium over national average

  • Defense sector roles: Often command higher salaries due to security requirements

Company Differences

  • Major aerospace companies (BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Airbus): Typically offer better packages

  • Defense contractors: Often higher pay due to specialized requirements

  • Commercial aviation: Competitive salaries, especially in aircraft manufacturing

Apprenticeship Benefits

  • Paid training: Earn while you learn, with government funding for education

  • Progressive increases: Salary typically increases each year of apprenticeship

  • Job security: Most companies retain apprentices they've invested in

  • No student debt: Unlike university route, you're paid throughout training

Career Progression Routes

Callum's Path: Apprentice to Engineer

  1. Aircraft Fitter Apprenticeship → 2. Qualified Aircraft Fitter → 3. Mechanical Engineer → 4. Advanced Drilling Team Leader

Typical Career Development

Apprenticeship Route (Callum's Path)

  • Years 1-4: Apprentice aircraft fitter with college training

  • Years 5-7: Qualified fitter gaining experience

  • Years 8+: Progression to engineering roles or specialization

Engineering Progression

  • Graduate/Junior Engineer → Mechanical Engineer → Senior Engineer → Engineering Manager

  • Specialization options: Process engineering, quality assurance, R&D, automation

Leadership Opportunities

  • Team leadership: Managing manufacturing teams and advanced equipment

  • Project management: Leading process improvement initiatives

  • R&D roles: Working on future technologies like hydrogen fuel cells

  • Cross-functional roles: Moving between manufacturing, design, and operations

Alternative Pathways

  • Graduate apprenticeships: Combining university study with work (like Callum's current path)

  • University route: Degree in aerospace/mechanical engineering followed by graduate programs

  • Cross-sector mobility: Skills transfer to automotive, renewable energy, marine engineering

"If you find a skill or a job and you get like a qualification out of it, generally you can go from sector to sector because there will be qualities within that skill trade paper that allow you to jump."

How to Get Started

Primary Entry Routes

Apprenticeships (Recommended by Callum)

  • 4-year apprenticeship programs with major aerospace companies

  • Companies offering apprenticeships: Spirit AeroSystems, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Airbus, GKN Aerospace

  • Benefits: Paid training, no student debt, hands-on experience, guaranteed progression

Graduate Routes

  • Bachelor's/Master's in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Manufacturing Engineering

  • Graduate training programs with aerospace companies

  • Direct entry to engineering roles with relevant qualifications

Alternative Routes

  • Graduate apprenticeships: University study combined with work (government funded)

  • Career changes: From other engineering sectors with additional training

  • Technical colleges: HNC/HND qualifications leading to engineering roles

What You Need to Get Started

Academic Requirements

  • Apprenticeships: Generally GCSEs in Maths, English, and Science

  • University routes: A-levels in Maths, Physics, and ideally further sciences

  • Graduate apprenticeships: A-level qualifications but company-sponsored university education

Essential Qualities

  • Problem-solving mindset: "Constant trial and error... you're always trying to work something out"

  • Attention to detail: Working to precise specifications with zero tolerance for error

  • Willingness to learn: Adaptability in a rapidly evolving industry

  • Communication skills: Working effectively in teams and with multiple stakeholders

  • Maturity and responsibility: Understanding the safety-critical nature of the work

Building Your Profile

Networking and Visibility

  • LinkedIn presence: Even while in school - showcase interests and achievements

  • Company connections: Follow aerospace companies and engage with their content

  • Demonstrate interest: Show genuine passion for aerospace and engineering

"I would say if you put emphasis on how developed you are as a person, folk would be interested in that... willing to say, right, I'm like 16 or 17, but I know the person I am, I know what I'm worth, I know what I'm good at, and I want to learn how to grow that."

Work Experience

  • Essential for understanding: Helps determine if aerospace is right for you

  • School connections: Use developing young workforce programs and Skills Development Scotland

  • Direct approaches: Contact companies directly - "just text them and say, look, I'm really interested in doing this"

Making Yourself Valuable

  • Identify skills in demand: Currently, supporting automation and robotics

  • Show initiative: Demonstrate willingness to develop skills independently

  • Be persistent: Apply to multiple opportunities

  • Focus on transferable skills: Engineering principles apply across many sectors

Additional Information

Industry Outlook

Current State

  • Niche but specialized sector: "It's such a niche trade... it's really, really high standards work"

  • Skills shortage: Ongoing demand for skilled aerospace workers

  • Automation integration: Growing need for engineers who can support automated systems

  • Quality focus: Increasing emphasis on non-destructive testing and quality assurance

Future Opportunities

  • New technologies: Hydrogen fuel cells, sustainable aviation fuels

  • Automation support: Engineers needed to manage and maintain automated systems

  • Global industry: Opportunities worldwide with UK aerospace experience highly valued

  • Defense sector: Continued investment in military aerospace projects

Skills in Demand

  • Non-destructive testing: Ultrasonic scanning and quality assurance

  • Automation support: Working alongside robotics and advanced manufacturing systems

  • Process optimization: Continuous improvement and efficiency engineering

  • Digital manufacturing: Integration of digital tools and smart manufacturing

"Where it's going as engineering is in non-destructive testing so folk doing ultrasonic scans of parts and making sure they're not cracked... anything that's going to support all the automation that's coming in is where that skill's going to go."

Transferable Skills

Aerospace engineering skills transfer well to:

  • Automotive manufacturing: Similar precision and quality requirements

  • Renewable energy: Wind turbine manufacturing and offshore systems

  • Marine engineering: Shipbuilding and offshore platforms

  • General manufacturing: High-precision manufacturing across sectors

Work-Life Balance and Expectations

  • Initial commitment: 3-4 years feels long but "you'll survive it perfectly fine"

  • Learning curve: Not expecting to love everything immediately

  • Long-term perspective: Initial training sets you up for diverse opportunities

  • Personal development: "I think if you develop the person you develop the professional"

Callum's Key Advice

On Choosing Your Path "I think if you if you're not sure, I would say probably apprenticeship is probably one of the best routes because it exposes you to the theory side of stuff as well as practical."

On Career Security "The world won't end if you've got it wrong... you'll be perfectly happy with spending 3-4 years and then thinking that's all right, but actually fancy something else."

On Self-Development
"They want to see that you're willing to push yourself and develop yourself off your own back without them having to say, right, I want you to go do this."

On Work Experience "I think work experience is something that everybody should do... the amount of times I've had people in here and you take them through stuff and you think 'I'm glad you've done this because you're not interested in this.'"