AirTanker Work Experience / Shadowing Programme

AirTanker offers an in-person work experience / shadowing programme that gives secondary school students an introduction to the various departments and disciplines across the business. The programme is aimed at students in secondary education with a particular focus on Years 10 and 12, and AirTanker gives priority to applicants from its local area.

The placement is intended to provide insight into maintenance, flying programmes, training and major aircraft upgrades and to promote awareness of career and apprenticeship routes within the company. The application window for the yearly work experience programme typically opens in mid-January and closes in mid-March; applications are submitted via AirTanker’s jobs portal.

Applicants will be asked to answer questions about their interests, hobbies, knowledge of AirTanker, and what they hope to gain. Teacher and parent/guardian sign-off is required. A selection process is used because of the high volume of applications and not all applicants can be offered a place.

A typical week includes health & safety introductions, sessions with support functions (IT operations, programmes, wellbeing, compliance, commercial), visits to maintenance operations and hangars, time with apprentices and engineers, and modules on continued airworthiness, ground operations, RAF collaboration and materials/logistics. Many past participants have gone on to apply for AirTanker apprenticeships or other roles within the company.