An aviation operations specialist could work in a number of aviation environments, such as a commercial airport, military base / aerodrome, heliport or other airfield. Specialist roles, all focused around the arrival, turnaround and departure of aircraft and maintaining an aviation operation, will include knowledge, skills and behaviours to complete complex aviation tasks and may include supervision of others to enable compliance with regulations through a safe, secure and effective aviation operation. These functions may include loading and unloading of aircraft, air traffic control (ATC), movement of aircraft and vehicles airside and the management of passengers both airside and landside. The functions all work as part of a combined team, within which communication with wider colleagues and other stakeholders is essential and the aviation operations specialist plays a key part of a coherent operation.

A team leader/supervisor is a first line management role, with operational/project responsibilities or responsibility for managing a team to deliver a clearly defined outcome. They provide direction, instructions and guidance to ensure the achievement of set goals. Working in the private, public or third sector and in all sizes of organisation, specific responsibilities will vary, but the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed will be the same whatever the role. Key responsibilities are likely to include supporting, managing and developing team members, managing projects, planning and monitoring workloads and resources, delivering operational plans, resolving problems, and building relationships internally and externally.

Airside operators are the ‘eyes and ears’ of the airfield team, and spend much of their working day or night out on the airfield patrolling, inspecting and then addressing situations to ensure that the flow of arriving and departing aircraft are on schedule. Although every airport is slightly different, the role covers a multitude of tasks including area inspections; patrolling the perimeter fence around the airport; monitoring bird activity and clearing wildlife using specialist vehicles and equipment; monitoring aircraft turnarounds and marshalling. The airside operator works in a high risk, safety critical environment requiring excellent communication, prioritising, effective decision making, problem solving and technical skills. The role requires a keen sense of situational awareness and the need to work safely to minimise incidents and accidents. This qualification is supported by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Stansted Airport is expanding rapidly resulting in a demand for skilled workers to work within a variety of roles specifically around flight operations, airside and landside operations. This qualification will help you to gain an understanding of key airport operations and provide you with the skills and knowledge to be able to progress into a career within the aviation industry. You will also gain an appreciation of the terminology used within the industry as well as check in and dispatch procedures.

An aviation ground operative could work in a number of environments, such as a commercial airport, military base / aerodrome, heliport or other airfield. With five key specialist functions, all working in conjunction with each other, aviation ground operators form the teams above and below wing to ensure the efficient and effective arrival, turnaround and departure of aircraft. At the heart of the role safety, security and compliance with aviation regulations focus each operator’s day to day duties. Effective communication and team work ensure that passenger services, air traffic control (ATC) and those moving, loading, unloading and servicing a range of aircraft achieve the objectives of their organisation in this diverse field.

Stansted Airport is expanding rapidly resulting in a demand for skilled workers to work within a variety of roles specifically around flight operations, airside and landside operations. This qualification will help you to gain an understanding of key airport operations and provide you with the skills and knowledge to be able to progress into a career within the aviation industry. You will also gain an appreciation of the terminology used within the industry as well as checkin and dispatch procedures.

An aviation operations manager has accountability for compliance, safety and security within their area, must effectively plan and manage the use of resources and ensure compliance with processes and procedures. They may manage an aviation operation in a variety of contexts, such as a commercial airport, military base / aerodrome, heliport or other airfield. Specialist roles, all focussed around the management of aircraft arrival, turnaround and departure, as well as the environment and facilities, require knowledge, skills and behaviours to complete complex aviation tasks and management of others to enable compliance with regulations through a safe, secure and effective aviation operation. Effective communication and decision making across all levels of the organisation and with stakeholders across the aviation operation are essential.

Stansted Airport flies to 190+ destinations and serves over £25million passengers per year and is expanding rapidly resulting in a demand for skilled cabin crew. This qualification will help you to gain an understanding of the role of cabin crew and provide you with the practical and technical skills to be able to progress into a career with a top airline. You will gain an appreciation of the terminology used within the industry as well as an understanding of the essential behaviours expected of future employees.

You will need to complete either a Level 3 Certificate in Hospitality or a Level 3 Certificate in Aviation Operationss as part of this programme.

The Level 2 Skills for Logistics course will give you the knowledge, understanding and skills required in logistics to support progression to employment, an apprenticeship or to further study at a higher level.

This programme is specifically designed to help you transition into the workplace at Stansted Airport and will help you to gain an understanding of key airport operations and provide you with the skills and knowledge to be able to progress into a career within the aviation industry. You will also gain an appreciation of the terminology used within the industry as well as check in and dispatch procedures. This is a fantastic opportunity to get your foot in the door with a highly reputable employer.

Aircraft Maintenance Fitters/Technicians work on maintaining aircraft of all types from small aeroplanes to airliners, jet fighters and helicopters, both civil and military. They are expected to carry out approved maintenance processes to maintain the airworthiness of the aircraft. It involves highly skilled, complex and specialist work, maintaining aircraft systems according to approved requirements and work instructions, using relevant hand tools and equipment. They must comply with civil and or military regulatory and organisational requirements. They must be able to research data sources, ensuring that on completion of a task all aircraft documentation is accurately filled in.

Talented engineers, technicians and managers are vital to the future success of the engineering and aeronautical industries. This course will give you a solid knowledge base as well as supporting you to develop essential hand skills that will enable you to progress into roles such as an aircraft maintenance technician or aircraft fitter. You could also progress to an apprenticeship or onto a higher level of study.

This course provides an extensive knowledge and skills in engineering with specialist units available in Advanced Manufacturing and Automated Systems. You will be studying in the new (£11m) state-of-the-art Harlow Advanced Manufacturing Centre (HAMEC) equipped with over £2m worth of industry standard machinery and equipment. There is a huge demand for qualified engineers locally, nationally and internationally. We work closely with industry to ensure our courses meet the requirements of employers.

This course is currently being run at our Harlow College campus.

Talented engineers, technicians and managers are vital to the future success of the engineering industry. Maintenance Technicians ensure that plant and equipment perform to the required standard to facilitate production targets regarding Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost within High Value Manufacturing environments. Typically the work would cover a broad range of activities include installation, testing, fault finding and the on-going planned maintenance of complex automated equipment. This requires the application of a complex blend of skills, knowledge and occupational behaviours across the electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems disciplines.

Talented engineers, technicians and managers are vital to the future success of the engineering and aeronautical industries. This course will give you a solid knowledge base as well as supporting you to develop essential hand skills that will enable you to progress onto an apprenticeship or onto a higher level of study in either Operations and Maintenance or Aircraft Maintenance.

Hospitality managers work across a huge variety of organisations including bars, restaurants, cafés, conference centres, banqueting venues, hotels and contract caterers. These managers generally specialise in a particular area, however their core knowledge, skills and behaviours are aligned. Common to all managers in this role is their passion for exceeding customers’ expectations. Hospitality managers have a high level of responsibility and are accountable for fulfilling the business vision and objectives which requires excellent business, people and customer relation skills. Individuals in this role are highly motivated team leaders that combine a talent for management and specific industry skills and thrive on the customer facing nature of the role.

Senior production chefs strive to produce customers’ meals consistently to perfection according to predetermined specifications. They have the ability to work independently and lead a team in often hot and highly challenging kitchen environments. Production Chefs are likely to work in organisations where brands, recipes and menus have been created by a central development team. Production chefs and their teams work quickly and efficiently, producing food often in high volumes, which is repeated day after day, requiring energy, highly methodical organisational skills and attention to detail.

A chef de partie is responsible for running a specific section of the kitchen. This type of chef usually manages a small team of workers, which they must keep organised so that dishes go out on time and the work area remains clean and orderly. However, in smaller kitchens a chef de partie may work independently as the only person in their section. Also known as a station or section chef, the chef de partie reports to the senior chef and has a very important role in any kitchen.

A commis chef is the most common starting position in many kitchens and in principal the most junior culinary role. A commis chef prepares food and carries out basic cooking tasks under the supervision of a more senior chef. The primary objective of the commis chef is to learn and understand how to carry out the basic functions in every section of the kitchen. Therefore having the opportunity to experience, consider and value each section with a view to choosing an area where they feel most inspired. The learning journey of any chef will vary considerably from one individual to the next; however it is necessary to understand and have experience in the basics that this role provides in order to progress to any future senior chef role.

An Event Assistant is an entry level position, typically working within a team of people in an events company or within the events department of a larger organisation. The role will usually involve providing support to a number of event planners or project managers by carrying out a diverse range of tasks necessary to plan, organise and deliver an event. Around 75% of events are conferences, meetings, trade shows and exhibitions. Other events include outdoor events, cultural events, sporting and music events. As well as holding events in the UK, events agencies and events departments organise events in different countries around the world.

This course is focused on developing a broad range of skills used in the hospitality and events industry. It will equip you with key front of house skills and organising techniques to enable you to co-ordinate functions, events and conferences. You will also develop a deeper understanding of the role required for management and supervision. It encompasses everything you need to know in order to deliver outstanding service, manage an event, and supervise a team.

Hospitality supervisors work across a wide variety of businesses including bars, restaurants, cafés, conference centres, banqueting venues, hotels or contract caterers. They provide vital support to management teams and are capable of independently supervising hospitality services and running shifts. They typically work under pressure delivering fantastic customer service and motivating a team is essential to their role. The majority of supervisors’ skills and knowledge are the same but supervisors may specialise in specific functions or work across a variety of functions which reflect the multi-functional nature of the industry.

A hospitality team member can work in a range of establishments, for example bars, restaurants, cafés, conference centres, banqueting venues, hotels or contract caterers. The role is very varied and although hospitality team members tend to specialise in an area, they have to be adaptable and ready to support team members across the business, for example during busy periods. The most important part of the role is developing hospitality skills and knowledge such as recognising customer needs, knowing how to match them to the products and services of the business and working as part of a team to ensure that every customer, whether they are eating in a restaurant, drinking cocktails in a bar, ordering room service in a hotel or attending a business conference feels welcomed and looked after.