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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.