Hi
My daughter is a second year student studying Aerospace Engineering. Next year offers her the opportunity to spend a year in industry, which she is very keen to do. She is busy applying herself of course but I'm trying to see if anybody on STW either works in this sector and could guide her towards any placements or even share experiences from their own past?
Any help appreciated. Thanks
Happy to help but not openly in this forum, please PM me
Where is she based, or is location flexible? Message me and I can suggest some contacts within 2 large aerospace companies.
Aerospace Engineering
There's a fair few different engineering disciplines involved in aerospace - does she have any idea what she wants to specialise in, or is she at a stage where she'd like to try a scheme that offers rotations with a different focus on each one?
PM me if you would like, 13 years in sector in a large company.
Thanks all, I'll be in touch with you directly. Cheers
It’s threads like this that make me love this place! 👏🏻
@cb Is she more aero or more space?
I work in the space side of the industry and could have a look to see if we have any placements for next year.
I worked in the sector for 20 years and at one point oversaw a project that introduced an internship programme - did a lot of cross sector work and the model was shared with a number of employers eg Airbus, MBDA and BAES. Like most big employers, everything is managed online via a recruitment portal and vacancies for next summer typically close by end of this year as the graduate recruitment cycle then starts. Internships were typically project/discipline based so knowing what area of interest really helps to target particular companies as different activities are carried out at different locations.
Also more space than aero
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA/Join_us
I think the internships are more aimed at someone towards the end of a Masters, and might not be compatible with a UK style year out sandwich. Might be more compatible between graduating from Bachelors and starting Masters, And then the Young Graduate Traineeships are for recent graduates. It's in their charter that they must provide educational opportunities for member nations (not necessarily EU).
Might be worth making note of the timings for applications etc. for the future. Make a good impression and all the usual contractor companies will look favourably on that CV. And for sure even in an internship/traineeship, one can be put on console for a launch.
Thanks again everybody that took the time to respond, hopefully those that might be able to offer more guidance have messages from me now and thanks to the others for the advice/suggestions!
Sadly, many large firms will have already completed their year-in-industry placement recruiting for 2026. The application window closed in mid November and shortlists for interviews are now complete. I had two positions open (started in October) this year (Airbus) and received over 400 applicants for each. Please feel free to message me if you want more information.
Did you say where she is?
I did an Aerospace Engineering degree a couple of decades ago and I know a few people who work in the Aerospace sector. Funnily enough, I have never worked in the Aerospace industry and I don't know anyone I graduated with who ended up in the aero industry (most ended up working in other engineering fields, just not aero). The people I knew who ended up working in aero studied something else at uni.
My point is, don't get too hung up on focusing solely on the Aerospace sector as the stuff she can learn at any engineering firm will be applicable (most of what you learn at a company is how things are developed and run in a commercial environment as opposed to an academic environment) and there are a surprisingly large number of applications of the stuff that seems very aero specific in other industries.
I'm at RR. Happy to put her in touch with people
Run out of editing powers for the PM, sorry.
Happy enough to put some thoughts here anyway.
My place would need her to go through the regular channels to apply for apprentice schemes. Apprentices usually come via post degree application. Similar to Daffy's post, I think the mid 2026 intake is passed and you're looking at mid 2027 at this stage.
The apprenticeships for engineering run rotations between 3 and 6 months on different projects around site, and there is a degree of being able to choose their own course. So the particular discipline they are interested in can be focused on more than others. We producing electrical units of various types so the key disciplines are mech, electronic & electrical, software with a side order of programme & project management.
We have fast track positions for post careers as well, although definitely more pressure for those positions and they're expected to pick up projects outside of regular working hours to support the quicker progress toward more responsibility. Horses for courses.
I got into the game after about ten years in an unrelated industry (satellite tv) having done a degree that wasn't aerospace (software). There's many routes in.
End of day, engineering is more about ability to apply yourself than a specific training or degree. Tools and skills can be learned.
Final word. Aerospace industry absolutely loves the process and documentation side of engineering. Rigour, due diligence, compliance, etc, we have it coming out the wazoo. If she's happy working in that kind of environment then its all good.
Speeder - she is studying in Sheffield and we live in Macclesfield. SHe's not tied to those locations though.
Thanks again to everyone for the advice / help!
My daughter’s a first year Aero at Sheffield.