Engineering

Life as a Maintenance Engineer

Life as a Maintenance Engineer

The average UK salary is somewhere between the region of £33,000 to £40,000 per year. A typical starting salary for someone with very little experience will be lower. This starting salary could be in the range of £20,000 to £26,000 per year. These salaries can change based on qualifications (Category A, B or C) and which company you work for.

Once you have gained more experience, the salary can be £40,000+ with salaries up to £70,000 for the top engineers. The further you progress through your career, the higher your salary will be. It’s vital to keep learning and training in order to learn new systems and methods. This ensures you refine your skills and have the opportunity to progress to a supervisor.

There are also various bonuses (in particular for higher-end airlines and companies) with various benefits such as life insurance and disability coverage.

Working Conditions

You can expect a 40 hour work week, however overtime and late call-outs are common. You can also expect shift work that includes weekends and holidays as this tends to be the busiest period for the industry. You could be working inside a hanger or working underneath the flooring of the aircraft where all the wiring is. Alternatively, you could be on top of scaffolding working on the outside tail of the aircraft at a height. You could also be working outside in all weather conditions in awkward positions. However, the industry is incredibly safe with workplaces being very regulated.

If there is an aircraft on the ground situated abroad due to an issue, you could be asked to travel to try and fix the issue.