Terry Tibbs

Life's shit isn't it...

Had to re-take an exam (GCSE ) to get into the trade I want in the RAF. So off I trot, spending 6 months of my life trying to get the bastard. Blitz the exam with 289 out of 480, look at my coursework, 57 out of 120. Shit. I done that 3 years ago! whats happened? its let me down, 9 points from getting the grade I need, works out as something like 1 and a half points.

For fuck sake Really don't want to mess about in november taking the exam again just to become an Engineer, my second choice was Painter and Finisher, but just don't know whether to cut my losses, go for it and try for engineer at a later date, or go for my second option? and go with the mind set that this was the better Idea, and Engineering isn't actually hands on enough with the planes and it was a bad idea?

What do you guys think?

Settle for no.2 or go back and try again for no.1 option?

Just don't know whether I want to be fixing jet engines or working very hands on with planes (which is what I wanted to do....)


Hmmm decisions have to be made, today.

Phil

iTrader: (1)

Qualifications are always worth having if you can get them! Personally I would try again, work mega hard (exams are easy if you just do past paper after past paper!).

You can always change from being an engineer to a painter, but you will find it very difficult to go from a painter to an engineer!

Terry Tibbs

I don't know what to do, I want to paint but would also like to be an engineer. What I don't want the RAF to think is that I'm as thick as 2 short planks and it takes me ages to get a simple qualification. Because I don't see myself as daft, just not mathmatically minded, so in that sense am I going to be able to calculate stuff on engines? Don't really want to be blowing up millions of pounds of engine

The Youth.

iTrader: (1)

get back in there and get the exam sorted you will be so fooked off in years to come when you realise how close you were all those years ago.

steve

BlueSmoke

Don't settle for less mate, because you'll ALWAYS think "what if", especially if you end up hating your job.

gingeRS

go for the engineer role

you'll only regret it

i got a bloddy degree in it. and i dont consider myself smart

if you were only 1.5 points off the grade, you'll romp it in the re-test

engineer or painter, not a hard decision now

p.s. once the qualification is done, you'll never use the maths again i bet

AlexF

Do your qualifications now!!!

Your so close!

Another thought is that they will always need engineers... they can outsource the other job

pauldowts

get back an do the exam, you will regret it for a long time if you dont.

work hard get the results, and you will be able to do the job you want to do and enjoy your work.

Ridgey

iTrader: (5)

Do it now. Later you may even want to do more for your career, i'm 32 and just completing a part time MSc for work. Then i hope finished with education for eva.

rs shawn

Do it again mate. Do the right engineer job & you are very hands on

No offence to Radders (or any other painters I know at work) but it isn't the best job in the RAF and aren't paid the same: on lower pay-band than engineers.

Terry Tibbs

The thing is it was my coursework that was suffering, I cannot re-submit coursework. I anialated myself this time trying to do it and still didn't succeed. I DO LIKE painting and mechanics equally. Not so sure what to do. Looking at pictures and speaking to people has given me the idea that the engineers get handed an engine and you fix it. Not actually hands on with the plane. I love the aircraft and thats the sole reason I want to do it. I do not want to be in the RAF only to sit in a shed with an engine and fix it, having nothing to do with the actual Plane itself.

What to do

Katie

Coursework isn't a problem mate..all you need to do, is get 9 more marks in the exam..then you've covered it. If you've already done well in the exam but didn't get full marks..you can still squeeze those 9 marks out of the paper..

You will regret it if you don't do it..it may now seem like something silly that yes you could live a happy life without..but it'll play on your mind..and you will want it. November is fuck all time away and you'll get the result in January..do you need a B then, or a C?

It doesn't matter if it's a gcse, a degree or a Phd..if that's what you need to get to do the job YOU want to do..then you need to get it

& also with your earlier comment about will they see it as a negative you taking this exam again and again...they'll see it as the fact you really want to do this job so much that you're putting up with another go through the exam paper!

Terry Tibbs

C I know it sounds proper stupid but its just a weak point, always has been.

I've emailed my School and Will try and ring them ASAP to arrange the re-sit. I think i'd rather get in and do something I hate and be able to change than go in as something I want to be and hate it and not be able to change. If that makes sense.

The only thing I don't want the RAF thinking I am some kind of idiot because I can't get it and therefore won't employ me.

We'll see.. but I want it so bad, was gutting getting that result through AGAIN.

Katie

You have Pm

ballin

iTrader: (1)

I'd actually say the opposite and suggest you get into the working world.

I didnt do well at college because I pissed around too much and never went to courses.
I came out with an F or something ridiculous could of even been a G in IT - shocking result really, embarassing!!

I went straight out and got a job in nothing related to IT, I was a brewer (beer!) for 2 years! Now I'm 21 and got my current job in the beginning of this year - Network admin for a UK Restricted MOD company.

Not bad considering my results suggest i'm crap with computers

Results dont mean much, I've never found they do. Attitude and willingness to learn are what counts.

My mate has been doing IT at uni for 4 years and is now going back for another 2 and doing an honours, he WILL NOT come out with a better job than me because i have experience, thats what counts, not a piece of paper showing you wanna spend more time dossing around at uni then earning!

IMO!!!!!!111!!!11!

Terry Tibbs

I've been working for a year or so mate just this is my passion.

I think i'm going to go and have a chat with the RAF careers officer and see what they say.

rs shawn

Knew there was something else I had to reply to.

DO NOT let the careers office tell you that this is achievable. It simply does NOT happen. It you go in as a painter, you will stay as a painter and not simply be allowed to change trade as easy as you think/ may want to. They are going to spend £000's on training you to be a painter to let you go "well I don't want to do this anymore, I want to do this instead". They will not let you waste that money by changing trade and spending more £000's on engineer training. It will NOT happen. Please do not delude yourself, or let them lead you toward that way of thinking.

The ONLY way you could do that once you are 'in' would be to have excellent qualifications and decide to go for engineering officer training. You would still go through the interview stages and officer training. The advantage you have is the discipline already and you know how the RAF works.

If they offer you FLM (flight line mechanic) this could also be a bad career move...especially if you want to get hands-on. These people are basically fuel pump attendants. They wave the jet in, fill with fuel, and see it off again. That is it. If you have good assessments then you MAY be offered a trade as either A Tech M (the old Airframes/Propulsion combined) or A Tech Av (the old electrician/avionics trade).

Hope this helps a bit mate. If you want to work on aircraft my advice is get the exam re-sat and get the grades you want to do the job you want.

smudgerz

Mate, do your exam again!!! DONT join as a painter and finisher. There trade is going civvy so you will be fucked.

Smudge

Terry Tibbs

Cheers mate.

Now I'm lost again. I understand the costs etc. and why you wouldn't be able to change just like that. BUT I'm not sure what I want to do. Are their eny Engine mechanics on here (RAF obviously) do you get hands on with the plane? I know it sounds like I'm just after a quick touch up with the plane and don't care which career I'm doing, but I like both careers equally so want one to win me over.

I think I need a mechs' opinion of his job and a painters opinion.

Cheers.

rs shawn

For a painters version: you need to speak to radders (now Pennywise)
Engineers: Me.

If you want to do propulsion, you MAY end up in a bay fixing engines on their own..however you may end up on a squadron where you will definately be hands-on. Don't get hung up on the fact you may not work on aircraft. ALL aircraft traders may have to work in a bay at some time, but it won't be forever if you do and you can apply for exchange postings or ask the squadrons on your camp if anyone wants to swop. You will be surpried. not everyone wants a job working nights/days with non-strict (-ish) hours and go on detachments. Some people who live local and have family may be happy with a 8-5 Mon-Fri job where they can plod along fixing bits all week.

You WILL have a choice of what job you want to do and Personnel Admin do try (allegedly..so they say ) to get you where you want to be.

smudgerz

Mate, ive just spoke to my girl friend and she has told me that there no more courses to run for painters. If you do manage to get took on, there will be no postings, no promotion no nothing. The reason i know this is because my bird is a painter and is waiting to get her redundancy!

Just do your exam mate, working as a mechanic on planes is a much better job and opens more doors for you when you leave!!

Smudge

Nash

iTrader: (3)

Rs Shawn is spot on bud. I am in the RAF and trying to get a retrade at the min as i have an injury, which means i cant do the job i am employed as. Even i am having trouble getting switched and its not just because i want to change i have to.

I would go into the afco and tell them you didnt get the result you needed and want to give it one last chance in November. If you still dont get the result, can you then go in as Painter and Finisher?

Go for the enginnering job as from where i as sat reading this, thats what it really seems you want to do. Just stick at it because when all the BS is done its a pretty good job and a hell of alot easier than civi street, trust me i have done them both.

Terry Tibbs

See now thats me, I want to live, sleep, eat, live RAF. I'm young and dumb right now but thats what I want to do. I have wanted to be a pilot ever since I was tiny (who hasn't ) but obviously the realisation of that is stupid as I am just not academic enough for it. So then I looked into the planes, what do I love? the power of them, thats why I wanted the engineers job. I sat down and thought about it today, I want to be a part of that plane, ok painting them is enough, but its not actually playing with the heart of the plane. thats my passion.

Anyway sound like a right plank here.

I WILL retake my exam in November pending a placement.

rs shawn

rs shawn

Ballin, I think you've been lucky and done well with your job.
Ordinarily without qualifications people will not even consider you for specific positions, even with a "willing to learn" attitude because they can either

a: train someone who is willing to learn even tho they have nothing to back up what they are capable of, or
b: employ someone who already knows how to do the job & has the qualifications to back it up

Good on you mate, (and tbh I did it that way after getting my A-levels as I didn't want to go to college) but flip is too close to getting the result he wants to be able to do the job he wants to throw it away at the minute.
Get through the retake exam and then re-assess the situation are my thoughts.

Terry Tibbs

Well as the situation stands even if I did get accepted, I wouldnt be in until some time next year. I'm still young and have a full time job so its not like my life is depending on it and I need the job ASAP to pay bills. Its just something I want to do, so waiting another 3-4 months isn't that bigger deal. If I don't get the grade I need this time.. well the shit will hit the fan

Cheers for your help everyone, especially rs shawn.

rs shawn

No probs mate. Glad to help and give you the truth
Careers office don't always tell you that..they tell you what you want to hear and what is better for the forces at the time

89xr2

Get someone else to do your coursework

Terry Tibbs

Just got one last question really, no-one seems to answer it. What are the prospects for working abroad like? in terms of monthly hops instead of yearly work.

Do you move about or tend to stay where you are. or does it vary depending on squadron?

rs shawn

Depends on the squadron. Some never go away, some only do set trips (like cyprus for 2 weeks twice a year for example ) and others go away very regular. Some squadrons do dets to Vegas, Oman, Cyprus, Jordan, Belgium, and Canada. Others do Afganistan and Iraq ops. All depends where you work...and you don't have to go on all dets if you don't want.

Terry Tibbs

Sounds good to me. Can't wait.

Makes me wish I'd passed last time. Sods law hey.

rs shawn

Just stay positive with it mate, do the work and think about the reward after if you get the result you want.

ballin

iTrader: (1)

rs shawn fair play mate you give good advice

just from my experience i find qualifications to mean very little!

Danielle

what was the GCSE in?

i would try again depending on the subject im sure u could get a personal tutor in or even someone off here could help you and bitesize does work!!!

i had a teacher in RE and he was an amazing teacher, his techniques were amazing, and i got an A in that, i breezed both exams without that much revision, try a different technique hunni, dont setlle for 2nd best!!!

saff_cossie

Was the same mate. I resat Maths in the November and was as pissed off as you but passed with flying colours that time. Do it mate, you won't regret it years down the track when other roles ask you for it. Also personal pride of not being defeated.

RWD_cossie_wil

iTrader: (9)

mate, I'm an engineer in the RAF, and to be honest ( and this is no offence to radders or anyone else on here!) I wouldn't join as a painter and finisher as they have been royally screwed by the last pay board, and have been put on a lower pay band, even though they are an aircraft trade - To be honest the RAF is feeling a lot of cut-backs and redundancies recently, and a LOT of people are getting very very pissed off with the way they are being treated , I for one have worked 6 different shifts in the the last 3 years as they keep fucking around with the engineering wing, and telling us how to do our jobs better , only to put us back onto the original shift 6 months later

Don't let you put this off, strange as it may sound , I love my job, and I get to play with live aircraft every day I am at work, its quite a big responsibility ground running a Hercules, as you have 19,600 lbs of torque avaliable from EACH engine - there is a massive chance to do any sort of adventure training you want to, at the moment I am wokring towards a gliding qualification, and through the RAF its cheap as fuck, and you can get all sorts of travell as well, last year I went deep sea fishing in ascension island, and got PAID £200 extra to go

At the moment, as far as I am aware, ALL new engineering trainees come through as AMM's, Aircraft maintainence mechanics, with no specific trade, you basically do 6 months training at Cosford, then go to a front line Sqn and do 18 months to 2 years line work, i.e kicking the tyres, filling with gas etc, flight servicings etc, learning the workings of a Sqn/ the RAF etc etc. Then you go back to cosford for another course, and get streamed to either mechanical (airframes and engines, as I am,) , or electrical ( aicraft electrician and avionics). You have a say in what you want to do, but unfortunatly if they need 100 elecrtonics techs and 10 mechanical techs, you will be put where you are needed

The chances of you ending up in a bay are very slim at the moment to be honest, as a lot of the support work is being farmed out to the civvies, so we get to go to more sunny places like Iraq and afghanistan more often . You will meet some superb people, and some absolute cocks, and just like any other job it has its ups and downs, but In all honesty I would spend the time doing that qualification, and join as an engineer To be honest, you only need a basic understanding of maths once you are in the "real RAF" so to speak, most you ever really need to worry about is correct re-fueling calculation figures, which is all written down for you anyway
phew lol and breathe
So the short answer is do your maths again and do what you really want to if you want a chat about anything, PM me your number and I will give you a call

rs shawn

Have sent a pm to Radders as he is a painter......

Charlie Chalk

iTrader: (1)

Dont join as a Painter & Finisher.....Our trade is dead as of 09/03/09

nobbycossie

hey bud I am a tecky in the RAF and it is the way fwd. I work on the whole aircraft. Whether it be fuel tanks, engines, hydraulics, the airframe itself, and everything in between.

You`ll regret it if you go in as anything else!

PM me if you have any other questions

EssexMikeSi

iTrader: (3)

ben mate, u have always come across as very level headed for a 18yr old in the time ive known u and i must say as your only 18 stick at the exams and get the very best qualifications u can. take me for example, i thought i was fine wen i got into the printers but wen i lost my job, what am i now, im 23 and drive a van for like £700 a month. oh shit!! i didnt finish my degree at college so ive only got a national diploma in graphics and thats not good enough for graphics jobs. i bloody wish i was 18 again. get the grades mate, you've got plenty of time