STANDARD APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING FOR AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE ENGINEERS IN CIVIL AVIATION SECTOR

I. BACKGROUND
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) ensures the airworthiness of an aircraft, whether it is a fixed-wing airplane or a helicopter. They identify problems and repair and overhaul aircraft structural, mechanical and electrical systems.


Recent industry reports suggest that nearly 72,900 jobs for technicians and AMEs will be created in India across Airlines and MRO sector by 2035. The need is to equip the AMEs with skills that make them dynamic stakeholders of India's economic future.
Nearly 3,644 AMEs received Basic Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Certificate (BAMEC) in the last five years; however, only 159 type rating AME licenses were issued. The AME trainees passing out from DGCA approved AME training institutes get no effective practical training during the course and have to undergo practical training with Airlines/MRO Organization/NSOPs as apprentices. Lack of practical training severely affects the employability of AMEs.

II. AME APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING
Ministry of Civil Aviation aims to address this skill gap by streamlining the practical training of the AMEs passing out from the training institutes by putting in place two parallel systems targeted to improve the employability of the existing pool of AMEs and also accelerate the process of becoming a type-rated engineer. The two parallel systems are:
1. One year standard apprenticeship training for AMEs with Airlines/MRO Organization/NSOPs
2. One year AME training program through AIESL & Boeing Finishing Schools.

The details of the two parallel systems are as follows:

III. STANDARD APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING FOR APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING
A. OBJECTIVES:
Presently various airlines/MROs in the country conduct their own Apprenticeship Program for enhancing practical skills of the AMEs. These programs vary in terms of duration and content.
There is a need to standardize this AME Apprenticeship training to achieve the following objectives:
i. To ensure standardization of AME Apprenticeship program- from selection to induction so as to streamline the overall process
ii. Improve the employability of the students by providing them needed skills and a Certificate of Competence recognized as a Certificate of Experience after a standardized system of assessments.
iii. Making the one year Apprenticeship training equivalent to one year of employment. (DGCA mandates four years of practical training on an operating Aircraft as eligibility condition for sitting for Category 'A' examination. Relaxation of one year is given to candidates passing out from DGCA-approved AME training institutes). The Apprenticeship training will be counted as a period of employment by DGCA and hence, will be an added advantage for candidates as once the candidate has completed his/her apprenticeship training, he/she will be required to take employment for only two years to become eligible to sit for the Category 'A' examination.
The Standard Apprenticeship Training modules (Appendix A & B) have been developed by a Technical Committee headed by DDG, DGCA and included representatives from Airlines and Helicopters.
B. SCOPE OF THE TRAINING
The Training is applicable to students who have passed out from DGCA-approved AME training institutes in following streams:
1. AME Mechanical Stream (Fixed Wing)
2. AME Mechanical Stream (Helicopters)
3. AME Avionics Stream
The Training will be applicable for all Airlines, MRO Organizations, NSOPs and CAR 145
Aircraft Maintenance Organizations (henceforth, known as employers) with more than 40 employees. The employers are entitled to engage apprentices up to 25% of their manpower.

C. ELIGIBILTIY CRITERIA, SELECTION PROCESS, PERIOD OF TRAINING,
CONTENT, ASSESSEMENT, INDUCTION & MONITORING

· Eligibility Criteria
Candidates who have passed 3 year AME training Course from DGCA approved AME
training institutes and have passed DGCA paper 1 and paper 2 or equivalent, and have less than one year of experience shall be eligible for the AME Apprenticeship Training.

· Method of Selection
MoCA will develop an AME Apprenticeship Portal that will track and monitor implementation of AME Apprenticeship training apart from the registration of candidates and employers on the portal. Both the candidates and employers will register on the portal. The employers will also indicate the number of apprentices they will train in a particular year based on their existing and projected requirements. The number of apprentices trained should be more (at least half of the total number to be inducted) than the apprentices that the employers will induct after successful completion of the apprenticeship training. For example, if airlines wish to induct 30 apprentices after completion of training then, desirably, they should train at least 45 apprentices, so that the rest 15 will at least have a Certificate of Competence which will be recognized across the industry and help him/her gain employment with other employers.
The AME Apprenticeship Portal will generate a merit list of all registered candidates that will be available to employers, who will conduct their own interviews/assessment tests to select candidates from the master pool.

· Period of Training
The Apprenticeship training will be for a period of one year.

· Content
The Standard Training Modules for Fixed Wing and Helicopters would be as attached at
Appendix A and B, respectively.
Classroom training will cover the knowledge requirement in certain areas which are considered prerequisites for the apprentices to work in maintenance environment like: Air Legislation and its application relevant to maintenance, documentation, Ramp and personal safety, Standard Maintenance Practices, Human Factors, Safety Management
System, Organization Maintenance Capability and Scope of Approval, Fleet Aircraft and their System Overview, Aircraft Servicing Procedures and Precautions, etc.
The Work Environment/ Field Training will be a guided program under the supervision
of permanent staff in the areas, such as, use of general tools and special tools, use of
personal safety equipments and items, maintenance precautions, understanding of ramp markings and arrangements, aircraft receiving and dispatching procedures, aircraft inspection and servicing, use of aircraft auxiliary power supply equipment like GPU, A/C cart, hydraulic cart, etc., aircraft component locations, identification, removal and installation procedures, aircraft cleaning, aircraft interior inspection and maintenance, etc.
Field Training will be delivered by experienced staff functioning in Line and Base Maintenance Departments.

The Field Training will constitute 75% of the
Apprenticeship training.

· Assessment & Certification
After undergoing the one year Apprenticeship, candidates will be assessed by the
respective employers as per Chapter 5 of the Standard Apprenticeship Training Module.
Basis this assessment, employers will certify the selected candidates and employ those
who meet the mark. The others may seek employment with other Airlines/MRO with the
certificate issued after successful completion of the Apprenticeship training.

· Induction of trained Apprentices
The employers will induct the Apprentices successfully completing Apprenticeship
training as per their performance and as per the number of vacancies posted by them on
the website.

D. STIPEND
The employers should pay a minimum stipend of Rs. 3542 to apprentices during the period of
apprenticeship training. The minimum stipend to be paid under this apprenticeship program will
be deemed to be revised as and when the minimum stipend for technicians is revised under the
Apprenticeship Act. Employers are however free to pay stipends higher than the minimum rate.

E. INDEMNITY
All employers will indemnify the Apprentices selected in their organization through a suitable
insurance policy.

IV. AME TRACKING & MONITORING PORTAL
i. MoCA will develop a Web Portal as above where the Candidates will register by filling
in their details in the registration form. They would also be required to upload the
necessary certificates/mark sheets.
ii. The list of registered candidates ranked on the basis of merit will be available on the
website for information of employers.
iii. Employers will register and post their requirement for technicians at least 2 months prior
to selection of apprentices. The system will generate a merit wise list of the registered
candidates which will be available to them. The employers will then select the
Apprentices from the master pool through an interview/assessment for the apprenticeship
training.
iv. The number of trained apprentices inducted by different employers along with
apprentices not inducted after successful completion of training but awarded with
Certificate of Competence would also be tracked.
v. Overall, the Portal will track the performance of the AMEs registered on the website and
also monitor the implementation of the standard Apprenticeship guidelines.

V. AIESL & BOEING AME ACCELERATED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
Considering the importance of skilled aircraft maintenance engineers (AME) in a fast-growing
aviation market like India, Boeing has taken the initiative to support Air India Engineering
Services Ltd. (AIESL) in developing the AME Accelerated Apprenticeship Program.
The key objectives of the program are to improve the employability of AME college graduates
through training and hands-on experience with actual aircraft. Students graduating from
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approved AME institutes will be eligible to apply
to the program. To be admitted, applicants must first perform well on an entrance examination.
The AME Finishing School program will consist of one year of theory and practical learning in a
smart-classroom environment, including select CAR66 modules.
Students will also receive advanced training aids to help strengthen the theoretical concepts
learned in the classroom. These will be supplemented by performing specific tasks on Boeing
aircraft. The first class will commence at the AIESL Mumbai facility in November 2017. At the
end of the program, successful candidates will receive a certificate from AIESL. They will also
receive coaching on job interview skills to prepare them to find a job.
Additional details about the program, such as scope, fees, and entrance examination, will be
available soon.

VI. RAJIV GANDHI NATIONAL AVIATION UNIVERSITY
MoCA along with Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University (RGNAU) is also proactively
working towards starting the affiliation of AME training Institutes and other colleges for the
UGC Approved B.Sc. (H) in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering degree course from the next
academic session (2018-19). RGNAU will work towards developing Conversion Courses with
skill testing mechanism that will enable conversion of Certificate of Completion from AME
training institutes to a degree.​

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