Trainee engineer joins high flying team at Shuttleworth

Gareth Rutt (Trainee Engineer) and Adam Layer (Trainee Engineer)

Bedford College aerospace engineering student Adam Layer is about to join a specialist high flying team at the Shuttleworth Collection of vintage aircraft.

The Shuttleworth Trust (Education) set up a trainee scheme, in partnership with Bedford College and Marshall Aerospace, leading to the first trainee engineers in 30 years to join the specialists at the collection

Adam Layer now joins Gareth Rutt (pictured above), both Bedford College students and now trainee engineers renovating historic aircraft.

As an air cadet at the age of 13 years, Adam's dreamed of becoming an engineer and working with historic aircraft. He said:

“I knew I wanted to focus on historic aircraft and to get this job at the Shuttleworth Trust is absolutely brilliant. The course at Bedford College has opened the door to the career that I want and I'm determined to do well, working with people at Shuttleworth and continuing my studies at Bedford College and with Marshall Aerospace”.

Una Watts, Trust General Manager, explained that the new trainee scheme is already proving to be a huge success and the close working relationship with Bedford College and Marshall Aerospace ensures that everything is in place to lead to Licensed Engineer status for trainees and for a new generation of qualified engineers to work with the prized Shuttleworth Collection.

She added:

“We have many young people who want to get involved working with us in a voluntary or trainee capacity. Our volunteers span the generations from enthusiasts with a wealth of experience, such as our pilots and engineers, to younger people who want to learn a skill. Gareth and Adam have certainly set a high standard for others to follow.”

“The Shuttleworth Collection is about living history and the people who work here are extremely proud of this unique collection of aircraft and motors that continue to be lovingly restored.”

The staff of 21, including 7 engineers, are supported by a dedicated and committed team of 120 volunteers, some of them highly skilled, who give their time in many different roles from pilots to engineers and helping in the smooth running of the many events that take place over the year.

With over 50 world-famous vintage aircraft all in flying condition, visitors to the Shuttleworth Collection can see over 100 years of aviation history and experience the thrill of unique and spectacular airshows. Historic cars, motorcyles and coaches complete the collection, housed within eight floodlit hangars.