RAF Cottesmore is located in a very pretty town called Oakham. I is a harrier base, so most of the RAF’s harriers are housed there how ever other types of aircraft come to the base for refuelling purposes as it has a VASS section (Visiting Aircraft Service Section.).
I had to stay at a hotel near the base called ‘The Tithe Barn.’ My work experience really started on the Sunday because I had a three and a half hour drive down and I had to start work at eight in the morning on the Monday.
My dad took me and my friend Joe, who was staying at the same hotel. We knew what to expect as I had viewed it on their website. Joe and I shared a room. We had our own TV; we could make our selves tea and coffee. We unpacked our bags and thought I was going to starve to death because I had too much food in my bag as clothes and I had to laugh because Joe had done the same.
To get an idea of how long it would take to walk down to the base we decided to time ourselves. So we went for a walk. It took us about fifteen minutes to get there. A soldier was patrolling the gates it all looked very professional.
On Monday morning I was up, washed and dressed all by seven am. I decided to wear my best shoes, shirt and trousers. As I was walking to the base I wandered what it would happen If I got lost on the site because it was huge, however when I got to the main gate there was a large van ready to pick me up and to take me to the section. I was given a safety briefing and had my photo taken for an ID card. For the first two days ever one was just cleaning because there was an inspection by the station commander on the Wednesday. We were all given nicknames. I was ‘Scouse 2’, Joe was ‘Scouse 1’. One boy was called mumbles and another Alvin as he looked like Alvin out of the Chipmunks. I was placed in VASS with Sgt robins and Cpl Russell they were friendly and a good laugh and made me feel part of the work force.
On the Wednesday after the inspection we had a match in a hall in the gym between the work experience students and the workers. We won 5-4 I scored the winning goal! After that I was shown how to Marshall an aircraft. It was very but really exiting.
The next day I had a real treat I got a flight in a Puma helicopter, and it was fantastic and when we landed at the other base the other workers were practicing winching dogs. It was a really funny sight at times.
I also managed to become a master in the art of making cups of tea. On Thursday and Friday I was in the office preparing a speech to all the work experience students and the workers. I was nervous but I done a talk on Tranmere Rovers Football Club and Everton Football Club. I got good feed back and I did quite well. After that we all had a water fight and we put Alvin in a huge locker and soaked him with a fire extinguisher (Alvin’s dad is the health and safety officer at the base.) After that the work experience students had to refill the extinguisher but, we didn’t finish so the workers done it for us.
In the second week I went to 3 F Squadron for the maintenance of harriers. The woman who was the work experience co-ordinator of the work experience of that section was not nice and was too helpful by finding me to many jobs so I did not get that much of a break on some of the days working. I worked on the ‘line’ where they checked the aircraft before the flight. I also changed a damaged wheel on a harrier. The noise was deafening in this area, and the force of the jet engines was so powerful it nearly blew me off my feet. (Literally). I did not enjoy my last week as much as the second as there were no work experience students with me, which made times boring.
On reflection my two weeks working at the R.A.F has made me more determined to join after leaving school. I now need to decide which department to go into. I did my two weeks educational. I feel work experience is a good idea as it gives you a in sight as to what goes on in a working environment.
I feel I was very fortunate to be selected top complete my work experience in the R.A.F because only a few people are accepted and there are limited places, I worked with friendly people and I will never forget the experience.
