Amy Parkinson

"I'm Amy and I'm an Engineering Officer in the Royal Air Force.The personality types of coordinator, influencer and manager match really well with me, and they match well with the work I do. My job is to question processes and procedures to ensure that they are fit for purpose and making decision that are right as opposed to ones that are easy. I often work with large teams of technicians and have to make sure that not only are they doing their job correctly, but that they have everything the need to be able to do it safely."

"I am an Engineering Manager so rather than being hands-on, I deal with the management of engineering assets such as people, resources, time etc and ensuring that work is being carried out to the correct standard. I am also responsible for ensuring the documentation is correct and issuing engineering direction to the whole of the Royal Air Force's Typhoon Fleet.I really enjoy the problem solving aspects of my job, getting to the cause of problems and finding ways to resolve them.The starting salary for an Engineering Officer is £27,000 in training and around £35,000 after training. "

"I started my first role as Officer Commanding Armament Engineering Flight, responsible for 130 technicians and all of the weapons and pilot's survival equipment across a busy RAF station. I then spent 6 months on Operation SHADER as the Detachment Armaments Officer, responsible for the safety and security of all the weapons systems.I spent 2 years as the Junior Engineering Officer on 29 Sqn, the RAF's biggest fast jet Sqn and the training unit for all RAF pilots who go on to fly Typhoons. I was responsible for ensuring that 20 aircraft were safe and ready to fly on a daily basis as well as managing 90 technicians across 3 different engineering trades - Mechanical, Avionics and Weapons. This also involved taking aircraft away for airshows as part of the Typhoon Display Team. I took 3 aircraft to Finland for a week with just a few technicians so got to see everything up close and personal!"

"I enjoy running and exploring the UK with my husband and our Cockapoo in our Campervan!"

"My usual day starts with checking through emails to see what has come in overnight, then I discuss any new problems with my team of 4 technicians who look after the aircraft's electrical systems. We discuss the problems and if we are going to accept any technical queries that have come in from the front line Squadrons who operate Typhoon aircraft and progress we've made on other issues. I then take this information into a larger meeting afterwards where it is discussed at a higher level and agree courses of action.The rest of my days is spent investigating these faults and compiling responses to previous technical queries and updating the approved technical data as required. When I publish a response, this is then referred to across the whole Typhoon fleet as what to do to fix a problem.My main job is to make sure the aircraft electrical systems remain as safe as possible so any problems that are highlighted to me or my team have to be investigated to make sure there isn't a bigger problem. And as Typhoon uses such cutting-edge technology, electrical systems are involved everywhere!"

"I studied Aero-Mechanical Engineering at University before joining the Royal Air Force. I have since attended a lot of courses which the Royal Air Force have deemed essential for me to be able to carry out my job, but the best bit is, if I need another qualification, work always arrange and pay for it as I cannot do my job without it."