Are you hoping to apply for the British Airways Customer Service Apprentice role? Need some advice on how to shine above the rest?

Karen Hewitt, British Airways’ graduate and apprentice manager, shares her top tips for applicants.

This is a new aviation scheme, and the first of its kind for young people to train and fly as cabin crew.

What do British Airways look for in a Customer Service Apprentice?

  1. Passion. BA want you to deliver the highest level of customer service and hospitality for the airline and understand that all customers have individual needs.
  2. Be an ambassador. As BA is a global airline, serving customers from all over the world, good ambassadors for the brand should demonstrate their mission – To Fly. To Serve.
  3. Outgoingness. Their ideal candidate will genuinely enjoy interaction with customers and will take care and pride in the quality of service that they provide for British Airways customers.
  4. Motivation. BA assess how motivated a candidate is for the apprenticeship scheme and their willingness to learn.
  5. Perform under pressure. Candidates will work in a 365-day shift pattern and need to be able to work in a busy operational environment, often under pressure.
  6. Flexibility. The apprenticeship involves working both in a busy airport environment and, in the second year, on board their flights working as cabin crew.
  7. Love of travel. Candidates need to be prepared for the second year of the scheme, which includes extensive travel.
  8. Team player. Experience of assisting others or showing commitment to extra-curricular activities in the past , whether as part of a sports team, volunteering work or a Saturday job, will shine above others.
  9. Commitment. BA wants a candidate who will be committed from the beginning to the end of the scheme and always motivated to delivering "excellent customer service".
  10. Lastly, skills! Have you got the right skills, qualifications and personal qualities to suit the demands of the job?

Ms Hewitt thinks a well-presented application is always an indication that the candidate has carefully considered the position.

She added: “It’s always worth checking that your application is grammatically correct and all the questions have been answered to the fullest."

Casper Du Boisson, 26, IT software engineer apprentice, has thoroughly enjoyed his time so far as an apprentice.

He said: “The combination of on-the-job learning, coupled with regular training and mentoring has allowed me to progress faster than I could imagine. I would urge anyone considering applying for an apprenticeship to do their research and submit an application.”

As the Customer Service Apprenticeship is a new programme, BA said it "anticipates a great deal of interest and look forward to assessing the applications".

The Customer Service apprenticeship is open to those who will be 18 and over from September 2015 and who hold a valid passport. There is a full job specification and requirements for candidates available here. The closing date for the scheme is 1 May 2015.