If ever there was an example of someone who has grasped opportunities when given them – and is a soaring success – it’s Jack England.
Born and raised in Bolton, Lancashire, Jack’s schooling could be classed as pretty usual, until winning a scholarship for hockey meant he boarded at the prestigious Rossall School in Fleetwood while completing GCSEs and A-levels, only seeing his parents at weekends.
He applied to university: to study geography and geology at Royal Holloway, London, but also for a less common path: to study engineering through an apprenticeship where Jack would be both employed and working on-site, as well as studying – with Collins Aerospace in Wolverhampton. Chances are, if you can name a commercial airline, then Collins Aerospace is working with it.
Choosing the apprenticeship has seen Jack gain both academic awards and a rapidly progressing career path that in the past year resulted in him being headhunted within the company for a move to America.
Starting in the classroom and on the shop floor, Jack’s studies – and working life – began with learning about manufacturing products, as well as engineering drawing, health and safety, then progressed onto the other varied functions of the business, from programme management to operations and finance.
Beginning with a BTech qualification, Jack applied for Collins’ employee scholar programme, which would fund his Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering at the University of Wolverhampton. This continued into a Master’s and then a senior leadership apprenticeship.
Combining work and study, Jack was quickly able to discover his strengths – which didn’t go unnoticed by his employer. A special skill in operations with customer delivery has been nurtured, and Jack now works with customers around the world, though he’s passed through various roles and areas of specialism since starting:
“My boss moved to another Collins Aerospace sector called Interiors, and I did too. It’s where we make all the interior components to aircraft – so if you think of all the toilets, seats, lights etc that you can see when you’re flying.”
When the same boss moved then to America, Jack had another call, and his move out to America was swift: from a discussion in January, to landing in April. He’s clearly a motivated person, as he was still studying for his MBA during the move. And so far, aside from accidentally ordering “chips” and receiving crisps, it looks like life in the USA is good for Jack.
“I've been fortunate. I've made friends and a social circle. My work colleagues are also great and make an effort: we go for dinner once a week and do activities together and socialise. I've been really looked after.”
Jack is currently a senior programme manager for Interiors, delivering on every aspect of his clients’ expectations – whether for budget airlines that most of us are familiar with, to the highest-grade private aircraft with entire bedroom suites in the interior that are the mainstay of superstars and the super-rich. He works worldwide to help ensure best practice and find ways for sites to improve.
As Jack’s experience has grown, so has the size of the budgets and responsibility he’s been handed – from embedding new core strategies in 450 programme teams with budgets ranging from $0.5million to $90 million, to leading deployment of an entirely new operating system into multiple business areas with a revenue of $5billion.
Working in India, America, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy, he credits studying under a variety of people as having helped him relate more easily to different cultures and other people’s stories. It’s also clear that he views apprenticeships as an excellent way for some people to progress in their ambitions.
An apprenticeship is a great tool to kick-start a career. In my opinion, I believe it has great value financially, educationally and obviously for workplace experience or exposure. I've completed all my education debt-free. Collins have paid for my tuition. At the same time, they paid me a salary which has grown as I've gained more experience.
“It’s not just the financial aspect that’s brilliant – but also the workplace relationships that you build, the networking and experience you get. My experience of being practical and pragmatic in the field, with logical decision-making and finding data-driven solutions has been amazing. I’m not sure I’d be in the same place I am now if I’d studied a traditional degree for three or four years and then started in a job.
“The company benefits too – in a way, they can test you out and see what your work ethic is and whether you can deliver and meet commitments. It gives them an opportunity to rapidly accelerate and help you progress, if that’s something you want.”
There are plenty of opportunities yet to come at Collins for Jack, with new challenges and legislation to overcome, particularly when it comes to environmental concerns, sustainability and accessibility: “We’re doing well in that area – we’ve won or been runners-up for prestigious Crystal Cabin Awards for several innovations recently.”
The awards aren’t only falling on Jack’s employers though: he was winner of the Apprenticeship Award at the University’s Alumni Awards in 2024, recognising his outstanding performance and impact in his field. With a familiar humility, Jack says he never expected to win. Being in America and in a work meeting at the time, he’d sent his father to attend on his behalf, little knowing he’d have to accept the award too!
It’s clear that Jack has crammed a lot into his 27 years, and what’s more, it looks like he’s only just getting started. With keen ambition, he’d like to run his own company in the future, and not just on a small scale. With a great start at Collins Aerospace and the University of Wolverhampton, it seems that the sky’s the limit for his future.
