National Apprenticeship Week: IoT Opens Doors in Specialist Engineering for Cameron Hensley
9th February 2026
MOOG apprentice, Cameron Hensley developed a passion for engineering at a young age and was attracted to a higher-level apprenticeship after completing a T Level in Engineering and Manufacturing.
I have chosen to study a higher-level engineering apprenticeship at the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology to develop my professional skills alongside my full-time employment at IoT employer partner MOOG. I love having the opportunity to work and earn at the same time.
Cameron Hensley, Level 4 Engineering Manufacturing Technician and HNC in Engineering for England (HTQ)
"After completely my T Level Engineering and Manufacturing studies and having the opportunity to get involved in an engineering placement, I gained a love for running projects.
I found out about my apprenticeship at MOOG by a friend as I was applying for a number of apprenticeships at different employers locally. I initially applied for a different position, but after chatting to MOOG about my career goals and skills, they suggested a different apprenticeship to me which has turned out to be really positive.
My love for engineering comes from when I was very young. I visited an RAF base where my uncle worked as a propulsion mechanic at an open day and got the chance to look at different aircrafts and the repairs he worked on. Focusing on a future in aerospace came from this event.
The apprenticeship route really appealed to me over a traditional university course as it allows me to work and gain experience within a company as well as developing my theoretical knowledge further at the IoT.
Since signing up for the apprenticeship, I've had lots of opportunities at MOOG which is giving me lots of experience. I recently worked on MOOG's company demonstrations and the engineering games that are used at the Royal International Air Show Tattoo at RAF Fairford. I got to work on demonstrations that show different mechanisms such as the aerodynamics of wings when flaps and slats are used, and how actuators make flaps lift on wings which was very insightful. I was also invited to attend the airshow and present our work to guests which was incredible.
My work experience at MOOG has been really varied. From working on test rigs for aircrafts that test endurance to completing research projects to present to international companies such as Boeing, I've really enjoyed understanding different functions of the role. This has helped me to develop my project management skills and helped me to improve my time management as it's a very busy place to work. I'm fully supported by my employer and I benefit from a mentor that I have regular reviews with to monitor my progress and to make sure I'm happy in the workplace. I also have regular weekly meetings with my manager where we discuss potential projects I could work on.
On my study days at the IoT, I get to learn alongside other like-minded apprentice engineers while accessing newly emerging technologies such as 3D printers which has been really interesting. The class sizes are small and I enjoy hearing what other apprentices get to work on in their roles. The expectations of higher education are instilled in our learning, but having the chance to study locally has meant I don't have the student loan debt compared to my peers.
Looking ahead in my career, I hope to progress onto the HND and then complete a degree in engineering whilst climbing the career ladder here at MOOG."