Dying for Millions Read Free Page B

thirty. ‘Now, how may I help you? Work experience, I think you said in your letter—’
    â€˜For my students,’ I said. ‘I’m responsible for placing them in organisations like yours where they can get some idea of the world of work.’
    â€˜For how long are we talking about?’
    I was slightly puzzled: I’d have expected this conversation to take place in his office. ‘Usually a week, occasionally two or three weeks. Some placements prefer to use them on a range of jobs: others prefer shadowing – following you around all day, about your daily round.’
    He gave an exaggerated shudder. ‘You mean, they follow you
everywhere
?’
    â€˜Apart from the loo, yes. Not just set-piece meetings – all the behind-closed-door politicking as well.’
    He wrinkled a straight, rather elegant nose. ‘There’s a lot of confidential stuff in a place like this. After all the problems other airports have had with demonstrators, we wouldn’t want to take any chances.’ He turned slightly – we were about to move at last.
    â€˜Are you involved in live animal transportation, then?’ I asked, gathering up my bag and preparing to follow wherever he led.
    â€˜Not now. The management saw the way things were going and pulled out before the publicity started. There’s plenty of other lucrative contracts without actively looking for trouble.’ He led the way, limping slightly on his left leg. I hoped it wasn’t just the cut of his suit that gave him such broad shoulders.
    I followed him to a door. He tapped numbers into a keyboard, shielded so that only the most determinedly curious could have worked out the code, then held the door open for me.
    â€˜You know, of course, that we don’t handle large numbers of passengers here. We’re almost exclusively freight with some short-haul private passenger flights. STOLs – short take off and landing. You see the Dash Sevens over there? That sort of thing. There are training flights, too. And over there is the helipad.’
    I nodded; I would have to check out all the details later so I could use the right lingo – and, more importantly, understand should he use it. ‘You mean, like the airport in Docklands?’ I said brightly.
    He stopped by another door, again secretively tapping in a code before ushering me through.
    â€˜We’re less busy than they are. Like I said, it’s mostly freight. The container base is over there.’ He pointed through triple-glazed windows. ‘Customs and Excise. Engineering. Control tower.’
    â€˜You’re quite a small concern.’ I hoped I didn’t sound disparaging.
    â€˜But very efficient. We have to be, there are so few of us. Most of the clerical work is now computerised and as soon as a plane is logged through Air Traffic Control it triggers a print-out in the accounts office. Which is where your students could be most useful.’ He gave a bark of laughter. ‘Symbiosis – isn’t that what they call it? You want us to give them experience; we’d want to get some work out of them.’
    I hesitated: work experience placements weren’t intended to turn students into unpaid labourers. ‘What sort of work?’
    â€˜Quite responsible. The sort that might lead to paid work later – temporary relief when staff are off sick or on training. We’re very forward-looking in our training policies. Investors in People.’
    I smiled. ‘It’s on your letter heading.’
    â€˜Right! Some of it’s essential – propellers are lethal things. We don’t want people walking into them. And planes come expensive. Apart from that, we try to ensure everyone has their skills up-dated as often as possible. Not just those skills which would immediately benefit the company, either. Languages. Fitness. And we have regular team-building weekends at outdoor activity centres.’
    The