Systems Engineering Degree Apprenticeship - Level 6 Applied Professional Engineering

About the role

Turn your curiosity into a career! 🚀 Are you passionate about engineering, eager to learn, and looking for a degree apprenticeship that combines academic study with exciting on-the-job experience? We'd love to hear from you.

Benefits of the Programme:

✅ Earn a salary while studying for your degree 💰

✅ Gain hands-on experience in a real engineering environment 🛠️

✅ Receive job-specific training and development 📈

✅ Achieve a recognised engineering qualification 🎓

✅ Secure a permanent role from the start of your apprenticeship 💯

✅ Have your university tuition fees fully paid 📚

About the Role:

As a Systems Engineering Apprentice, you will develop the technical knowledge, practical skills, and professional behaviours needed to become a confident and capable engineer. Working as part of our Systems Engineering team, you will support the delivery of systems and equipment solutions, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.

Your responsibilities may include:

• Supporting systems requirements and design activities ✍️
• Contributing to project reviews ✅
• Participating in system testing and validation activities 🧪
• Assisting with engineering investigations and problem-solving 🧐
• Visiting customer sites, platforms, and installations to support surveys, trials, and system deployment where required 📍
• Working with experienced engineers on live projects 🤝

What You Will Learn:

Throughout the apprenticeship, you will gain experience and knowledge in:

• Professional engineering behaviours and industry best practice ✨
• Understanding and working with complex engineering systems 🤯
• Different engineering roles and activities across live projects 🌐
• The Systems Engineering Lifecycle and key engineering processes 🔄
• Requirements capture, requirements management, and system design techniques 📝
• Systems engineering tools and methods 💻
• Testing, integration, verification, validation, and qualification (IVVQ) activities 🚀
• Structured and methodical approaches to problem-solving and investigation 🧠

Degree Apprenticeship Programme:

You will study towards the BEng Applied Professional Engineering Degree Apprenticeship with The University of Warwick, following the Product Design and Development Engineer pathway.

The programme is delivered through a blended learning approach, combining:

• On-campus teaching (approximately 12 blocks of 3 days) 🏫
• Virtual coaching sessions 🧑‍💻
• Online learning resources 🌐

Programme Structure:

This is a broad programme, designed to provide a strong multi-disciplinary engineering foundation prior to moving onto a more specialist pathway.

• Years 1 and 2: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Materials and Design, Computational skills.
• Years 3 and 4: Progress onto the Design and Development Engineer specialist pathway and a Work-based project.

Throughout the four-year programme, you will combine university study with practical workplace experience, developing both academic knowledge and professional engineering skills. Aligned to the IET accreditation requirements, this degree will support those looking to become a Chartered Engineer in the future. 🌟

Entry Requirements:

• A Levels: Minimum 112 UCAS Tariff points at A Level, including a grade B in Maths and at least one further STEM or engineering subject.
• GCSEs: Minimum of five GCSEs at Grade 4/C or above. Must include: English Language, Mathematics, and an Additional STEM subject.

*Please note that applicants who already hold a relevant degree will not be eligible for this programme.*

Benefits:

• Competitive salary of £24,000 per annum 💸
• Performance-related pay uplifts 🎉
• Holiday entitlement of 201 hours a year (plus a company day and bank holidays) 🏖️
• Contributory Company Pension 👴
• Health Care Cash Plan 🩺
• Hybrid/flexible working options 🏠
• Employee assistance programme 💪
• Learning and development support 🧠
• Employee discounts and wellbeing initiatives 😊
• Life Cover 🛡️
• 80 Hours Volunteering per year (first two years) 😇

Thales Apprentice Recruitment Process:

1. Apply Online: Submit your application online to register your interest. You only need to register for one role as you will have the opportunity to apply for additional roles at the full application stage. 💻

2. Upload Your CV: Don't forget this crucial step! 📄

3. Check Your Emails: Look out for an invitation to apply from recruiting@jobalerts.thalesgroup.com 📧

4. Complete Your Application: Follow the link provided in the email to complete your application. You can apply for one primary role and up to 3 additional roles. 📝

5. Complete Online Tests: Undertake the online assessments designed to evaluate your suitability for the role. 🧠

6. Virtual Assessment Centre: Candidates who progress from the online assessment stage will attend a virtual assessment centre, which will include group exercises and competency-based interviews. 🗣️

7. Job Offer: Successful candidates who perform well throughout the recruitment process will receive a job offer from Thales. 🥳

For further information about our Future Talent recruitment process, including hints and tips, or to connect with a member of the Future Talent Team, a Graduate, or an Apprentice, please visit Thales Future Talent - Connectr.

*Please note, assessment centres for shortlisted candidates will be held between February - May 2027. Induction week for all Graduate and Apprentices will take place from Monday 6 September - Friday 10 September 2027.*

Closing Date:

Applications will close at 11:59pm on Wednesday 17 February 2027. This is the only time we will be accepting applications this year. We will be in contact by the end of February 2027 with details of next steps.

URGENT NOTE: Roles may close earlier than the advertised deadline if we receive a high number of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid missing out on this opportunity! ⏳

Security Requirements:

Because of the vital work we do at Thales, all roles are subject to security requirements. To be considered for this position, you must have the permanent right to work in the UK and be able to successfully complete and maintain UK Government security checks, including Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) screening and Security Clearance (SC), before starting employment.

To be eligible for SC clearance, you will typically need to have lived in the UK continuously for the last five years. As part of the vetting process, you will be asked to provide evidence of your identity, right to work in the UK, any time spent overseas during the last five years, and your employment and/or education history.

In addition, this role supports a UK Eyes Only programme and is therefore subject to government-mandated nationality restrictions. To satisfy the security clearance requirements for access to highly sensitive information, applicants must have been British citizens from birth and must not hold any other nationality. This requirement is determined by the UK Government and is a condition of programme access rather than an employment preference. 🇬🇧

About the Company:

Thales is an equal opportunities employer, and diversity and inclusion are integral to the success of Thales. We celebrate differences and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. 🌈

How to Apply:

To apply for this role and to find out more, please click on the apply button. Please note that applications may close before the application deadline, so apply early to avoid disappointment. 🔥

Key responsibilities

• Supporting systems requirements and design activities
• Contributing to project reviews
• Participating in system testing and validation activities
• Assisting with engineering investigations and problem solving
• Visiting customer sites, platforms and installations to support surveys, trials and system deployment where required

Skills