Building Services Design Technician Apprenticeship

A building services design technician provides assistance to engineers and other construction professionals in the development of cost-effective technical and sustainable design solutions involving the production of 3D models, calculations, specifications, reports and drawings taking into account, where appropriate, pre-fabrication techniques.

Their work typically includes systems such as renewable technologies, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, drainage, lighting, power, controls and lifts. Buildings and infrastructure take on many forms from newly built facilities to the refurbishment of premises for every sector of the industry.

As design technicians, they could be working under supervision in a design consultancy, a contractor or a manufacturing company.

View our apprenticeship vacancies

As a building services design technician, your work will involve and you will learn the following;

• Analysis – using appropriate software and simulation systems to solve technical problems.
• Project delivery – contributing to planning, managing work schedules, budgets and deadlines working as a member of a team
• Site engineering - operating quality systems and Health, Safety and Risk Management procedures, progress monitoring, see that installations generally comply with the design intent, responding to site queries, commissioning and post-occupancy evaluations.
  
  

If you are successful in this apprenticeship you will also achieve a Level 3 BTEC qualification in Construction and the Built Environment.

As an apprentice, you can expect to undertake work-based learning with an employer who will pay you a wage. Throughout the duration of your apprenticeship, you will attend college for one day per week.

The rest of your training will take place in-house at your workplace by your employer and a qualified assessor who will visit you on-site who will complete assessments and progress reviews.

In order to complete the apprenticeship, you will undertake an End Point Assessment. It measures the knowledge, skills and behaviours each apprentice has developed and will include a project and a presentation. This part of the apprenticeship is employer-led, so it will be your employer who decides if you are ready to undertake your End Point Assessment.

More detailed information can be found on the apprenticeship standard website (new window).

• Heating & ventilation workshop
• Electrical workshop
• Welding workshop
• CAD suite
• Laboratories
• Off-site surveying
• Extensive research facilities

To start the apprenticeship, you will need an employer who is willing to take you on as an apprentice, all of which will have different requirements. If you already have an employer, please contact us. If you don't have an employer already, view our current apprenticeship vacancies.

You will be required to attend an initial assessment in Maths and English and a short interview prior to enrolment, and you will be expected to have an C/4 or Level 2 Functional Skill in Maths and English in order for you to complete your End Point Assessment.

On successful completion of this apprenticeship you could progress to Level 4 or 5 in Building Services Engineering or to a wide range of employment opportunities.

Possible careers

• Mechanical Engineer
• Electrical Engineer
• Building Services Engineer
• Projects Engineer
• Maintenance Engineer

Information for Employers

Each apprenticeship needs to include 20% off-the-job training. This must amount to 20% of the apprentice’s contracted employment hours across the whole apprenticeship. Off-the-job training is learning undertaken outside of the normal day-to-day working environment and leads towards the achievement of the apprenticeship.

Off the Job Training should also be relevant to the knowledge, skills and behaviours detailed in the standard.

End Point Assessment

Each apprentice will need to undertake an End Point Assessment (EPA) at the end of their apprenticeship.  It measures the knowledge, skills and behaviours each apprentice has developed. 

An apprentice can only take this assessment once all other aspects of the apprenticeship have been completed.  An apprentice needs to be completely ready to take this assessment and the employer and assessor will decide when the time is right.  A declaration will be signed by both the employer, apprentice and assessor.  If the apprentice fails the assessment, then there will be a re-sit charge, which is generally paid by the employer.

The EPA Consists of 3 discrete assessment methods:

1. Project – project brief is issued and then apprentice produces a written report

2. Presentation – based on the project

3. Structured Interview