Engineering Operative Apprenticeship

Engineering Operatives are an essential part of the Manufacturing and Engineering sector. An Engineering Operative apprentice will undertake a wide range of job-related tasks that they can transfer to other roles within the engineering and manufacturing sector throughout their career. 

Typical roles include Servicing and Maintenance Operative, Mechanical Engineering Operative, Engineering Fitter and Machine Setter/Operative.

During your apprenticeship you will work individually or as part of a team to carry out a range of engineering operations which could include:

• Ensuring machines and equipment used are maintained and serviceable,
• Dealing with breakdowns
• Restoring components 
• Operating a variety of machines (CNC or Conventional)
• Fabrication/installation of a wide variety of other sheet fabrications and equipment
• Fabrication and assembly of metal parts joining techniques
• Preparing materials and equipment for engineering processes,
• Providing technical support including communications software, test tools, performance, capacity planning, and e-commerce technology as required.

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 practical observation and a professional discussion. 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).

Candidates will typically have a minimum of GCSEs at grade 3/D or above (or equivalent) which must include English and maths. Evidence of this will need to be provided prior to starting your apprenticeship. Candidates without GCSE grade 4/C or above in English and maths (or level 2 functional skills) will need to take the tests for this level prior to taking their End Point Assessment (EPA).

To start an apprenticeship you will need an employer who is willing to take you on as an apprentice.  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 a College interview prior to enrolling onto an apprenticeship.

You must be eligible to work in the United Kingdom.

On completion of this apprenticeship, you can progress into the workplace or into one of the following higher-level apprenticeships

• MOET level 3
• Engineering fitter level 3

Information for Employers

Off-the-job training

Each apprenticeship must include 20% off-the-job training, which amounts to 20% of the apprentice’s contracted employment hours across the whole apprenticeship.  Off-the-job training is any learning undertaken outside of the normal day-to-day working environment and leads towards the achievement of the apprenticeship.  Examples of this would be shadowing colleagues, attending supplier meetings, taking external courses etc.

End Point Assessment

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

1) Observation of practical assessment (maximum of 3 hrs) - A minimum of two models is required for the learner to work on. The models can be familiar to the Apprentice.                                                                                              

2) Oral Questioning - Covered throughout the observation.           

NOTE: The End-point-assessment can take place at the employer’s salon, a training provider's salon or a registered Apprentice Assessment Organisation. The plan is to use the college salon for EPAs, 6 Apprentices at a time to ensure cost-effective assessments are planned.