British Army - Network Engineer - Full Time Career with Apprenticeship
British Army
Recruiting nationally
Closes in 31 days (Saturday 30 August 2025)
Posted on 11 April 2025
Contents
Summary
This is an opportunity to embark on a full-time career in the British Army (Royal Signals). Join the front lines of digital warfare as a Network Engineer. From tactical radios to global satellite systems, you'll be the backbone of communications, ensuring troops stay connected and commanders stay ahead of the enemy.
- Wage
-
£25,200 a year
- Training course
- Network engineer (level 4)
- Hours
-
Shift and working patterns may vary. Working locations will vary nationally depending on the apprenticeship and working requirements. Days and times to be confirmed.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 1 September 2025
- Duration
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2 years 6 months
- Positions available
-
40
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Engineer, maintain and repair a range of communications equipment
- Install, service and repair telecommunications data cable networks, data centres, configure switches, routers, servers and LAN access equipment
- Get continuous personal and professional development, including civilian accredited transferable qualifications
- Learn to drive and operate military vehicles ranging from Land Rovers and HGVs to fully armoured fighting vehicles
- Operate as a Royal Signals soldier conducting military tasks wherever the British Army is deployed
- Learn to instruct and pass on your expert skills and knowledge
Where you'll work
Depending on your chosen regiment/corps and age at the time of enlistment, you will undertake Phase 1 training at AFC Harrogate (16-17 year olds), ATR Pirbright, ATR Winchester or ITC Catterick (for adult recruits). ITC Catterick is also where Infantry soldiers complete both Phase 1 and 2. On completion of training, you will be assigned where the Army requires you to be, but wherever that is you will receive 'on the job' training towards the completion of your chosen Apprenticeship.
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BRITISH ARMY
Training course
Network engineer (level 4)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Apply tools and techniques when securely operating and testing networks.
- Install and configure network components.
- Implement tools and techniques to monitor, identify, analyse and record systems performance in line with defined specifications.
- Maintain security of the network against potential threats.
- Apply tools and or techniques to gather information to troubleshoot issues and or isolate, repair or escalate faults.
- Communicate outcomes of tasks and record actions in line with organisational procedures.
- Upgrade, apply and test components to systems configurations ensuring that the system meets the organisation’s requirements and minimises downtime.
- Interpret information and or specifications received from a manager, customer or technical specialist and accurately implement the defined requirements.
- Implement techniques to optimise systems or component performance in line with defined specifications.
- Apply the required level of responsibility when organising and prioritising work tasks, clients’ or stakeholders’ requests in line with SLAs and organisation processes.
- Explain their job role within the business context to stakeholders to enable a clear understanding on both sides of what their remit is and convey technical constraints.
- Operate securely, and apply process, policies and legislation within their business responsibilities.
- Configure and maintain network addressing in line with customer requirements.
- Ensure compliance of network engineering outputs with change management processes including Secure Access Service Edge SASE or Zero-trust networking .
- Apply tools and techniques when securely operating and testing networks.
- Install and configure network components.
- Implement tools and techniques to monitor, identify, analyse and record systems performance in line with defined specifications.
- Maintain security of the network against potential threats.
- Apply tools and or techniques to gather information to troubleshoot issues and or isolate, repair or escalate faults.
- Communicate outcomes of tasks and record actions in line with organisational procedures.
- Upgrade, apply and test components to systems configurations ensuring that the system meets the organisation’s requirements and minimises downtime.
- Interpret information and or specifications received from a manager, customer or technical specialist and accurately implement the defined requirements.
- Implement techniques to optimise systems or component performance in line with defined specifications.
- Apply the required level of responsibility when organising and prioritising work tasks, clients’ or stakeholders’ requests in line with SLAs and organisation processes.
- Explain their job role within the business context to stakeholders to enable a clear understanding on both sides of what their remit is and convey technical constraints.
- Operate securely, and apply process, policies and legislation within their business responsibilities.
- Configure and maintain network addressing in line with customer requirements.
- Ensure compliance of network engineering outputs with change management processes including Secure Access Service Edge SASE or Zero-trust networking .
Training schedule
R SIGNALS soldiers will start L4 Network Engineer during Initial Trade Training (ITT) and continue their learning in the Field Army.
Step 1 - Your initial military training, which will teach you how to be a soldier, covering everything from fieldcraft to how to handle a rifle. If you join as a Junior Soldier (under 17 years and 6 months), you'll do a 23-week basic military training course at Harrogate. If you join as a Regular Soldier (over 17 years and 6 months), you'll do the regular 14-week adult basic training.
Step 2 - This is the start of your technical training designed to introduce basic signalling and communication skills while building on your existing military skills. You will be taught basic principles and skills, such as siting, operating and talking on military radios, radio logs, map marking, working at heights, health and safety, and, of course, security. As your career progresses you learn how to build and configure networks, manage system problems as well as gain an understanding of field generators and security, including cyber.
Qualifications you could get after training:
- Driving licences: B+E Level 4 Network Engineer Apprenticeship or
- Level 3 Network Cable Installer Apprenticeship
- Level 2 Functional Skills in maths, English and IT
- Level 7 PG Cert Wireless Communications
- Certified Network Cable Installer
- City and Guilds: 3663-03 Designing and Planning Networks, 3667-02 Fibre Optic Tech, 3667-02 SWS Structure and Cabling
- Chartered Management Institute Level 4 Team Leading, Level 5 Coaching and Mentoring, Level 6 Leadership and Management
- Level 4 Team Leading
- Level 5 Coaching and Mentoring
- Level 6 Leadership and Management Apprenticeship
- Professional Registration with the Institute of for Engineering and Technology at ICT Tech, IEng and CEng levels
- Professional Registration with the British Computer Society at RIT Tech and CITP levels
Through life learning opportunities and education up to Masters Degree level.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English or RQF Lvl 2 equivalent (grade 3/D or above)
- Maths or ICT (grade 4/C or above)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Initiative
Other requirements
The British Army recruits throughout the year and you should ignore the application closing dates shown against this advert.
About this employer
Protecting the nation and its dependent territories will always be the British Army's first role. Highly trained soldiers are ready to deploy anywhere at any time to meet a variety of challenges, ranging from support to the Police following a terrorist attack, to specialist capabilities such as bomb disposal and intelligence experts, 24 hours a day 365 days a year, we are always ready to serve. You belong here.
https://www.army.mod.uk/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
The Army offers job security, career growth, adventure and world-class training. Benefits include competitive pay, travel, fitness, leadership skills, a pension, free healthcare, cheaper housing and 30 days of paid leave a year, plus public holidays.
After this apprenticeship
The apprenticeship is a gateway to a full-time career in the British Army. Promotion, along with increased salary and responsibility is dependent on successful completion of the apprenticeship and then on merit by competitive selection. As you advance through the ranks, you will have the increased opportunity to lead and direct people, managing resources and workforce within your area of work to deliver the required outputs whilst maintaining and instilling the highest values and standards expected of the British Army. You belong here.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
BRITISH ARMY
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000315229.
Apply now
Closes in 31 days (Saturday 30 August 2025)
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