25-0041 Automation and Controls Technical Apprentice

Summary

This role will incorporate an electrical apprenticeship with the aim of developing the technical skills necessary to eventually be capable of working as a Controls Engineer.

Wage

£19,240 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course

Automation and controls engineering technician (level 4)

Hours

Monday to Friday. Shifts to be confirmed.

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 8 September 2025

Duration

3 years

Positions available

1

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

The post holder will experience designing industrial control systems including electrical distribution equipment, and motor control centres, control panels, including supporting designs such as cable calculations, single line diagrams, materials lists, and cable schedules.

You will also have experience in controls projects from tendering to commissioning, general electrical engineering/manufacturing methods & techniques. You will learn to experience in understanding and interpreting relevant engineering/manufacturing data and documentation in order to complete your job role and also understanding the different roles and functions in the organisation and how they interact.

Role & responsibilities:

Work accurately to work designing industrial control systems including electrical distribution equipment, motor control centres, control panels, including supporting designs such as cable calculations, single line diagrams, materials lists, and cable schedules
Be involved in electrical engineering and controls projects from tendering to commissioning stage
Produce work to customer requirements and standards and or company standards in the most effective manner
Incorporate an engineering apprenticeship with the aim of developing the technical skills necessary to become part of our Control Department Team whilst maintaining quality and safety standards
Learn and be able to complete read engineering drawings
Work on own initiative
Interpreting client’s specifications and providing engineered solutions using a mixture of best practice and where appropriate

Where you'll work

16 Johnson Street
Barnsley
South Yorkshire
S75 2by

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD

Your training course

Automation and controls engineering technician (level 4)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Safety Effective - The ability to work safely in an industrial environment and where required, produce risk assessment and method statement documentation. Be able to apply the principles of functional machinery or process safety including SIL (Safety Integrated Level) and PL (Performance Level) terminology.
Engineering documentation - Production and interpretation of a range of technical documentation (device manuals, operating procedures, schematics, fault reports etc), and working with company documentation systems.
Project engineering capabilities - Support of installation, commissioning, shut-down, start-up and maintenance, service, or support of a wide range of systems and devices.
Diagnostic capabilities - Fault finding, diagnosis, rectification and reporting of automation control systems and controls applications via the utilisation of formal problem solving methods and diagnostic tools or software.
Instrumentation configuration and calibration - Set-up, calibrate and commission a wide variety of field level instrumentation that interfaces to automation and control systems
Industrial Networks configuration and support - configure, assist commissioning and continued support of industrial network solutions at all hierarchical levels of control system integration using the requisite tools and or software.
HMI and SCADA configuration and programming - Make changes to existing systems or implement new configurations.
PLC or Robot configuration and programming - Implement complex PLC or Robot program content and configurations to affect changes to increase availability and or efficiency of automation controlled machinery and the ability to configure PLC and or Robot hardware and program a wide variety of PLC’s and or Robot’s.
Safety Effective - The ability to work safely in an industrial environment and where required, produce risk assessment and method statement documentation. Be able to apply the principles of functional machinery or process safety including SIL (Safety Integrated Level) and PL (Performance Level) terminology.
Engineering documentation - Production and interpretation of a range of technical documentation (device manuals, operating procedures, schematics, fault reports etc), and working with company documentation systems.
Project engineering capabilities - Support of installation, commissioning, shut-down, start-up and maintenance, service, or support of a wide range of systems and devices.
Diagnostic capabilities - Fault finding, diagnosis, rectification and reporting of automation control systems and controls applications via the utilisation of formal problem solving methods and diagnostic tools or software.
Instrumentation configuration and calibration - Set-up, calibrate and commission a wide variety of field level instrumentation that interfaces to automation and control systems
Industrial Networks configuration and support - configure, assist commissioning and continued support of industrial network solutions at all hierarchical levels of control system integration using the requisite tools and or software.
HMI and SCADA configuration and programming - Make changes to existing systems or implement new configurations.
PLC or Robot configuration and programming - Implement complex PLC or Robot program content and configurations to affect changes to increase availability and or efficiency of automation controlled machinery and the ability to configure PLC and or Robot hardware and program a wide variety of PLC’s and or Robot’s.

Your training plan

You will study on a Level 4 Automation and Controls Engineering Technican standard and on completion of this, you will gain a qualification in Engineering at Higher Apprentice Level 4 standard.

During the first year of the apprenticeship, your learning will take place at the University of Sheffield’s AMRC Training Centre based at Catcliffe, Rotherham, for one day a week for knowledge study.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

BTEC or equivalent in:

Engineering BTEC Level 3 or equivalent (grade Merit Merit / 120 Credit)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Attention to detail
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Multitask
Self motivated
Task orientated
Interpersonal skills

Other requirements

You will need ONE of the following: A minimum of two A-Levels at grade C or above, including a mathematical-based subject and a science, technology, engineering or an additional mathematics-related subject / An Engineering BTEC Level 3 with at least 120 credits at MM (Merit Merit) level or above / EAL Diploma in an engineering-based subject at distinction level / Equivalent qualifications such as Technical Levels (T-Levels) at MM or above

About this company

The company undertakes project management and feasibility studies, provision of turnkey solutions including the design, manufacture, assembly, painting, installation and commissioning. We employee a wide range of engineering and manufacturing personnel based at our Barnsley premises.

After this apprenticeship

Completion of the University of Sheffield’s AMRC Training Centre apprenticeships are nationally recognised qualifications which are acknowledged and respected by employers across the world. These can open the door to many more opportunities, such as Engineering Management and Project Engineering positions across a range of sectors worldwide.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD

Recruitment Team

recruitment@amrctraining.co.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000319657.

Apply now

Closes on Thursday 31 July 2025

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.

Company’s application instructions

Please follow the link to apply on the University of Sheffield’s AMRC Training Centre website and complete an application form. Once this has been received, it will be reviewed, and you will receive an email response with the next steps of the application process. Please note the AMRC Training Centre reserves the right to close company vacancies, should they get filled, ahead of the published closing date.

Cookies on Find an apprenticeship

Contents