Apprentice Water Network Operative
United Living Group
Washington (NE37 1HB)
Closes in 24 days (Sunday 17 August 2025)
Posted on 23 July 2025
Contents
Summary
Our Infrastructure Services Water business, who deliver critical resilient infrastructure, are looking for water network operative apprentices to join our Water division, who are a national provider of infrastructure and non-infrastructure water and wastewater services to UK water utility companies.
- Wage
-
£18,895 a year
- Training course
- Water network operative (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday. Shifts to be confirmed.
48 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 1 September 2025
- Duration
-
2 years
- Positions available
-
2
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
This is an exciting time to join United Living on our Apprenticeship Programme as the business continues to grow, and we have a significant order book of secured future projects.
Our Infrastructure Services business delivers critical resilient infrastructure that improves daily life by partnering with our clients to achieve sustainable outcomes for their customers and communities. You will join our Water division, who are a national provider of infrastructure and non-infrastructure water and wastewater services to UK water utility companies.
We are looking for a cohort of apprentices to join the team. Some of your key responsibilities will include:
- Excavate holes using safe digging methods to avoid damage to underground utility apparatus
- Move materials, plant and equipment
- Install pipes and fittings to the appropriate standards, ensuring, in particular, that good jointing and hygiene practices are followed
- Maintain site, vehicle, plant and equipment tidiness and security
- Carry out safety checks and inspections of vehicles, plant, equipment and sites and maintain safety, environmental and quality records
Where you'll work
12 Parsons Road
Parsons Industrial Estate
Washington
NE37 1HB
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
WATERTRAIN LIMITED
Training course
Water network operative (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Identify hazards and implement controls to reduce risks to people and the environment.
- Comply with a safe system of work, including permits, work and engineering instructions.
- Identify and organise resources.
- Comply with workplace health, safety and environmental policy and practice; use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and safety equipment.
- Follow procedures for signing, lighting and guarding as well as public and pedestrian segregation and escalate issues if required.
- Identify, locate and avoid damage to underground utility services.
- Carry out safe excavation practices for utility network services.
- Monitor and maintain site conditions; good housekeeping.
- Select, check and operate equipment and tools; report faults if required.
- Maintain and store equipment and tools, for example charge batteries, clean equipment, grease machines, re-fuel.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, internal and external customers, colleagues and managers.
- Use gas detection equipment.
- Communicate in writing with others and record task information, for example, job sheets.
- Follow standard operating procedures (SOP).
- Use information technology and digital systems. Comply with GDPR and cyber security.
- Carry out learning and development activities.
- Organise and prioritise own work.
- Apply equity, diversity and inclusion rules.
- Apply team working principles.
- Carry out pipe cutting.
- Carry out squeeze off activities.
- Join materials by fusion techniques.
- Join materials by mechanical means on clean water assets.
- Drill and tap clean water assets.
- Install clean water assets.
- Conduct disinfection procedures for clean water mains and services.
- Check the performance of the asset and escalate issues if necessary.
- Use continuous supply procedures.
- Repair water network asset.
- Identify and solve common issues within the clean water network.
- Use pumping equipment.
- Follow hygiene procedures.
- Install or replace waste water assets.
- Replace and join materials by flexible seals, for example band seals on waste water services.
- Prepare the site for a no dig team.
- Carry out excavation and shoring of deep excavations.
- Repair waste water network assets.
- Use mitigation methods to maintain flow, for example using pumps, stopping or diverting.
- Identify and solve common issues within the waste water network.
- Decontaminate equipment, tooling and PPE.
- Identify hazards and implement controls to reduce risks to people and the environment.
- Comply with a safe system of work, including permits, work and engineering instructions.
- Identify and organise resources.
- Comply with workplace health, safety and environmental policy and practice; use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and safety equipment.
- Follow procedures for signing, lighting and guarding as well as public and pedestrian segregation and escalate issues if required.
- Identify, locate and avoid damage to underground utility services.
- Carry out safe excavation practices for utility network services.
- Monitor and maintain site conditions; good housekeeping.
- Select, check and operate equipment and tools; report faults if required.
- Maintain and store equipment and tools, for example charge batteries, clean equipment, grease machines, re-fuel.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, internal and external customers, colleagues and managers.
- Use gas detection equipment.
- Communicate in writing with others and record task information, for example, job sheets.
- Follow standard operating procedures (SOP).
- Use information technology and digital systems. Comply with GDPR and cyber security.
- Carry out learning and development activities.
- Organise and prioritise own work.
- Apply equity, diversity and inclusion rules.
- Apply team working principles.
- Carry out pipe cutting.
Training schedule
As an apprentice with United Living, you’ll be given a real job from day one where you will gain hands-on industry experience, and the knowledge required to achieve a nationally recognised qualification. You’ll be inspired and stretched professionally, but fully supported by an expert network of colleagues, as you work to build the foundations for a career within United Living, and the construction industry.
As part of your Apprenticeship, you will be enroled onto the Level 2 Water Network Operative Apprenticeship. The programme is 18–21 months long and will be delivered by one of our training partners. The training will include guided discussions and workshops as well as independent learning and collation of your portfolio of evidence. You will also receive one-to-one support from your tutor or coach, and they will also meet regularly with you and your line manager to ensure you are progressing through your programme.
Upon successful completion of your apprenticeship programme, you will have achieved:
Level 2 Water Network Operative Apprenticeship
Requirements
Essential qualifications
Other in:
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Customer care skills
- Team working
- Physical fitness
About this employer
United Living is a leading infrastructure, construction, and property services company in the UK, comprised of four complementary businesses. We help our customers and the communities they serve benefit from resilient infrastructure, affordable homes, and improved living spaces that are fit for the future. We invest in our people and firmly believe that our workforce is our most valuable asset. A driving force for success and the core to achieving our vision of creating a connected and sustainable future, our team is the heart of our organisation. Building a diverse, inclusive, and equal working environment in which everyone is welcomed and encouraged to be themselves, is a commitment we are dedicated to. We believe that having a diverse workforce not only sets us up for success, but it allows for greater opportunities for innovation, adaptability, and wide-ranging capabilities. We empower our people, and our communities, to champion diversity and change every day. We are a fast-paced, diverse, and hugely ambitious business. We welcome challengers, innovators and people who embrace change to establish yourself in a creative environment that champions freedom of expression and supports you in your personal and professional development – because together, we achieve more.
https://unitedliving.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
- You will be fully supported to continue your professional development upon completion of this programme
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
United Living Group
Rebecca Harrison
earlycareers@unitedliving.co.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000333272.
Apply now
Closes in 24 days (Sunday 17 August 2025)
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After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.