Apprentice Project Engineer

Hitachi Rail UK

Recruiting nationally

Closes in 31 days (Sunday 31 August 2025)

Posted on 29 July 2025


Summary

As an Hitachi Rail Apprentice you will follow a three-year programme completing work across a variety of disciplines, including telecommunications and electrical. You will attend academic and professional training where you will continue to enhance your railway education.

Training course
Information communications technician (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday - 40 hours. Occasional work outside of these hours may be required.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 10 November 2025

Duration

3 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

During this three-year programme you will undertake varying types of work, getting to know and experience Hitachi Rail systems and learning what it takes to be a Telecomms engineer on the railway. Your placements will include activities such as:

  • Installation and commissioning across a wide range of Hitachi Rail products, projects and services
  • Faulting of rail related telecommunications systems
  • Reactive and preventative maintenance
  • Planning of project works, including documentation production
  • Supporting other Hitachi teams with multi-discipline works, using CAD for example

Where you'll work

Your base location will be in Cheadle, Manchester. However work will be carried out across the whole country (Excluding London). A base near Sheffield/Manchester would be ideal, but all locations outside of London will be considered.

Training

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

Training provider

VELOCITY 1ST LIMITED

Training course

Information communications technician (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Interpret and prioritise internal or external customer's requirements in line with organisation's policy
  • Apply the appropriate tools and techniques to undertake fault finding and rectification
  • apply Continuous Professional Development to support necessary business output and technical developments
  • Operate safely and securely across platforms and responsibilities maintaining the security of personal data of internal and external stakeholders
  • Communicate with all levels of stakeholders, keeping them informed of progress and managing escalation where appropriate
  • Develop and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, customers and other relevant stakeholders
  • Manage and prioritise the allocated workload effectively making best use of time and resources
  • Complete documentation relevant to the task and escalate where appropriate
  • Install or undertake basic software upgrades,either physically or remotely
  • Establish and diagnose the extent of the IT support task, in line with the organisation's policies and Service Level Agreements
  • Provide remote/F2F support to resolve customer requirements
  • Maintain a safe working environment for own personal safety and others in line with Health & Safety appropriate to the task
  • Identify and scope the best solution informed by the system data associated with the task
  • Test and evaluate the system's performance and compliance with customer requirements.
  • Escalate non routine problems in line with procedures
  • Use basic scripting to execute the relevant tasks for example PowerShell, Linux
  • Carry out routine maintenance across systems, (such as IT, Communications), ensuring organisational compliance at all times
  • Apply the necessary security, in line with access and/or encryption requirements
  • Use a range of Cabling or Connectors equipment in line with technical requirements for example physically or remotely
  • Test and evaluate network environments
  • Monitor performance and usage of a network
  • Deploy applications on a network
  • Set up storage and data access for staff
  • Apply necessary security measures, in line with access requirements to a network
  • Carry out routine maintenance across network systems, ensuring organisational compliance
  • Monitor network-related workloads including DNS and firewalls
  • Install or undertake basic upgrades, either physically or remotely
  • Establish digital communication or telecommunications systems through, for example cabling and connecting equipment.
  • Identify a range of tools and or diagnostic equipment, for example, Hardware or Software components, to resolve Communications or Telecommunications requirements.
  • Undertake basic telecommunications activities, in response to an allocated task, designated responsibilities, instructions or customer’s requirements.
  • Use information necessary to identify operational issues and rectify or escalate accordingly in line with policy
  • Interpret and prioritise internal or external customer's requirements in line with organisation's policy
  • Apply the appropriate tools and techniques to undertake fault finding and rectification
  • apply Continuous Professional Development to support necessary business output and technical developments
  • Operate safely and securely across platforms and responsibilities maintaining the security of personal data of internal and external stakeholders
  • Communicate with all levels of stakeholders, keeping them informed of progress and managing escalation where appropriate
  • Develop and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, customers and other relevant stakeholders
  • Manage and prioritise the allocated workload effectively making best use of time and resources
  • Complete documentation relevant to the task and escalate where appropriate
  • Install or undertake basic software upgrades,either physically or remotely
  • Establish and diagnose the extent of the IT support task, in line with the organisation's policies and Service Level Agreements
  • Provide remote/F2F support to resolve customer requirements
  • Maintain a safe working environment for own personal safety and others in line with Health & Safety appropriate to the task

Training schedule

The Level 3 Information Communications Technician programme will be delivered in partnership with our training provider, Velocity, via a block release delivery model. Delivered remotely, you will have approximately 5 study weeks over the first 12 months on programme. At the end of the apprenticeship you will go through an End Point Assessment to ensure occupational competence prior to progressing your career with Hitachi Rail.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • Any (grade 5 and above)
  • Any (grade 5 and above)
  • English (grade 5 and above)
  • Maths (grade 5 and above)
  • Science (grade 5 and 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
  • Problem solving skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Initiative
  • Patience
  • Physical fitness

Other requirements

Applicants must satisfy the following requirements: 1. Have the legal Right to Work in the UK 2. Hold a full UK driving licence 3. Pass a DBS check 4. Able to pass the Sentinel training to allow you to work trackside 5. Be a minimum of 18 years old

About this employer

Hitachi Rail is driving the Mobility Transition - helping every passenger, customer and community enjoy the benefits of more connected, seamless and sustainable transport. Our mission is to deliver superior, original technology and products for mobility projects around the world. Our products are designed to make sustainable mobility a reality across all areas of the global railway sector. Everything that we do at Hitachi Rail is underpinned by our values; Wa (Harmony): We need to show respect to our colleagues, our suppliers, our clients and our stakeholders. We show respect to earn respect. Makoto (Sincerity): We should act with integrity in all we say and do, this shows that we are sincere in holding to our stated values. We maintain fairness in all our dealings; our reputation is founded on how we go about our business. Kaitakusha – Seishin (Pioneering Spirit): We lead with ambition, seeking new challenges; we are not afraid to be flexible and adapt to the changing needs of our business.

http://www.hitachirail.com (opens in new tab)

Disability Confident

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

  • Project Engineer
  • Field Engineer

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

VELOCITY 1ST LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000334333.

Apply now

Closes in 31 days (Sunday 31 August 2025)

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