Apprentice Building Services Engineer
Sowga Ltd
Oxford (OX4 2SU)
Closes on Sunday 31 August 2025
Posted on 29 July 2025
Contents
Summary
Ever wondered who keeps buildings running smoothly-power, plumbing, air, safety, and all the systems you don’t see but can’t live without? That’s Building Services Engineering and we’re offering you the chance to learn it from the ground up. This is an exciting opportunity to join our engineering team at ARC Oxford and earn while you learn.
- Wage
-
£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Building services engineering service and maintenance engineer (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday 08.00 - 17.00
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 1 September 2025
- Duration
-
4 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
At Sowga we install and maintain the systems that bring buildings to life. From heating and ventilation to lighting and fire safety, our work powers hospitals, schools, stadiums, skyscrapers, offices and residential buildings.
We’re on the hunt for a curious, committed Building Services Apprentice ready to learn the ropes and become a vital part of the team.
What You'll Learn:
- How to maintain systems like HVAC, water, electrics, and energy solutions
- How buildings work from the inside out - mechanically, electrically, and environmentally
- How to use industry-standard software and hands-on tools
- The ins and outs of regulations, sustainability, and smart technologies
What We're Looking For:
- A keen interest in engineering, construction, or building systems.
- GCSEs (or equivalent) in maths, English, and ideally Science
- Someone who enjoys solving problems, working with their hands and thinking ahead
- A positive attitude and a desire to learn from experienced engineers
What You'll Get:
- A fully paid apprenticeship (including time at college)
- Nationally recognised qualifications (Level 3 or above)
- Real on-site experience with mentoring from industry professionals
- A pathway to become a qualified Building Services Engineer
- Long-term career opportunities in a growing, future-proof industry
- Whether you're into sustainable design, cutting-edge tech, or just like figuring out how things
work - this is your chance to earn, learn, and build a career with purpose
Apply now. Power the future of buildings.
Please note: The successful candidate will be joining our engineering team at ARC Oxford.
Where you'll work
4610 Kingsgate, Cascade Way
Arc Oxford
Oxford
OX4 2SU
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
NEWBURY COLLEGE
Training course
Building services engineering service and maintenance engineer (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Apply safe working practices and comply with safe working methods, including highlighting control method application and safe systems of work.
- Comply with current company policies and procedures.
- Undertake dynamic risk assessment to identify and manage a safe working environment.
- Produce a risk assessment.
- Produce a method statement.
- Plan work activities.
- Apply sustainable principles and techniques.
- Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Follow organisational and site procedures for waste management across the site.
- Plan, organise, and carry out tasks in a way that utilises resources, for example cost, quality, safety, security, and environmental impact.
- Plan, organise, prepare, and secure area of work for setting out and work activities.
- Minimise delays to planned work.
- Amend and replan work activities.
- Prepare and maintain work areas to ensure safe access and egress for self and others.
- Select, use, secure and store hand and power tools, equipment, and components.
- Interpret information from sources such as manufacturer's instructions, drawings, plans, specifications, or previous reports.
- Carry out testing and commissioning of a building services engineering system.
- Carry out decommission of a building services engineering system.
- Undertake planned maintenance activities to building services engineering systems.
- Undertake reactive maintenance activities to building services engineering systems.
- Isolate building service engineering systems.
- Identify and diagnose faults and outline solutions for resolution.
- Replace components.
- Communicate options in writing for repairs, replacements or improvements including the impact of cost, and timescales in writing.
- Handover completed maintenance activities.
- Use information technology and digital systems to monitor and manage the operation of plant and equipment.
- Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
- Provide internal feedback.
- Communicate verbally with internal and external stakeholders using sector specific terminology.
- Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion principles and policy.
- Refer problems outside of own responsibility or authority to the relevant person.
- Identify, carry out and record industry related continuing professional development (CPD) activities.
- Repair components.
- Apply safe working practices and comply with safe working methods, including highlighting control method application and safe systems of work.
- Comply with current company policies and procedures.
- Undertake dynamic risk assessment to identify and manage a safe working environment.
- Produce a risk assessment.
- Produce a method statement.
- Plan work activities.
- Apply sustainable principles and techniques.
- Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Follow organisational and site procedures for waste management across the site.
- Plan, organise, and carry out tasks in a way that utilises resources, for example cost, quality, safety, security, and environmental impact.
- Plan, organise, prepare, and secure area of work for setting out and work activities.
- Minimise delays to planned work.
- Amend and replan work activities.
- Prepare and maintain work areas to ensure safe access and egress for self and others.
- Select, use, secure and store hand and power tools, equipment, and components.
- Interpret information from sources such as manufacturer's instructions, drawings, plans, specifications, or previous reports.
- Carry out testing and commissioning of a building services engineering system.
- Carry out decommission of a building services engineering system.
- Undertake planned maintenance activities to building services engineering systems.
- Undertake reactive maintenance activities to building services engineering systems.
- Isolate building service engineering systems.
- Identify and diagnose faults and outline solutions for resolution.
- Replace components.
- Communicate options in writing for repairs, replacements or improvements including the impact of cost, and timescales in writing.
- Handover completed maintenance activities.
- Use information technology and digital systems to monitor and manage the operation of plant and equipment.
- Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
- Provide internal feedback.
- Communicate verbally with internal and external stakeholders using sector specific terminology.
- Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion principles and policy.
- Refer problems outside of own responsibility or authority to the relevant person.
- Identify, carry out and record industry related continuing professional development (CPD) activities.
- Repair components.
Training schedule
The apprenticeship is a combination of 1-1 mentorship and career coaching in the workplace and attending Newbury College 1-day a week during Term Time.
You will work as an Apprentice Building Services Engineer within the ARC Oxford Team. You will be required to complete a 4-year training programme that will cover all aspects of the role and will be delivered through in-house training, as well as day-release at Newbury College (Monks Lane, Newbury, RG14 7TD). You will complete a Building Services Engineering - Service Maintenance Engineer Apprenticeship which is within the Construction and Built Environment, and you will gain the Level 3 Building Services Engineering Service and Maintenance Engineer apprenticeship standard on successful completion.
You will be required to attend Newbury College one day a week during Term Time for a mix of theory and practical classes as well as completing the required Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours in the workplace. You will have a Development Coach who will hold regular reviews with you and will monitor your progress throughout.
Please note: If you are aged 16-18 and do not have a GCSE grade 4/C or equivalent in either or both English and maths, you will be required to take Level 2 Functional Skills alongside your apprenticeship. Apprentices aged 19+ can decide whether they wish to take Functional Skills and this will be discussed as part of enrolment.
English and maths lessons will be delivered in person at Newbury College. 16-18-year-olds must achieve Level 2 in the required subject/s before they are able to complete their apprenticeship, and they have the whole duration to achieve these if required.
All apprentices are required to take an End Point Assessment (EPA) at the end of their apprenticeship and your Development Coach will support you with preparing for this.
College attendance and successful completion of these studies are an essential requirement of this apprenticeship.
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4/C or higher)
- Maths (grade 4/C or higher)
- Science (grade 4/C or higher)
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
- Problem solving skills
- Digital Literacy
- Organisational skills
- Attention to Detail
- Willingness to learn
- Reliable
- Team Player
- Positive attitude
About this employer
Sowga Ltd is a company with over 40 years experience and has grown into a leading building services engineering company and is part of the Pareto group. We specialise in the maintenance of essential building services, including mechanical, electrical, HVAC, BEMS, fire and security and public health systems.
After this apprenticeship
Industry recognised qualifications, lots of opportunity in the future to progress within Sowga in a future proof industry, transferable skills and solid earning potential.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
NEWBURY COLLEGE
Paula Spicer
hr@sowga.co.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000334464.
Apply now
Closes on Sunday 31 August 2025
Sign in with your GOV.UK One Login to apply.
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.