Operations Apprentice (Level 3 – Advanced)

AWE PLC

Basingstoke, Berkshire

Closes on Sunday 22 February 2026

Posted on 9 October 2025

---

Summary

An Operations Apprentice role at AWE will give you your first steps to a career in a diverse and unique environment, involving Operations, Manufacturing, Science, and Engineering and other key areas of the business.

• Wage:

  £16,750 a year

  Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  • A starting salary of £16,750 yearly, increasing to £23,500 in Year 2 and annually throughout your apprenticeship — subject to meeting key milestones and performance expectations.

• Training course: Process industry manufacturing technician (level 3)
• Hours: 9 day fortnight. 33 hrs on the short week, 8hrs 15 mins per day. 41 hrs on the long week, 8hrs 15 mins per day Monday to Thursday and Fridays 8hrs. Please note hours may alter due to College training times.

  37 hours a week

• Start date:

  Tuesday 1 September 2026

• Duration:

  3 years 3 months

• Positions available:

  5

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

You will be key to providing manufacturing and assembly capabilities to the defence and security of the United Kingdom. You will experience hands-on production and process operations in a highly regulated and safety conscious working environment.

Here are just some of the exciting opportunities you could get involved with during your placements:
• You will spend time in each of our operational areas to understand common tasks, following processes, and delivering work to specific requirements.
• You may have the opportunity to carry out practical laboratory analysis, supporting administrative activities, and monitoring physical and environmental health.
• You will learn techniques for undertaking experiments within our explosives operational area and the related safety measures required.
• You will gain an understanding of organising and planning daily work processes, weekly plans, and safe systems of work, all of which ensure that any works carried out across the site follow the correct process and safety procedures.
• You may even carry out science related work such as pulsed power trials, where you'll explore the science and technology of accumulating energy over time and releasing it instantly.

Your role can be physically demanding, so you will be required to pass a medical test for general fitness and suitability to work with our unique materials. This includes having a BMI of under 35, a legal requirement for wearing respiratory protection (which you may be required to wear dependant on your role).

Where you'll work

You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.

This apprenticeship is available in these locations:

• Basingstoke College of Technology for Training Only, Worting Road, Basingstoke, RG21 8TN
• Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, Reading, Berkshire, RG7 4PR

Training

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

Training provider

BASINGSTOKE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Training course

Process industry manufacturing technician (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Review instructions or information to understand the task.
• Plan tasks. Identify and organise resources with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
• Identify hazards and risks in the workplace and personal safety and mitigation measures.
• Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance.
• Follow environment emergency procedures. For example, make area safe, evacuate.
• Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
• Apply standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Check equipment.
• Select, check, and prepare raw materials for process for example, weighing, measuring, control and blending, conditioning, dissolving, and sanitisation.
• Set and adjust processing parameters such as temperature, pressure, speed or time, distance.
• Monitor process for example, take readings and conduct walk-arounds.
• Conduct the control of product streams to maintain specifics.
• Apply quality assurance procedures. For example, density checks, contaminant check, and take samples for laboratory testing.
• Apply intermediate or post-manufacturing procedure for example, labelling, packing, storage, visual inspection, discharge.
• Manage waste streams.
• Clean equipment for example, boil-outs, steam-outs, bake-outs, steam in place SIP, clean in place (CIP).
• Conduct calculations for example, conversations, tare weight, charge weights, yield calculations.
• Store tools and equipment.
• Identify equipment for handover.
• Apply signage and access restriction measures.
• Shut down the process and equipment.
• Isolate process and systems.
• Complete isolation checks.
• Empty equipment for example, drain, purge, vent, and de-pressure.
• Purge, fill, pressurise and leak test.
• Complete post maintenance equipment checks.
• Line-up equipment.
• Connect service connections such as water, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic for chemical or petrochemical processing.
• De-isolate process, mechanical and electrical systems.
• Complete pre-start up checks.
• Start-up plant and equipment.
• Re-start process.
• Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
• Interpret data for example, process data, quality control and test procedure data.
• Interpret drawings and graphs.
• Identify issues for example, defects, deviations, process variance, and maintenance requirements.
• Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
• Apply problem solving and fault-finding techniques.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques. Make a suggestion for improvement.
• Use information and digital technology for example, management information systems, human machine interfaces, word processing, spreadsheet, email, virtual learning platforms, document sharing platforms. Comply with cyber security requirements.
• Produce written documents for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
• Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
• Apply team working principles.
• Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development (CPD) activities.
• Review instructions or information to understand the task.
• Plan tasks. Identify and organise resources with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
• Identify hazards and risks in the workplace and personal safety and mitigation measures.
• Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance.
• Follow environment emergency procedures. For example, make area safe, evacuate.
• Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
• Apply standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Check equipment.
• Select, check, and prepare raw materials for process for example, weighing, measuring, control and blending, conditioning, dissolving, and sanitisation.
• Set and adjust processing parameters such as temperature, pressure, speed or time, distance.
• Monitor process for example, take readings and conduct walk-arounds.
• Conduct the control of product streams to maintain specifics.
• Apply quality assurance procedures. For example, density checks, contaminant check, and take samples for laboratory testing.
• Apply intermediate or post-manufacturing procedure for example, labelling, packing, storage, visual inspection, discharge.
• Manage waste streams.
• Clean equipment for example, boil-outs, steam-outs, bake-outs, steam in place SIP, clean in place (CIP).
• Conduct calculations for example, conversations, tare weight, charge weights, yield calculations.
• Store tools and equipment.
• Identify equipment for handover.
• Apply signage and access restriction measures.
• Shut down the process and equipment.
• Isolate process and systems.
• Complete isolation checks.
• Empty equipment for example, drain, purge, vent, and de-pressure.
• Purge, fill, pressurise and leak test.
• Complete post maintenance equipment checks.
• Line-up equipment.
• Connect service connections such as water, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic for chemical or petrochemical processing.
• De-isolate process, mechanical and electrical systems.
• Complete pre-start up checks.
• Start-up plant and equipment.
• Re-start process.
• Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
• Interpret data for example, process data, quality control and test procedure data.
• Interpret drawings and graphs.
• Identify issues for example, defects, deviations, process variance, and maintenance requirements.
• Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
• Apply problem solving and fault-finding techniques.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques. Make a suggestion for improvement.
• Use information and digital technology for example, management information systems, human machine interfaces, word processing, spreadsheet, email, virtual learning platforms, document sharing platforms. Comply with cyber security requirements.
• Produce written documents for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
• Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
• Apply team working principles.
• Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development (CPD) activities.

Training schedule

Working towards a Level 3 Process Industry Manufacturing Technician apprenticeship standard

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• 5 inc English and Maths (grade 4 or above)
• Science (grade 4 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
• Team working
• Patience

Other requirements

Applicants must be aged 18 or over, as of 31st August 2026 due to security clearance requirements • You must be a British National to apply for a role with us. Start Date: Tuesday 1st September 2026 Annual leave will not be granted from 1st September until 2nd October 2026 due to mandatory inductions you are required to complete as part of your apprenticeship. Any leave approved after this point will depend on the training provider requirements for your apprenticeship and must be agreed in advance.

About this employer

We’re a team of remarkable people, united by one extraordinary mission: keeping the UK safe and secure. The UK’s independent nuclear deterrent has existed for 75 years to deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, helping to guarantee our safety, and that of our NATO allies. Our work is critical. We’re delivering Astraea, the next warhead for the UK’s nuclear deterrent and pushing the boundaries of nuclear science and technology. But that’s just part of the story. We support the UK government in a range of vital areas – from counter-terrorism to global nuclear test monitoring to building a world-class community of experts in nuclear science. This is work that protects lives and strengthens national security. At AWE, you’ll find more than just a job. You’ll find purpose, growth, and a community like no other. Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your career to the next level, this is your chance to learn from the best, develop your skills, and be part of something truly unique. Be extraordinary at AWE.

https://www.awe.co.uk/careers/early-careers/apprenticeships (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

• Generous holiday entitlement of 270 hours a year (inclusive of Bank Holidays) plus every other Friday off. • Access to employee discounts portal • Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services

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 are likely to outturn into one of our operational Business Units, but could also apply for roles within some of our other functional areas which could include logistics, science and engineering

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BASINGSTOKE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

earlycareers@awe.co.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000345055.

Apply now

Closes on Sunday 22 February 2026

Sign in with your GOV.UK One Login to apply.

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