2026 Vessel Master Apprentice - Turnchapel
THALES UK LIMITED
Plymouth (PL9 9RQ)
Closes on Thursday 12 February 2026
Posted on 3 November 2025
Contents
Summary
Are you passionate about engineering? Do you have an inquisitive mind? Do you want to be part of an Apprentice Programme that will develop and challenge you? If so, then look no further…
- Wage
-
£24,000 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Performance related pay uplifts
- Training course
- Boatmaster (level 3)
- Hours
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37 hours a week, Monday - Thursday 8 hours a day, Friday 5 hours (08:00 to 17:00 with 1-hr for lunch)
37 hours a week
- Start date
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Monday 7 September 2026
- Duration
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2 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
As a Vessel Master Apprentice you will support our high-tech marine operations at Turnchapel. This is a unique opportunity to develop hands-on skill and gain specialist knowledge while working alongside expert engineering and vessel operations teams. Key responsibilities will include:
- Support both harbour and sea integration testing on Thales UK vessels, assisting with setup, monitoring, and test activities
- Assist the engineering team with basic vessel maintenance tasks such as equipment checks, repairs, and routine upkeep
- Provide support during ad-hoc water-based trials conducted out of Turnchapel, including vessel preparation and data collection
- Gain a working knowledge of maritime autonomous systems used at Turnchapel through hands-on experience and training
Where you'll work
Turnchapel Wharf
Barton Road Turnchapel
Plymouth
PL9 9RQ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SEAREGS TRAINING LTD
Training course
Boatmaster (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Take responsibility for the preparation of the vessel prior to going to sea including safe means of access to and egress from the boat and Life saving and fire fighting equipment checks.
- Respond and manage all emergency situations on board including the operation of emergency equipment coordination with the coastguard and other vessels (Sarco) and the liaison with DP and third party organisations.
- Handle a vessel in a high traffic density environment in tidal or non-tidal conditions including in locks and in the vicinity of weirs, bridges and other fixed infrastructure.
- Manoeuvre vessels safely with a variety of propulsion systems including single screw, twin screw, variable pitch, Schottel and other propulsion configurations
- Ensure vessels are operated and remain in a safe and seaworthy condition in accordance with regulations and company procedures. Maintain machinery including main engines, deck equipment and lifesaving and firefighting equipment in full operational condition.
- Uses information and digital technology within own organisation. Complies with GDPR and Cyber Security Regulations and policies.
- Apply team working principles.
- Comply with International, National and local regulations, and health and safety regulations, standards and guidance
- Build, manage and lead your team onboard, developing work relationships and performance management skills.
- Uses verbal communication techniques both at sea and onshore, adapting style and use of terminology to suit the audience.
- Lead procedures including planning and communications in the event of an emergency situation.
- Able to manoeuvre a vessel in all conditions to respond to all types of emergency (e.g. man overboard).
- Use appropriate mooring configurations and equipment in relation to the prevailing tidal, weather conditions and vessel design characteristics.
- Select a suitable anchorage and executing the procedure as required. To use an anchor(s) to aid in manoeuvring.
- Prepare for meteorological impacts affecting the safe management and passage of a commercial vessel.
- Navigate shallow and height restrictive navigations using knowledge of depths, air drafts, vessel dimensions and tide predictions in tidal waters.
- Offer emergency assistance to help another vessel running into danger. To arrange an emergency tow or offer some powered assistance to reach safety.
- Adjusts appropriately the passage plan of the vessel under their command, taking account of safety, time and business objectives.
- Take charge of navigational watch, be able to establish risk of collision and take effective action to avoid collision.
- Monitors business objective considerations and commercial issues, adjusting actions accordingly.
- Take responsibility for the preparation of the vessel prior to going to sea including safe means of access to and egress from the boat and Life saving and fire fighting equipment checks.
- Respond and manage all emergency situations on board including the operation of emergency equipment coordination with the coastguard and other vessels (Sarco) and the liaison with DP and third party organisations.
- Handle a vessel in a high traffic density environment in tidal or non-tidal conditions including in locks and in the vicinity of weirs, bridges and other fixed infrastructure.
- Manoeuvre vessels safely with a variety of propulsion systems including single screw, twin screw, variable pitch, Schottel and other propulsion configurations
- Ensure vessels are operated and remain in a safe and seaworthy condition in accordance with regulations and company procedures. Maintain machinery including main engines, deck equipment and lifesaving and firefighting equipment in full operational condition.
- Uses information and digital technology within own organisation. Complies with GDPR and Cyber Security Regulations and policies.
- Apply team working principles.
- Comply with International, National and local regulations, and health and safety regulations, standards and guidance
- Build, manage and lead your team onboard, developing work relationships and performance management skills.
- Uses verbal communication techniques both at sea and onshore, adapting style and use of terminology to suit the audience.
- Lead procedures including planning and communications in the event of an emergency situation.
- Able to manoeuvre a vessel in all conditions to respond to all types of emergency (e.g. man overboard).
- Use appropriate mooring configurations and equipment in relation to the prevailing tidal, weather conditions and vessel design characteristics.
- Select a suitable anchorage and executing the procedure as required. To use an anchor(s) to aid in manoeuvring.
- Prepare for meteorological impacts affecting the safe management and passage of a commercial vessel.
- Navigate shallow and height restrictive navigations using knowledge of depths, air drafts, vessel dimensions and tide predictions in tidal waters.
- Offer emergency assistance to help another vessel running into danger. To arrange an emergency tow or offer some powered assistance to reach safety.
- Adjusts appropriately the passage plan of the vessel under their command, taking account of safety, time and business objectives.
- Take charge of navigational watch, be able to establish risk of collision and take effective action to avoid collision.
- Monitors business objective considerations and commercial issues, adjusting actions accordingly.
Training schedule
You will be working towards the Boatmaster Level 3 Apprenticeship over a 2-year period with our training partner SeaRegs. This covers a wide range of commercial activity on inland tidal and non-tidal waterways in the UK. The training will take place in one and two-week blocks over the programme duration. The rest of the time you will be working in the business, applying your learning and gaining experience.
More training information
To operate lawfully all apprentices will be required to obtain a Boatmaster licence from the Maritime Coastguard Agency - the apprenticeship will help to prepare you to obtain this. Apprentices will also gain a commercial skipper's licence for vessels up to 20 miles out to sea. Training will lead to a practical and theory-based End Point Assessment, in which apprentices will gain the SQA qualification and will be put forward to sit the MCA Boatmaster Tier 1 Level 2 qualification.
Requirements
Essential 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
- Problem solving skills
- Analytical skills
- Team working
- Initiative
About this employer
Together, we create the ingenious technological systems and innovations that impact and improve people's lives every single day. Even if you haven't heard the name Thales before, you've definitely benefited from our inventiveness. We reinvest 20% of our sales in Research & Development in the UK. We support businesses, organisations, and governments in addressing tomorrow’s major challenges by developing advanced Defence, Security, Cybersecurity, Digital Identity, and Aerospace solutions, in the most sustainable, responsible, and ethical manner.
https://careers.thalesgroup.com/global/en/united-kingdom-careers#Uk-Future-talent (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
201 hours annual leave (plus a company day and bank holidays) Company Pension Health Care Cash Plan Life Insurance Discount Portal 80 Hours Volunteering (first two years)
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 have a permanent role at our marine operations at Turnchapel.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
THALES UK LIMITED
Thales Future Talent Team
suppearlycar@uk.thalesgroup.com
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000349316.
Apply now
Closes on Thursday 12 February 2026
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