Engineering Design and Draughtsperson Apprenticeship

Babcock International

Plymouth (PL1 4SG)

Closes on Thursday 12 March 2026

Posted on 2 December 2025

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Summary

Do you want to turn your passion for engineering design into a rewarding career? Our 4-year apprenticeship gives you hands-on CAD experience creating advanced designs for the Royal Navy fleet.

• Wage:

  £16,513 a year

  Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  Year 1: £16,513 Year 2: £21,124 Year 3: £27,400 Year 4: £32,458

• Training course: Engineering and manufacturing support technician (level 3)
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.

  35 hours a week

• Start date:

  Tuesday 1 September 2026

• Duration:

  4 years

• Positions available:

  10

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 no ordinary engineering apprenticeship. As a design and draughtsperson, you'll produce detailed drawings, models and specs to guide the manufacture and maintenance of state-of-the-art maritime vessels and infrastructure. 
 
Focusing on electrical, mechanical or structural design, you'll work on varied projects including submarine and warship refits. Using the latest CAD software and following codes and standards, you'll help to solve real-world engineering challenges. 
 
You'll gain a broad range of skills including: 

• Interpreting technical specifications.
• Assessing design factors and constraints.
• Creating CAD models and drawings.
• Evaluating and refining designs.
• Communicating options to stakeholders. 

You’ll also have the opportunity to embark on work placements across the site, gaining valuable insights into various operations from a design perspective.  
 
This will prepare you to join a specialised team of designers who work on a diverse range of projects, including design packages to support submarines and surface vessels. 

Where you'll work

Devonport Royal Dockyard
Devonport
Plymouth
PL1 4SG

Training

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

Training provider

CITY COLLEGE PLYMOUTH

Training course

Engineering and manufacturing support technician (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Follow health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
• Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, segregation of resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
• Comply with engineering standards and regulations. For example, British Standards (BS), International Organisation for Standardisation standards (ISO). European Norm (EN).
• Analyse engineering and manufacturing data and information to support technical outputs. For example, read and interpret text, data, engineering drawings, work instructions, method statements, operation manuals.
• Apply scientific, technical or engineering principles.
• Apply problem solving techniques to solutions for identified technical problems.
• Organise, plan and prioritise workflow and scheduling of work with stakeholders.
• Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks, considering cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
• Produce job specific technical outputs. For example, engineering drawings, quality control management, computer control programming, business improvement, adverse incident reports, technical investigations, equipment appraisals and specifications.
• Provide support and guidance for handover of work to stakeholders. For example, checklists, product or process status, access to supporting documents.
• Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, equipment service records, test results, handover documents, checklists.
• Follow standard operating procedures.
• Follow manufacturer's instructions. For example, safe instructions for use of products, processes and machinery.
• Apply quality assurance and control principles and practices. For example, conduct physical checks, take samples, inspections or tests.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques.
• Apply team working principles.
• Communicate in writing with others for example, stakeholders, colleagues, and managers.
• Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
• Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
• Carry out and record learning and development activities.
• Apply equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
• Follow health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
• Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, segregation of resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
• Comply with engineering standards and regulations. For example, British Standards (BS), International Organisation for Standardisation standards (ISO). European Norm (EN).
• Analyse engineering and manufacturing data and information to support technical outputs. For example, read and interpret text, data, engineering drawings, work instructions, method statements, operation manuals.
• Apply scientific, technical or engineering principles.
• Apply problem solving techniques to solutions for identified technical problems.
• Organise, plan and prioritise workflow and scheduling of work with stakeholders.
• Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks, considering cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
• Produce job specific technical outputs. For example, engineering drawings, quality control management, computer control programming, business improvement, adverse incident reports, technical investigations, equipment appraisals and specifications.
• Provide support and guidance for handover of work to stakeholders. For example, checklists, product or process status, access to supporting documents.
• Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, equipment service records, test results, handover documents, checklists.
• Follow standard operating procedures.
• Follow manufacturer's instructions. For example, safe instructions for use of products, processes and machinery.
• Apply quality assurance and control principles and practices. For example, conduct physical checks, take samples, inspections or tests.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques.
• Apply team working principles.
• Communicate in writing with others for example, stakeholders, colleagues, and managers.
• Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
• Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
• Carry out and record learning and development activities.
• Apply equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.

Training schedule

You’ll spend an initial period of time at City College, Plymouth, learning the basics. Then you'll put theory into practice as you alternate college and onsite work in the remainder of year 1 and years 2 and 3. In year 4, you'll be fully immersed, solving challenges alongside experienced designers. 
 
Along the way, you’ll study towards a Level 3 BTEC Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering to complement your on-the-job training. 

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• Any subject (grade C or above)
• Any subject (grade C or above)
• English (grade C or above)
• Maths (grade C or above)
• Science/Technology (grade C 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
• Attention to detail
• Team working

Other requirements

Many of our apprenticeship programmes are subject to Security Clearance and Trade Control restrictions which mean that your place of birth, nationality, citizenship, or residency you hold or have held may impact which programmes you are eligible for. For this programme, you must be able to achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) and Security Check (SC) clearance. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels

About this employer

Babcock is an international defence company providing support and product solutions to enhance our customers’ defence capabilities and critical assets. We provide through-life technical and engineering support for our customers’ assets, delivering improvements in performance, availability and programme cost. Our c27,700 employees deliver these critical services to defence and civil customers, including engineering support to naval, land, air and nuclear operations, frontline support, specialist training and asset management. We also design and manufacture a range of defence and civil specialist equipment, from naval ship and weapons handling systems to liquid gas handling systems. We also provide integrated, technology-enabled solutions to our defence customers in areas such as secure communications, electronic warfare and air defence.

https://earlycareers.babcockinternational.com/apprenticeships/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

• Fully funded qualification • Personal development training and opportunities • Minimum 28 days holiday allowance including bank holidays • Competitive pension scheme • Employee share scheme • Flexible benefits including cycle to work scheme

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

On finishing your apprenticeship, you’ll be ready to start an exciting career as an Engineering Design and Draughtsperson, supporting the Royal Navy’s fleet. 
 
From there, your development doesn’t stop. Through the Babcock Role Framework, you’ll have a clear view of how your career can progress, with mapped-out pathways, development opportunities and the tools you need to get wherever you want to go. 

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

CITY COLLEGE PLYMOUTH

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000001628.

Apply now

Closes on Thursday 12 March 2026

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