Engineering Support Technician Apprenticeship

Babcock International

Plymouth (PL1 4SG)

Closes on Thursday 12 March 2026

Posted on 2 December 2025

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Summary

Our 4-year Engineering Support Technician Apprenticeship is a great opportunity to start your career in engineering while supporting some of the most advanced naval vessels in the world. Based at Devonport Royal Dockyard, you’ll gain the skills and experience needed to keep the Royal Navy’s fleet operational and ready for action.

• 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 Post-apprenticeship salary: c.£36,000

• Training course: Engineering and manufacturing support technician (level 3)
• Hours: Monday to Friday between 9am to 5pm.

  35 hours a week

• Start date:

  Tuesday 1 September 2026

• Duration:

  4 years

• Positions available:

  16

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 apprenticeship. As part of our technical support teams, you’ll work alongside experienced engineers who help maintain and upgrade Royal Navy ships and submarines. Your role will focus on analysing, reviewing and interpreting engineering drawings, specifications and materials, while learning how projects are planned and delivered across the dockyard. 
• The work is primarily office-based but includes regular visits to ships, submarines and workshops, giving you a close-up view of how complex engineering programmes come to life. You’ll learn how to report on processes, interpret data and apply problem-solving skills to improve efficiency and safety. 
• Over time, you’ll build your knowledge of engineering principles, materials, diagnostics, planning and documentation, all while gaining a real appreciation of the precision and teamwork that drive naval engineering.
• Throughout your apprenticeship, you’ll be supported by mentors, line managers and our Emerging Talent team, who’ll help you build the confidence, capability and professional skills to thrive in this vital role. 
   

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

As part of your apprenticeship, you’ll study for the Level 3 Engineering and Manufacturing Support Technician Apprenticeship Standard through City College Plymouth. 

You’ll spend your first year full-time at college, building your practical engineering knowledge and hand skills. From your second year onwards, you’ll combine work and study, spending four days a week in the dockyard and one day at college. Your final year will be spent entirely at Devonport, applying what you’ve learnt to real engineering projects. 

At the end of the programme, you’ll complete your End Point Assessment and gain a nationally recognised qualification as a Level 3 Engineering and Manufacturing Support Technician.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade Grade C or above)
• Maths (grade Grade C or above)
• Science or Technology (grade 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 a 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

Once you complete the programme, you’ll be a fully qualified Engineering Support Technician with the technical skills and experience to take on real responsibility. You’ll be expected to stay within this role for three years to help you gain further experience, consolidate your skills, and contribute meaningfully to your team before applying for other roles within the organisation.

Upon programme completion, you can expect to earn a competitive salary exceeding £36,000.

After 12 months of apprenticeship completion, candidates who consistently excel, demonstrate exceptional commitment, and go above and beyond in their role may be considered for higher education pathways on an individual basis, subject to discussion with their line manager and business needs. There are progression routes across Babcock in areas such as design, project management, planning and operations.

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 VAC2000001788.

Apply now

Closes on Thursday 12 March 2026

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