2026 Design Manager Apprenticeship

LAING O'ROURKE SERVICES LIMITED

Recruiting nationally

Closes on Sunday 1 March 2026

Posted on 2 December 2025

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Summary

Working on site with expert teams, you'll build core construction, engineering and digital skills, ultimately becoming responsible for managing sections of projects. On successful completion you have the opportunity to complete a Level 6 Construction Site Management qualification.

• Wage:

  Competitive

  Competitive wage offered

  Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  Annual salary increases throughout the duration of the apprenticeship ; Support for those working away from home ; ;

• Training course: Construction design and build technician (level 4)
• Hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm. As a project-led business, the location of our work can vary depending on project needs. This role may require you to be prepared to work away from home at project sites across the UK.

  40 hours a week

• Start date:

  Tuesday 1 September 2026

• Duration:

  3 years

• Positions available:

  3

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

Appreciates how continuous improvement of design management benefits LOR and can assist in the execution of continuous improvement activities under supervision. 

• Requires supervision and guidance when applying LOR's Strategy for Design on projects.
• Is aware and understand the LOR's approach to the identification, evaluation, and selection of potential designers based on their qualifications, capability, capacity, and experience.
• Is aware and understands the importance of managing design requirements and understands the basic principles of establishing and tracking design requirements.
• Supporting the Lead Designer in agreeing the coordinated design programme and dependencies, then reporting against the plan.  
• Appreciates how design planning, reporting and review are applied in practice.
• Understands the basic principles of a successful design programme.
• Is aware and understands he importance and basic principles of design optimisation 
• Assists in ensuring statutory compliance and external assurance under supervision.
• Assists in coordinating with construction teams under supervision, ensuring design intent is met.
• Assists in coordinating with handover teams under supervision, ensuring design intent is met.
• Demonstrates a natural desire to explore, ask questions, and dig deeper into the world around us. 
• Is open-minded and receptive to new ideas, perspectives, and possibilities, while also being willing to challenge existing beliefs or assumptions
• Demonstrates the ability to break down complex information, situations, or problems into smaller, more manageable parts to understand their structure, components, and relationships.
• Takes ownership of one's actions, decisions, and behaviours, and is accountable for their outcomes.
• Demonstrates the ability to convey information effectively, both in speaking and writing, as well as active listening, questioning, understanding and interpreting others' messages to build connections, solve problems, and achieve shared goals. 

Where you'll work

As a project-led business, the location of our work can vary depending on project needs. This role may require you to be prepared to work away from home at project sites across the UK. Support will be given for those living away from home 

Training

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

Training provider

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ESTATE MANAGEMENT

Training course

Construction design and build technician (level 4)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Apply mathematical, statistical and data interpretation tools, using analytical and computational methods to interpret and solve technical, engineering and design problems.
• Interpret and compare performance information to choose compliant materials, components and parts.
• Select and use technical literature and other sources of information and data.
• Produce design and technical drawings, designs, and models, using analytical and computer-based software packages.
• Produce technical design solutions.
• Comply with industry standards, CDM, statutory regulation and legislation, policies, and codes of practice.
• Comply with health, safety and welfare regulations, standards and guidance.
• Complete risk assessments to identify, evaluate and mitigate risk.
• Apply principles of sustainable development and assess impact.
• Apply ethical and data security principles to design projects.
• Prepare written design reports.
• Interact with the operation and maintenance of a Common Data Environment CDE and ensure this maintains integrity and follows agreed protocols and that data security.
• Handle information including validating, managing, disseminating and storing throughout all stages of a project or asset.
• Identify design defects and solve problems to advise a compliant outcome, escalate issues or concerns.
• Apply quality assurance techniques.
• Use computer based software systems and packages to manage construction projects for example BIM tools, data analytics and databases.
• Conduct site inspections of designs and report findings.
• Comply with sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance including the management and designing out of waste.
• Optimise energy use through design of efficient fabric, passive and active design solutions, low energy lighting, building controls, energy performance.
• Optimise site potential and building space.
• Communicate with internal and external stakeholders using sector specific terminology.
• Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Apply project management techniques. For example: project budgets, estimating, cost control, cost forecasting, and investment appraisal.
• Interpret and extract relevant information from drawings, specifications and work instructions including BIM, and other task specific modelling software
• Apply mathematical, statistical and data interpretation tools, using analytical and computational methods to interpret and solve technical, engineering and design problems.
• Interpret and compare performance information to choose compliant materials, components and parts.
• Select and use technical literature and other sources of information and data.
• Produce design and technical drawings, designs, and models, using analytical and computer-based software packages.
• Produce technical design solutions.
• Comply with industry standards, CDM, statutory regulation and legislation, policies, and codes of practice.
• Comply with health, safety and welfare regulations, standards and guidance.
• Complete risk assessments to identify, evaluate and mitigate risk.
• Apply principles of sustainable development and assess impact.
• Apply ethical and data security principles to design projects.
• Prepare written design reports.
• Interact with the operation and maintenance of a Common Data Environment CDE and ensure this maintains integrity and follows agreed protocols and that data security.
• Handle information including validating, managing, disseminating and storing throughout all stages of a project or asset.
• Identify design defects and solve problems to advise a compliant outcome, escalate issues or concerns.
• Apply quality assurance techniques.
• Use computer based software systems and packages to manage construction projects for example BIM tools, data analytics and databases.
• Conduct site inspections of designs and report findings.
• Comply with sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance including the management and designing out of waste.
• Optimise energy use through design of efficient fabric, passive and active design solutions, low energy lighting, building controls, energy performance.
• Optimise site potential and building space.
• Communicate with internal and external stakeholders using sector specific terminology.
• Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Apply project management techniques. For example: project budgets, estimating, cost control, cost forecasting, and investment appraisal.
• Interpret and extract relevant information from drawings, specifications and work instructions including BIM, and other task specific modelling software

Training schedule

The training schedule has not yet been agreed 

More training information

Laing O'Rourke collaborates with University of the Built Environment to ensure that our apprenticeship are given the best experience on site and in the University. 

Requirements

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
• Organisation skills
• Problem solving skills
• Number skills
• Analytical skills
• Team working
• Initiative

About this employer

Our Technical Apprenticeship programme is developed for individuals with a passion for construction and engineering. It combines college and work-based training, allowing you to build your skills and gain a recognised qualification while working on some of the most exciting projects in the UK.

https://careers.laingorourke.com (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Private Medical Insurance Life Insurance Personal Accident and Injury Insurance Income Protection Enhanced Pension Discount Portal

After this apprenticeship

This apprenticeship starts at Level 4 Construction design and build technician apprenticeship and then move on to the Level 6 Design and construction management apprenticeship. On completion of both apprenticeships you will remain in the business gaining more responsibility. 

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ESTATE MANAGEMENT

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000003336.

Apply now

Closes on Sunday 1 March 2026

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