Level 3 Apprentice Process Controller (Wastewater Treatment)

United Utilities

Southport (PR9 9YL)

Closes in 24 days (Monday 23 February 2026)

Posted on 29 January 2026

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Summary

Are you ready to live your future? Do you want to be part of building a greener, healthier, and stronger North West? Come and join us! We’ll provide you with industry-leading skills and the experience you need to succeed in your chosen field.

• Wage:

  £20,000 a year

  Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  Reward and benefits – There are lots of perks, including a starting salary of £20,000, which will increase each year based on performance

• Training course: Water industry treatment process technician (level 3)
• Hours: Monday to Friday during training. Times to be confirmed. Once you’ve completed your apprenticeship, you’ll be asked to join part of a formal standby rota, which may require you to do some out-of-hours work.

  37 hours a week

• Start date:

  Wednesday 2 September 2026

• Duration:

  3 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 Level 3 Apprentice Process Controller (Wastewater Treatment), you’ll learn how to:

• Ensure our customers' wastewater is taken care of by learning how to operate and control our wastewater treatment works
• Work as a team to ensure our wastewater treatment works run smoothly and comply with strict health and safety and environmental regulations
• Follow our site procedures and standards to ensure that all the processes that we use are working to their full potential

Where you'll work

Southport Wastewater Treatment Works
Coastal Road
Southport
PR9 9YL

Training

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

Training provider

UNITED UTILITIES WATER LIMITED

Training course

Water industry treatment process technician (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Comply with (water or wastewater) industry regulations and procedures.
• Follow alarm intervention procedures. Resolve alarm issues.
• Inspect (planned) and check assets (reactive) and identify action.
• Follow procedures to remove assets for routine maintenance and recommission.
• Carry out validation or instrument checks of online equipment and identify action.
• Monitor first line maintenance of process control equipment and instrumentation.
• Identify issues. Apply fault-finding and problem-solving techniques: identify root cause. Resolve faults.
• Consider, identify, and promote areas for improvement for example, in relation to quality, cost, time, safety, and impact.
• Interrogate and interpret electronic control systems. For example, HMI or SCADA.
• Use data monitoring and control systems to monitor and control equipment.
• Inspect and check safety equipment: identify and take action.
• Identify and instigate incident escalation procedures.
• Apply site standards for housekeeping.
• Conduct risk assessments: identify and document risks and hazards in the workplace. Apply control measures.
• Comply with health and safety regulations and safe working practices and procedures.
• Follow site security procedures.
• Follow procedures for emergency situations.
• Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations and requirements. For example, safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials, and efficient use of resources.
• Apply principles of sustainable development. For example, in choice of materials.
• Conduct and assess impact of activity for example, environmental, cost, reputation, safety, and health. Apply control measures.
• Identify and escalate issues.
• Read and interpret written information. For example, work instructions, and service level agreements.
• Complete work records.
• Use information technology. Follow cyber security procedures. Comply with GDPR.
• Plan tasks. Identify and organise resources to complete work tasks.
• Communicate verbally and in writing. For example, with colleagues, stakeholders, or others. Use water industry terminology where appropriate.
• Liaise with, negotiate with, and handle conflict in individual or group environments.
• Select raw water source or blend of sources.
• Monitor and control water abstraction.
• Monitor and control water chemical dosing procedures.
• Operate water process control equipment and instrumentation.
• Take water samples.
• Analyse and interpret on-site laboratory data and check against water process parameters.
• Monitor and control water treatment processes and performance.
• Monitor and control the effectiveness of disinfection.
• Monitor and control waste stream processes and performance.
• Apply procedures to shut-down, isolate, and re-commission water process streams.
• Monitor and control incoming flows.
• Control internal pumping station operations.
• Operate wastewater process control equipment and instrumentation.
• Take wastewater samples.
• Analyse and interpret on-site testing data and monitoring equipment data and check against wastewater process parameters.
• Monitor and maintain grit removal and screening assets.
• Monitor and control the performance of sedimentation, biological and chemical treatment operations.
• Monitor and control wastewater treatment processes and performance.
• Apply procedures to shut-down, isolate and re-commission wastewater process streams.
• Follow wastewater hygiene personal procedures.
• Comply with (water or wastewater) industry regulations and procedures.
• Follow alarm intervention procedures. Resolve alarm issues.
• Inspect (planned) and check assets (reactive) and identify action.
• Follow procedures to remove assets for routine maintenance and recommission.
• Carry out validation or instrument checks of online equipment and identify action.
• Monitor first line maintenance of process control equipment and instrumentation.
• Identify issues. Apply fault-finding and problem-solving techniques: identify root cause. Resolve faults.
• Consider, identify, and promote areas for improvement for example, in relation to quality, cost, time, safety, and impact.
• Interrogate and interpret electronic control systems. For example, HMI or SCADA.
• Use data monitoring and control systems to monitor and control equipment.
• Inspect and check safety equipment: identify and take action.
• Identify and instigate incident escalation procedures.
• Apply site standards for housekeeping.
• Conduct risk assessments: identify and document risks and hazards in the workplace. Apply control measures.
• Comply with health and safety regulations and safe working practices and procedures.
• Follow site security procedures.
• Follow procedures for emergency situations.
• Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations and requirements. For example, safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials, and efficient use of resources.
• Apply principles of sustainable development. For example, in choice of materials.
• Conduct and assess impact of activity for example, environmental, cost, reputation, safety, and health. Apply control measures.
• Identify and escalate issues.
• Read and interpret written information. For example, work instructions, and service level agreements.
• Complete work records.
• Use information technology. Follow cyber security procedures. Comply with GDPR.
• Plan tasks. Identify and organise resources to complete work tasks.
• Communicate verbally and in writing. For example, with colleagues, stakeholders, or others. Use water industry terminology where appropriate.
• Liaise with, negotiate with, and handle conflict in individual or group environments.

Training schedule

During your first year, you’ll spend one working week out of every month, learning new theory and skills at our technical training centre in Bolton. If you’re from outside the area, accommodation will be reimbursed/provided for this period, excluding weekends.  

More training information

As part of your induction, you will attend a five-day residential trip to the Lake District.  This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your skills in a beautiful setting with your fellow apprentices. Accommodation and boarding will be provided. 

During your apprenticeship, you may need to travel to your place of study. If you’re not local to your place of study, accommodation will either be provided or reimbursed by United Utilities during this period (excluding weekends). Please consider travel requirements and staying away from home if applicable.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• 5 GCSE's minimum or equivalent (grade A-C or 9-4)
• Maths, English and a Science or Technology subject (grade A-C or 9-4)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Problem solving skills
• Team working

About this employer

United Utilities is responsible for water and wastewater services in the North West of England. From 2025-2030 we will undertake the largest investment in water and wastewater services in the North West in 100 years - that's more than £13 billion worth of projects. Now, more than ever, we need inspiring future talent to help make the North West stronger, greener, and healthier. 

https://www.unitedutilities.com/corporate/careers/apprenticeships/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

26 days of leave (excluding bank holidays), a £500 contribution towards learning to drive, and many more benefits. 

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

Every apprentice is guaranteed a permanent position at the end of their scheme. (As long as you meet all necessary standards and behaviour criteria throughout the programme).

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

UNITED UTILITIES WATER LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000011524.

Apply now

Closes in 24 days (Monday 23 February 2026)

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