Mechanical and Electrical Level 3 Engineer Apprentice

THAMES WATER UTILITIES LIMITED

Oxford STW (OX4 4YU)

Closes in 22 days (Friday 6 March 2026)

Posted on 11 February 2026

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Summary

Join Thames Water as a Mechanical and Electrical Apprentice, gaining hands-on skills with key systems while working towards a Level 3 Engineering Maintenance Technician qualification. 

• Wage:

  £22,500 a year

  Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

• Training course: Engineering maintenance technician - dual discipline (level 3)
• Hours: Hours: 38 hours a week across four working days plus one off-the-job training day, need to be at base location before 7:30am each day Mon-Fri

  38 hours a week

• Start date:

  Tuesday 1 September 2026

• Duration:

  4 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

What you’ll be doing as a Mechanical & Electrical Engineer Apprentice:   

• Learn to maintain and repair plant and equipment, including motors, power supplies, actuators, pumps, valves, gearboxes, and pipework 
• Gain knowledge in planned, preventative, and reactive maintenance, including responding to breakdowns 
• Develop skills to complete jobs safely and keep accurate work records
• Contribute to continuous improvement activities as part of your training
• Work alongside skilled engineers, both independently and as part of a team, to build hands-on experience

Where you'll work

Oxford STW
OX4 4YU

Training

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

Training provider

BASINGSTOKE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Training course

Engineering maintenance technician - dual discipline (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Review and use information. For example, work instructions, drawings, design specifications, and plant configurations.
• Use planning, prioritising, organising, and time management techniques to plan tasks.
• Identify and organise resources to complete tasks. For example, consumables.
• Respond and adapt to work demands. For example, adapt working methods to reflect changes in working environment, re-prioritise workloads to react to breakdowns and fault scenarios.
• Identify equipment to work on. Check plant configuration is as defined.
• Prepare the work area for maintenance tasks.
• Identify environmental and health and safety hazards and risks and apply control measures.
• Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, signage and barriers, working at height, confined spaces, and COSHH.
• Follow security procedures. For example, site access, document classification, and securing assets.
• Follow emergency incident and response procedures.
• Apply sustainability principles. For example, minimising waste.
• Segregate items for reuse, recycling, and waste.
• Use mathematical principles and formulae to support engineering maintenance.
• Apply engineering maintenance standards and procedures.
• Apply foreign material exclusion procedures.
• Follow maintenance tools and equipment control procedures. For example, handling and storage.
• Reinstate the work area.
• Apply team working principles.
• Communicate with others to give and receive information. For example, colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
• Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
• Record information.
• Produce or amend documents. For example, handover notes and reports.
• Identify and highlight issues (red pen), with technical drawings.
• Use digital and information technology. For example, databases, data sharing platforms, email, management information systems, and word processing. Follow cyber security and GDPR requirements.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques to identify improvement suggestions.
• Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Confirm safe electrical isolation lockout tagout method has been applied and test for dead.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Select, check, and use electrical maintenance tools, measurement, and test equipment. Select, check, and use control and instrumentation maintenance tools, measurement, and test equipment.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Use electrical diagnostic equipment and apply fault finding and rectification techniques. Use control and instrumentation diagnostic equipment and apply fault finding and rectification techniques.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Apply problem solving and critical reasoning techniques.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Inspect and test electrical aspects of plant. For example, visual checks, insulation and continuity checks, thermographic surveys, and voltage levels.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Remove and replace electrical parts.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Prepare and terminate electrical cables.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Set up and adjust electrical aspects of plant.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Clean parts. For example, removal of dust and debris.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Conduct and confirm electrical and connected services isolation and deisolation.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Conduct functional testing.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Inspect and test control and instrumentation systems.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Check calibration and make adjustments.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Check loop function.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Set up and adjust control and instrumentation systems.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Remove and replace instruments and sensors.
• Electrical and control and instrumentation. Re-connect instrumentation power supply, cables, pipework, and services.
• Electrical and mechanical. Confirm safe electrical isolation lockout tagout method has been applied and test for dead.
• Electrical and mechanical. Conduct and confirm electrical and connected services isolation and deisolation.
• Electrical and mechanical. Select, check, and use electrical and mechanical maintenance tools, measurement, and test equipment.
• Electrical and mechanical. Use electrical and mechanical diagnostic equipment and apply fault finding and rectification techniques.
• Electrical and mechanical. Apply problem solving and critical reasoning techniques.
• Electrical and mechanical. Inspect and test electrical aspects of plant. For example, visual checks, insulation and continuity checks, thermographic surveys, and voltage levels.
• Electrical and mechanical. Remove and replace electrical parts.
• Electrical and mechanical. Prepare and terminate electrical cables.
• Electrical and mechanical. Set up, align, and adjust electrical aspects of plant.
• Electrical and mechanical. Clean parts. For example, removal of dust and debris.
• Electrical and mechanical. Conduct functional testing.
• Electrical and mechanical. Check condition and operation of mechanical aspects of plant and equipment. For example, pumps.
• Electrical and mechanical. Remove and replace mechanical parts.
• Electrical and mechanical. Examine mechanical parts for defects. For example, pump seals.
• Electrical and mechanical. Set up, align, and adjust mechanical aspects of plant.
• Electrical and mechanical. Lubricate mechanical assemblies.
• Electrical and mechanical. Apply bench fitting techniques.
• Review and use information. For example, work instructions, drawings, design specifications, and plant configurations.
• Use planning, prioritising, organising, and time management techniques to plan tasks.
• Identify and organise resources to complete tasks. For example, consumables.
• Respond and adapt to work demands. For example, adapt working methods to reflect changes in working environment, re-prioritise workloads to react to breakdowns and fault scenarios.
• Identify equipment to work on. Check plant configuration is as defined.
• Prepare the work area for maintenance tasks.
• Identify environmental and health and safety hazards and risks and apply control measures.
• Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, signage and barriers, working at height, confined spaces, and COSHH.
• Follow security procedures. For example, site access, document classification, and securing assets.
• Follow emergency incident and response procedures.
• Apply sustainability principles. For example, minimising waste.
• Segregate items for reuse, recycling, and waste.
• Use mathematical principles and formulae to support engineering maintenance.
• Apply engineering maintenance standards and procedures.
• Apply foreign material exclusion procedures.
• Follow maintenance tools and equipment control procedures. For example, handling and storage.
• Reinstate the work area.
• Apply team working principles.
• Communicate with others to give and receive information. For example, colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
• Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
• Record information.
• Produce or amend documents. For example, handover notes and reports.
• Identify and highlight issues (red pen), with technical drawings.
• Use digital and information technology. For example, databases, data sharing platforms, email, management information systems, and word processing. Follow cyber security and GDPR requirements.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques to identify improvement suggestions.
• Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.

Training schedule

• Knowledge, skills and behaviours as set out in the Engineering Maintenance Technician Level 3 standard
• Level 3 City & Guilds Diploma in Engineering (dual discipline) 
• You’ll train with Basingstoke College of Technology through on-campus or online sessions, with travel and accommodation covered in line with our travel expense policy 

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade 9-4 or A-C)

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
• Logical
• Team working
• Initiative

About this employer

Who are we? We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come

https://careers.thameswater.co.uk/our-roles/early-careers/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance targets
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances

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

Permanent contract with a 48-month structured programme 

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BASINGSTOKE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000014524.

Apply now

Closes in 22 days (Friday 6 March 2026)

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