North East - Trainee Operative Apprenticeship

VOLKERLASER LTD

Newcastle Upon Tyne (NE1 5DL)

Closes on Friday 17 April 2026

Posted on 11 February 2026

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Summary

You’ll join an operational project team and develop practical skills through a mix of real site experience and structured training. Apprenticeships combine work with study, including paid time during your working hours for training and learning.

No previous construction experience is required.

Wage

£25,389 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Highways maintenance skilled operative (level 2)
Hours
45 hours week with overtime. Days and times to be confimred.

45 hours a week

Start date

Wednesday 1 July 2026

Duration

1 year 6 months

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

  • Working alongside experienced operatives to support project activities
  • Learning how to carry out tasks safely and to the required standard
  • Using tools, plant and equipment safely (with training and authorisation)
  • Attending CITB training blocks and applying what you learn back on site
  • Following health, safety, wellbeing and environmental procedures
  • Keeping work areas tidy and safe
  • Reporting hazards, near misses or unsafe conditions
  • Representing VolkerLaser professionally on site

Where you'll work

Central Station, Neville Street
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 5DL

Training

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

Training provider

CITB

Training course

Highways maintenance skilled operative (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Apply appropriate health, safety and environment procedures when working on the road
  • Plan and undertake work practice productively when carrying out repairs to potholes, pavements and kerbs, and laying new surfaces on rural and urban roads
  • Read, interpret and work to drawings, specifications and highways information Highways information will include details on the use of safety barriers, cones, traffic flow and safety zones to work within, whilst employed on the highway
  • Use underground cable locators to identify buried water, gas, sewer lines or other utility services, and once identified excavate by hand around the line to stop any damage and disruption to services
  • Apply safe working practise for moving, storing, lifting and handling of resources
  • Excavation and reinstatement of the highway by carrying out maintenance and repairs, including removal of material within the road or road side using hand or power tools and reinstatement of the area using concrete, screeds, sub-base, aggregates or bituminous materials
  • Install Street Ironworks (drain access covers and frames and gully gates situated on the road) to given work instructions
  • Prepare and operate powered tools or pedestrian plant, machinery or equipment for use on roads. This will include machinery for generator™s, pumps, pedestrian operated plant (e.g. pushed roller), mixers, compressors and self“powered tools (pneumatic drill)
  • Prepare, set up and work within temporary traffic management (using cones and barriers to section off elements of the road from vehicles and pedestrians) on urban and rural roads, whilst excavating and re-instating the highway
  • Work with other sub-contractors on larger schemes (e.g. traffic management)

Training schedule

You’ll complete the Highways Maintenance Operative – Level 2 apprenticeship. You’ll be given paid time during your working week for training and study (a minimum of 20% off-the-job learning), alongside hands-on experience on site.

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
  • Organisation skills
  • Team working
  • Initiative
  • Time Keeping

Other requirements

  • Ability to travel to depot and site locations as required. The role of trainee operative will be based on a site that may not be close to your home, and you could be based on any VolkerLaser site across the UK. All travel and hotel accommodation costs will be paid for
  • A driving licence is not required at application stage, but you must be willing to work towards a full UK driving licence during the apprenticeship, as it will be needed for operational duties

About this employer

VolkerLaser is the UK's leading multi-functional contractor, our wide breadth of services include waterproofing, strengthening, repair services, expansion joint and bridge bearing replacement across the built environment. We are part of the VolkerWessels UK group, a multi-disciplinary construction and civil engineering group with a turnover of c£850 million and a work force in excess of 3,800. Take a look at some of the projects we are currently working on by visiting volkerwessels.co.uk/en/projects

https://www.volkerlaser.co.uk/en (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

  • Competitive salary
  • Competitive annual leave
  • Private medical care
  • Pension
  • Life Assurance
  • Vouchers, rewards, & discounts
  • Training & development opportunities
  • Family-friendly policies
  • Employee Assistance programme

After this apprenticeship

Higher level apprenticeship is an option on successful completion of this programme.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

CITB

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000014694.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 17 April 2026

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