Apprentice CAD Designer
T A COLBOURNE PROJECTS LTD
POOLE (BH12 4PY)
Closes on Monday 13 April 2026
Posted on 2 March 2026
Contents
Summary
This is an exciting opportunity to develop your skills in Computer-Aided Design while working on prestigious and iconic buildings and structures across the UK. The apprenticeship offers hands-on experience, mentorship from industry experts, and a clear pathway to a full-time design role within TAC Projects, working in both 2D and 3D design
- Wage
-
£15,704 to £25,396.80, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Pay will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and in line with your progress.
- Training course
- Engineering design technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm with 1 hour lunch break (includes day release to attend college/University).
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 20 April 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
- Assist in creating detailed CAD drawings for building envelope systems.
- Support senior designers in developing innovative cladding and façade solutions.
- Collaborate with project teams to ensure design accuracy and compliance.
- Learn and apply industry standards, technical specifications, and best practices.
- Contribute to design reviews and problem-solving sessions.
Where you'll work
UNIT A
THE OUTLOOK
LING ROAD
POOLE
BH12 4PY
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
T3 TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT LTD
Training course
Engineering design technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Apply health and safety procedures and safe systems of work in compliance with regulations and standards.
- Work in accordance with the design process, company management systems, policies and procedures.
- Review and interpret technical information and requirements from different sources such as specifications, engineering drawings, concepts, stakeholders.
- Identify and assess factors that affect designs such as materials, application, location, risk and environment.
- Select materials and parts.
- Propose and evaluate ideas for sustainable engineering concepts to solve engineering challenges.
- Develop solutions that can be manufactured or built, and proven, operated and maintained during their operational life and decommissioned or recycled at the end of their operational life.
- Provide feedback on engineering designs.
- Apply quality assurance procedures to engineering drawings or models, including own designs and those of peers.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Produce written documents, schedules and reports.
- Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
- Identify inaccuracies or discrepancies in drawings and specifications and propose solutions.
- Incorporate changes to an existing design as a result of any modifications made during the as-built implementation.
- Create concepts for system layouts and associated components.
- Read, interpret and establish design intent.
- Determine the correct tolerances for components of the design.
- Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
- Perform simple calculations to use in design drawings.
- Use measuring techniques for reverse engineering.
- Option 1. Produce general arrangements of electrical power.
- Option 1. Produce detailed drawings of electrical power components such as wires connection, voltage, capacity, main switches.
- Option 1. Identify cable types and application.
- Option 1. Use digital tools such as CAD and BIM to produce electrical power project deliverables such as output drawings and electrical designs.
- Option 2. Produce general arrangements of control and instrumentation designs.
- Option 2. Produce detailed drawings of control and instrumentation components such as cable numbers, wire colours, junction block numbers and panel identification.
- Option 2. Identify different cable types and appropriate application.
- Option 2. Use digital tools such as CAD to produce control and instrumentation project deliverables.
- Option 3. Produce general arrangements of mechanical designs.
- Option 3. Produce detailed drawings of mechanical components such as part dimensions, shape and manufacture.
- Option 3. Use digital tools such as CAD to produce mechanical project deliverables.
- Option 4. Produce general arrangements of piping design.
- Option 4. Produce detailed drawings of piping components such as pipework, ducts and fittings and including supports and skids.
- Option 4. Use digital tools such as CAD or Plant Design Management Systems to produce piping design project deliverables.
- Option 5. Produce general arrangements of structures showing multiple materials such as steel, concrete, masonry, timber.
- Option 5. Produce detailed drawings for multiple materials such as steel, concrete, timber or masonry.
- Option 5. Use digital tools such as CAD and BIM to produce structural project deliverables.
- Apply health and safety procedures and safe systems of work in compliance with regulations and standards.
- Work in accordance with the design process, company management systems, policies and procedures.
- Review and interpret technical information and requirements from different sources such as specifications, engineering drawings, concepts, stakeholders.
- Identify and assess factors that affect designs such as materials, application, location, risk and environment.
- Select materials and parts.
- Propose and evaluate ideas for sustainable engineering concepts to solve engineering challenges.
- Develop solutions that can be manufactured or built, and proven, operated and maintained during their operational life and decommissioned or recycled at the end of their operational life.
- Provide feedback on engineering designs.
- Apply quality assurance procedures to engineering drawings or models, including own designs and those of peers.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Produce written documents, schedules and reports.
- Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
- Identify inaccuracies or discrepancies in drawings and specifications and propose solutions.
- Incorporate changes to an existing design as a result of any modifications made during the as-built implementation.
- Create concepts for system layouts and associated components.
- Read, interpret and establish design intent.
- Determine the correct tolerances for components of the design.
- Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
- Perform simple calculations to use in design drawings.
- Use measuring techniques for reverse engineering.
Training schedule
- 2 ½ Year Apprenticeship Programme
- Design Technician, Knowledge, skills & Behaviours - delivered in the workplace
- Level 3 BTEC in Construction and the Built Environment - Day Release or Remote Delivery (Optional qualification)
- Specialist Training Programme Blocks of your choice
- End Point Assessment - Knowledge Test, Practical Test and Presentation/Interview Specialist training in structural steel modelling (Tekla Structures and BIM processes)
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Desirable qualifications
A Level in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Design/drawing
About this employer
TAC Projects is a leading specialist contractor in the construction industry, delivering design, supply, and installation services for complete building envelope solutions across commercial, industrial, and public sector projects. We pride ourselves on innovation, technical excellence, and iconic designs that shape the UK’s architectural landscape. Completed projects include some iconic buildings in both the local area and nationally.
Trading for over 30 years, TAC has adopted a personal approach to our relationships with our clients and suppliers preferring to treat them as Partners.
We believe that this a major factor in our success and is mainly due to the initiative-taking manner of our team.
Our people are our biggest asset, we actively invest into the next generation, encouraging and supporting them in their personal development and are committed to their welfare.
TAC Projects is committed to reducing our carbon footprint and have ensured that our accreditations reflect this.
After this apprenticeship
Full integration to the Design team with options to further your career within other areas of TAC Projects Ltd.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
T3 TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT LTD
Will Mackintosh
Will.mackintosh@t3-training.com
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000017950.
Apply now
Closes on Monday 13 April 2026