Engineering Design Technician Advanced Apprenticeship - Manchester (Energy)
WSP UK LIMITED
Manchester (M15 4RP)
Closes on Friday 1 May 2026
Posted on 11 March 2026
Contents
Summary
What if you could do the kind of work the world needs? At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives.
- Wage
-
Competitive
Competitive wage offered
- Training course
- Engineering design technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
This is a permanent position, working Monday to Friday. Exact working hours are to be agreed.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Monday 7 September 2026
- Duration
-
3 years 6 months
- Positions available
-
2
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 Engineering Design Technician Advanced Apprentice in our Energy team in Manchester, you will be trained in the use of software engineering tools such as AutoCAD to help your team build a full set of design and engineering skills.
Your tasks could include:
- Working with project leads to process information for existing plans, producing data sheets, data collection and analysis
- Helping to establish requirements to meet the project need
- Supporting with reports and information for our clients
Where you'll work
8 First Street
Manchester
M15 4RP
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
WARRINGTON & VALE ROYAL COLLEGE
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
- You will attend College to study a Engineering Design Technician apprenticeship and gain a level 3 qualification, as well as your EngTech status
- You will be enroled onto a bespoke internal development programme to support you to attain the knowledge, skills and behaviour that will help you successfully achieve your apprenticeship, and support your career
- You will have the support of your team, line manager, mentor and buddy, as well as a dedicated early careers team
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Logical
- Team working
Other requirements
Candidates must complete the application form in full, answering all specified questions. This is mandatory for all candidates inclusive of their background. Those who pass this initial stage are required to complete an online skills enablers assessment.
The application form and the skills enablers assessment are essential parts of our recruitment process. Please note that we reserve the right to close vacancies ahead of the advertised deadline, so we recommend applying as soon as you’re ready.
About this employer
As one of the world’s leading engineering consultancy firms, at WSP we’re passionate about the big questions, and big answers, naturally. For us that’s all about reaching beyond the expected to do work that’ll make a profound impact felt long into the future. We engineer projects that will help societies grow for lifetimes to come. We’ve been involved in many high-profile projects like The Shard, Crossrail, M1 Smart Motorway and the London Olympic & Paralympic Route Network.
http://www.wsp.com/ukapprenticeships (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
Plus 2 paid days a year for volunteering, cheaper gym memberships, discounts with selected high street retailers, 25 days holiday (plus Bank Holidays), WSP's Cycle to Work Scheme, reduced rates on gadget insurance and other 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
- You will gain a Engineering Design Technician apprenticeship with a level 3 qualification, as well as completing your End Point Assessment (and your EngTech status)
- As this is a permanent position, after gaining your level 3 qualification, WSP will continue to be committed to your learning and development throughout your career with us
- You will have the opportunity to continue professional development and the opportunity to pursue your further study and training goals
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
WARRINGTON & VALE ROYAL COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000020404.
Apply now
Closes on Friday 1 May 2026
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.