Composite Technician apprentice
TODS DEFENCE LTD
Portland (DT5 2JP)
Closes in 14 days (Wednesday 22 April 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 8 April 2026
Contents
Summary
Composite technicians produce polymer composite parts using moulding processes, requiring precision and manual skill. You will ensure quality, maintain equipment, complete documentation, and support improvements. You will work with internal teams and external stakeholders to meet specifications and standards.
- Wage
-
£15,808 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Composites technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Thursday
7am– 5pm
(Depending on age)
38 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 31 August 2026
- Duration
-
3 years
- 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
An average day will be spent within different departments on rotation on our Production Shop Floor. This will give you insight into our business and see the product through its life-cycle.
- Hands on role working with a variety of products and materials
- Following Manufacturing Instruction Sheets (MIS)
- Learning how to use hand tools
Where you'll work
Tods Technology
Wide Street
Portland
DT5 2JP
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
YEOVIL COLLEGE
Training course
Composites technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand task.
- Plan work. Identify and organise resources.
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace.
- Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
- Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, in choice of materials, minimising waste.
- Prepare and use mould tools.
- Select and check hand tools, equipment and machinery including calibration record.
- Use or operate hand tools, equipment, and machinery.
- Store mould tools, hand tools, and equipment.
- Select, check, and prepare materials for example, weigh resins, cut reinforcement.
- Follow quality control processes during manufacture for example, check for contaminants, record batch numbers or expiry dates.
- Apply laminate to mould for example, cut, add darts, corner definition, orientation, position, and order.
- Complete preparation for and start curing process for example, select and apply consumables for example vacuum bag, infuse with resin, add heat or pressure.
- Extract product from mould (break out).
- Conduct final product quality assurance procedure. For example, conduct grading parameters checks (size, appearance, weight), and take samples for laboratory testing.
- Identify issues for example, de-laminations, inclusions, surface defects, surface imperfections, and maintenance requirements.
- Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
- Record or enter data - paper based or electronic. For example, process and production records, traceability records, and quality assurance records.
- Interpret data for example, defect data and geometrical measurements. Use data to validate suggestions.
- Investigate a problem to identify the underlying cause. Identify a solution to the problem.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement. For example, improving the energy consumption or waste profile of processes and procedures to improve the sustainability or carbon footprint of a product, process, or task.
- Apply team working principles.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Communicate in written form in the workplace for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
- Use information technology for work tasks. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned continued professional development (CPD) activities. Evaluate CPD against plans made.
- Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand task.
- Plan work. Identify and organise resources.
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace.
- Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
- Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, in choice of materials, minimising waste.
- Prepare and use mould tools.
- Select and check hand tools, equipment and machinery including calibration record.
- Use or operate hand tools, equipment, and machinery.
- Store mould tools, hand tools, and equipment.
- Select, check, and prepare materials for example, weigh resins, cut reinforcement.
- Follow quality control processes during manufacture for example, check for contaminants, record batch numbers or expiry dates.
- Apply laminate to mould for example, cut, add darts, corner definition, orientation, position, and order.
- Complete preparation for and start curing process for example, select and apply consumables for example vacuum bag, infuse with resin, add heat or pressure.
- Extract product from mould (break out).
- Conduct final product quality assurance procedure. For example, conduct grading parameters checks (size, appearance, weight), and take samples for laboratory testing.
- Identify issues for example, de-laminations, inclusions, surface defects, surface imperfections, and maintenance requirements.
- Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
- Record or enter data - paper based or electronic. For example, process and production records, traceability records, and quality assurance records.
- Interpret data for example, defect data and geometrical measurements. Use data to validate suggestions.
- Investigate a problem to identify the underlying cause. Identify a solution to the problem.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement. For example, improving the energy consumption or waste profile of processes and procedures to improve the sustainability or carbon footprint of a product, process, or task.
- Apply team working principles.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Communicate in written form in the workplace for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
- Use information technology for work tasks. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned continued professional development (CPD) activities. Evaluate CPD against plans made.
Training schedule
Training will take place onsite at Tods Manufacturing HQ in Portland as well as weekly onsite learning 1-2 days a week at Yeovil College
More training information
- The apprenticeship training is delivered through a combination of workplace learning and regular college attendance
- This training will teach you the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the Composite Technician standard
- On completion, the apprentice will receive the BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (Foundation Competence), Level 3 Diploma Diploma in Advanced manufacturing Engineering (Development Knowledge)
- EAL L3 NVQ Diploma in Composite Engineering
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 9 – 4 / A* - C)
- Maths (grade 9 – 4 / 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
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
Other requirements
You MUST be prepared to commit to your work and training for the duration of the apprenticeship. In some cases, you may be required to have a telephone interview with Yeovil College prior to your application being passed on. If a suitable candidate is found prior to the advertised closing date, it may close earlier so please apply early to avoid disappointment.
About this employer
Tods have been in existence for more than 90 years and is a preferred choice for the Royal Navy for the production of sonar domes, acoustic windows, acoustic coatings and other complex structures for surface warships and submarines.
The company has also built an impeccable reputation for quality and delivery to over 25 navies worldwide, from Europe to USA and Asia.
Products and services include the design and manufacture of sonar domes, submarine acoustic windows, acoustic cladding, damping treatments, radomes and other multifunctional structural composite enclosures that enhance the performance of vital sonar, radar and communications equipment.
http://www.tods.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- 25 Days holiday per year + bank holidays
- Health Cash Plan with Westfield Health
- Cycle2work and Home & Tech Schemes
- Annual travel
- Participation into annual bonus scheme
After this apprenticeship
- Tods is currently growing as a business, therefore, plenty of opportunities to develop with the business
- Our aim is to retain the apprentice once qualification is achieved / completed
- The role could development into a Senior ME role in the future
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
YEOVIL COLLEGE
Gabrielle Cobner
studentrecruitment@yeovil.ac.uk
01935 845380
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000025209.
Apply now
Closes in 14 days (Wednesday 22 April 2026 at 11:59pm)