Drainage – Apprentice
IPSUM UTILITIES LIMITED
Leicester (LE19 4AE)
Closes in 13 days (Friday 5 June 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 22 May 2026
Contents
Summary
Start building your future with Ipsum. As a Drainage Apprentice, you’ll develop practical skills, work on real projects, and learn from experienced crews in a supportive team environment - all while earning and progressing your career.
- Wage
-
£17,000 a year
- Training course
- Water network operative (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, working hours TBC
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 21 September 2026
- Duration
-
2 years
- Positions available
-
10
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
- Ensure compliance with respect to Health and Safety, Quality and Environment
- Ensure company policies are always adhered to
- Ensure all site related incidents are reported
- Contribute and react swiftly to resolve problems before they escalate
- Work closely with associated Technicians & Engineers, ensuring all aspects of work are completed on site
- Contribute towards producing high quality results, reports and feedback
- Always establish good relationships and communication and resolve issues and early resolution of any potential problems
- You need to be flexible too: we operate 24/7 so there will be early starts, weekend working and an out-of-hours working across the UK
- Whilst taking instruction from those around you it's imperative that you respect those in higher positions as well as our clients and their customers
- You will adhere to all escalation processes, whether internal or external
- In all activities you will be an essential part of the team which comes with responsibility
Where you'll work
Granite Close
Enderby
Leicester
LE19 4AE
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
UNIVERSITY CENTRE SOMERSET COLLEGE GROUP
Training course
Water network operative (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Identify hazards and implement controls to reduce risks to people and the environment.
- Comply with a safe system of work, including permits, work and engineering instructions.
- Identify and organise resources.
- Comply with workplace health, safety and environmental policy and practice; use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and safety equipment.
- Follow procedures for signing, lighting and guarding as well as public and pedestrian segregation and escalate issues if required.
- Identify, locate and avoid damage to underground utility services.
- Carry out safe excavation practices for utility network services.
- Monitor and maintain site conditions; good housekeeping.
- Select, check and operate equipment and tools; report faults if required.
- Maintain and store equipment and tools, for example charge batteries, clean equipment, grease machines, re-fuel.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, internal and external customers, colleagues and managers.
- Use gas detection equipment.
- Communicate in writing with others and record task information, for example, job sheets.
- Follow standard operating procedures (SOP).
- Use information technology and digital systems. Comply with GDPR and cyber security.
- Carry out learning and development activities.
- Organise and prioritise own work.
- Apply equity, diversity and inclusion rules.
- Apply team working principles.
- Carry out pipe cutting.
- Carry out squeeze off activities.
- Join materials by fusion techniques.
- Join materials by mechanical means on clean water assets.
- Drill and tap clean water assets.
- Install clean water assets.
- Conduct disinfection procedures for clean water mains and services.
- Check the performance of the asset and escalate issues if necessary.
- Use continuous supply procedures.
- Repair water network asset.
- Identify and solve common issues within the clean water network.
- Use pumping equipment.
- Follow hygiene procedures.
- Install or replace waste water assets.
- Replace and join materials by flexible seals, for example band seals on waste water services.
- Prepare the site for a no dig team.
- Carry out excavation and shoring of deep excavations.
- Repair waste water network assets.
- Use mitigation methods to maintain flow, for example using pumps, stopping or diverting.
- Identify and solve common issues within the waste water network.
- Decontaminate equipment, tooling and PPE.
- Identify hazards and implement controls to reduce risks to people and the environment.
- Comply with a safe system of work, including permits, work and engineering instructions.
- Identify and organise resources.
- Comply with workplace health, safety and environmental policy and practice; use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and safety equipment.
- Follow procedures for signing, lighting and guarding as well as public and pedestrian segregation and escalate issues if required.
- Identify, locate and avoid damage to underground utility services.
- Carry out safe excavation practices for utility network services.
- Monitor and maintain site conditions; good housekeeping.
- Select, check and operate equipment and tools; report faults if required.
- Maintain and store equipment and tools, for example charge batteries, clean equipment, grease machines, re-fuel.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, internal and external customers, colleagues and managers.
- Use gas detection equipment.
- Communicate in writing with others and record task information, for example, job sheets.
- Follow standard operating procedures (SOP).
- Use information technology and digital systems. Comply with GDPR and cyber security.
- Carry out learning and development activities.
- Organise and prioritise own work.
- Apply equity, diversity and inclusion rules.
- Apply team working principles.
- Carry out pipe cutting.
Training schedule
Water Process Operative Level 2.
Training will take place at Construction Skills and Innovation Centre, Cannington via block weeks, as well as online. There will be a requirement to stay in accommodation which will be arranged by the employer.
More training information
There will also be the opportunity to enter into a bespoke 2-week work academy to understand more about the skills required for the role, and information about working for Ipsum. Details to be supplied once shortlisted.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4/C and above)
- Maths (grade 4/C and above)
Other 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
- Attention to detail
- Customer care skills
- Team working
- Time Management
- Mature Mindset
- Positive Attitude
- Self-Motivation
- Adaptability
- Respectful Behaviour
- Equipment Care
- Willingness to learn
Other requirements
Full clean driving licence.
About this employer
We are committed to delivering outstanding customer service every job, every day.Customer Focus:
- Championing ‘The Ipsum Way’ Guiding Principles
- Always do the right thing and never compromise on safety
- Always take ownership and have real pride in what you do
- Never ignore a problem – if we get it wrong, we will always fix it
- Always clarify and never make assumptions
- Always keep everyone informed at all times
- Always check with the customer that the job has gone well
- Above all else, make sure the customer knows and feels you are entirely trustworthy, knowledgeable, and really care.
https://ipsum.co.uk/about-ipsum/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- 20 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Career development & progression
- 24/7 access to a virtual GP and Mental health support & counselling services
After this apprenticeship
Successful apprentices may progress into permanent operational roles, specialist drainage positions, or further qualifications and leadership opportunities within the business.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
UNIVERSITY CENTRE SOMERSET COLLEGE GROUP
Tash Astill
business@ucscollegegroup.ac.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000033163.
Apply now
Closes in 13 days (Friday 5 June 2026 at 11:59pm)