Apprentice Design Manager
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Suffolk (IP33 2QZ)
Closes in 25 days (Friday 10 July 2026)
Posted on 15 June 2026
Contents
Summary
Are you looking for an exciting career in engineering, construction and healthcare design? Do you want to gain a qualification whilst working on projects that make a real difference to patients and staff?
West Suffolk NHS Trust is seeking an enthusiastic and ambitious Apprentice Design Manager to join our Estates Development Team.
- Wage
-
£28,392 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Salary will increase to NHS AfC Band 5 pay scale on successful completion of apprenticeship (currently £31,049 per year).
- Training course
- Building services engineering senior technician (level 4)
- Hours
-
Flexible working across seven day week, will involve some shift, nights, evening and weekend work.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
-
2 years 3 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
- Support capital project compliance requirements
- Develop an understanding of construction contracts and project controls
- Assist with monitoring budgets and financial reporting
- Attend project meetings and development team meetings
- Communicate with consultants and contractors involved in project delivery
- Assist with estates surveys and audits
Where you'll work
West Suffolk Hospital
Hardwick Lane
Bury St. Edmunds
Suffolk
IP33 2QZ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
LONDON SOUTH BANK UNIVERSITY
Training course
Building services engineering senior technician (level 4)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Apply engineering principles, using relevant scientific, theoretical and technical know-how to solve well-defined building services engineering problems.
- Apply building services engineering techniques, procedures and methods, and review the results, when measuring and testing, designing, installing, commissioning, maintaining or operating building services engineering systems.
- Employ a range of advanced mathematical, statistical and data interpretation tools, using analytical and computational methods to interpret and solve well-defined building services engineering problems.
- Interpret and compare performance information to choose compliant materials, components or parts.
- Select and use technical literature and other sources of information and data to address well-defined building services engineering problems.
- Produce and interpret building services engineering technical drawings, designs, and models, using analytical and computer-based software packages, recognising the limitations of the software used.
- Produce building services engineering technical solutions in accordance with relevant industry standards, procedures, codes of practice, regulations, and legislation.
- Comply with, and encourage others to demonstrate, statutory health, safety and welfare policies, procedures and regulation.
- Complete risk assessments to identify, evaluate and mitigate risks.
- Apply principles of sustainable development, and assess the impact of these in their work.
- Employ project management techniques, measuring and recording progress against building services engineering project plans.
- Assess and report on quality using appropriate management and assurance systems and continuous improvement processes.
- Identify and use resources, equipment and technology to meet project requirements, including specifications, budget and timescales.
- Monitor and manage individual performance, and supervise others, recognising the need to comply with appropriate codes of practice and equality, diversity & inclusion (EDI) requirements.
- Communicate using appropriate methods for the audience, using appropriate engineering terminology and conventions.
- Apply ethical principles to building services engineering projects, including the secure use of data and information.
- Plan, undertake and review their own professional competence, updating and reviewing their CPD to improve performance.
- Apply engineering principles, using relevant scientific, theoretical and technical know-how to solve well-defined building services engineering problems.
- Apply building services engineering techniques, procedures and methods, and review the results, when measuring and testing, designing, installing, commissioning, maintaining or operating building services engineering systems.
- Employ a range of advanced mathematical, statistical and data interpretation tools, using analytical and computational methods to interpret and solve well-defined building services engineering problems.
- Interpret and compare performance information to choose compliant materials, components or parts.
- Select and use technical literature and other sources of information and data to address well-defined building services engineering problems.
- Produce and interpret building services engineering technical drawings, designs, and models, using analytical and computer-based software packages, recognising the limitations of the software used.
- Produce building services engineering technical solutions in accordance with relevant industry standards, procedures, codes of practice, regulations, and legislation.
- Comply with, and encourage others to demonstrate, statutory health, safety and welfare policies, procedures and regulation.
- Complete risk assessments to identify, evaluate and mitigate risks.
- Apply principles of sustainable development, and assess the impact of these in their work.
- Employ project management techniques, measuring and recording progress against building services engineering project plans.
- Assess and report on quality using appropriate management and assurance systems and continuous improvement processes.
- Identify and use resources, equipment and technology to meet project requirements, including specifications, budget and timescales.
- Monitor and manage individual performance, and supervise others, recognising the need to comply with appropriate codes of practice and equality, diversity & inclusion (EDI) requirements.
- Communicate using appropriate methods for the audience, using appropriate engineering terminology and conventions.
- Apply ethical principles to building services engineering projects, including the secure use of data and information.
- Plan, undertake and review their own professional competence, updating and reviewing their CPD to improve performance.
Training schedule
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
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
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
About this employer
We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across West Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.
The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.
Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.
We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.
With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.
We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyones voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.
http://www.wsh.nhs.uk (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Eligible to join NHS pension scheme
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
- On completion of the apprenticship the candidate will have the opportunity to complete the Level 6 building services engineering degree apprenticeship
- Once completed they would be able to move into a senior engineer post or may wish to consider project management, risk management or department management roles
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Nicola Booth
nicola.booth@wsh.nhs.uk
07866251296
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000037169.
Apply now
Closes in 25 days (Friday 10 July 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.