Design Technician Apprentice

SMC CORPORATION (U.K.) LIMITED

Milton Keynes (MK8 0AN)

Closes in 10 days (Friday 3 July 2026)

Posted on 23 June 2026

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Summary

SMC is looking for motivated individuals with a genuine passion for engineering and a focus on customer satisfaction. Based in Milton Keynes, you’ll join our European Technical Centre (ETC), a key hub supporting customers across Europe with product design and technical expertise across a wide range of industries.

 

Wage

£16,920 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Salary is reviewed on a yearly basis.

Training course
Engineering design technician (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday: 8am - 4pm.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 7 September 2026

Duration

3 years 6 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

  • Learn how products are designed, including choosing materials, components, and finishes.
  • Build and modify equipment using drawings and step-by-step instructions.
  • Understand how pneumatic and electrical systems work and how to design them.
  • Test products to make sure they perform well and last over time.
  • Use and look after workshop tools and equipment.
  • Learn about important safety and industry regulations and how to follow them.
  • Support customers by answering questions and helping solve problems.
  • Develop confidence in communicating with both technical and non-technical people.

Where you'll work

SMC Corporation UK Ltd
Vincent Avenue
Milton Keynes
MK8 0AN

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

MILTON KEYNES 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

The apprentice will attend Milton Keynes college 1 day per week for competency development over a range of engineering modules. The training is supported on the remaining weekdays by workplace training supported by trained mentors and engineers.

Each apprentice has their own mentor to guide them through their development.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4-9 (A-C))
  • Maths (grade 4-9 (A-C))

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

Physics (grade 4-9 (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
  • Problem solving skills
  • Number skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Logical

Other requirements

None

About this employer

Established in Japan in 1959, SMC is the UK and world market leader in the supply and support of pneumatic and electro pneumatic products. We currently have a sales presence in 82 countries and we are proud of our purpose built production, logistics and administration facility in Milton Keynes.

https://www.smc.eu/en-gb/company/smc_uk (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Cycle to work scheme, health care scheme, eye test vouchers, company pension (on probation completion).

After this apprenticeship

Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).

Following completion of your apprenticeship, you will become a Junior Engineer and use the skills, knowledge and behaviours gained to support the team in the design, simulation testing and technical support of special and new SMC products.

SMC champions employee development and, following successful completion of your level 3, would be happy to support you on to a level 4 qualification, and beyond, to continue your development with a plan to successfully move forward in the business.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

SMC CORPORATION (U.K.) LIMITED

Sarah King

king.sarah@smc.com

01908555026

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000038765.

Apply now

Closes in 10 days (Friday 3 July 2026)

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.