Highway Maintenance Skilled Operative Apprentice
OXFORD DIRECT SERVICES LIMITED
OXFORD (OX4 2HH)
Closes in 29 days (Friday 31 July 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 2 July 2026
Contents
Summary
Work safely as part of a highways team to help maintain roads, footways, drainage and associated assets for the benefit of the public. Build confidence, teamwork and customer service skills while contributing to a reliable and safe highway network.
- Wage
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£21,000 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Contractual pay will be topped up by a market supplement to take the overall pay to £21,000 per year.
- Training course
- Highways maintenance skilled operative (level 2)
- Hours
-
Working hours to be agreed at success stage.
40 hours a week
- Start date
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Saturday 15 August 2026
- Duration
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1 year 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
- Support the team in carrying out highway maintenance activities under supervision, including basic kerb, slab, patching and drainage works
- Attend and successfully complete the Level 2 Highway Maintenance apprenticeship programme, including off-the-job learning and required assessments
- Learn safe working practices, including the correct use of personal protective equipment, tools, equipment and traffic management controls
- Assist with setting up and clearing sites, including signs, cones, barriers and materials, in line with instructions and relevant safety standards
- Operate safely at all times in live traffic environments, strictly following approved traffic management arrangements, site safety procedures and instructions, and actively intervening or stopping work if unsafe conditions are identified
- Use handheld devices or paperwork to record work completed, materials used and other basic job information accurately and on time
- Take part in training and development activities to build knowledge of highway maintenance standards, equipment and customer service
- Undertake other apprentice-appropriate duties that support the service and your learning, in line with your stage of training and supervision provided
- Work effectively as part of a team and alongside multi-disciplinary colleagues, communicating clearly and respectfully with supervisors, co-workers, contractors, clients, and members of the public to support safe and efficient delivery of highway maintenance works
Where you'll work
COWLEY MARSH DEPOT
MARSH ROAD
OXFORD
OX4 2HH
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
TELFORD COLLEGE
Training course
Highways maintenance skilled operative (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Apply appropriate health, safety and environment procedures when working on the road
- Plan and undertake work practice productively when carrying out repairs to potholes, pavements and kerbs, and laying new surfaces on rural and urban roads
- Read, interpret and work to drawings, specifications and highways information Highways information will include details on the use of safety barriers, cones, traffic flow and safety zones to work within, whilst employed on the highway
- Use underground cable locators to identify buried water, gas, sewer lines or other utility services, and once identified excavate by hand around the line to stop any damage and disruption to services
- Apply safe working practise for moving, storing, lifting and handling of resources
- Excavation and reinstatement of the highway by carrying out maintenance and repairs, including removal of material within the road or road side using hand or power tools and reinstatement of the area using concrete, screeds, sub-base, aggregates or bituminous materials
- Install Street Ironworks (drain access covers and frames and gully gates situated on the road) to given work instructions
- Prepare and operate powered tools or pedestrian plant, machinery or equipment for use on roads. This will include machinery for generator™s, pumps, pedestrian operated plant (e.g. pushed roller), mixers, compressors and self“powered tools (pneumatic drill)
- Prepare, set up and work within temporary traffic management (using cones and barriers to section off elements of the road from vehicles and pedestrians) on urban and rural roads, whilst excavating and re-instating the highway
- Work with other sub-contractors on larger schemes (e.g. traffic management)
Training schedule
- Block release at Telford College with pre-planned dates
- Assessor support with visits to the workplace
- Hands on experience with ODS Group with assigned mentors and senior staff
More training information
- Dates at Telford College will be 3 days at a time, approximately every month or so
- Those dates will be given well in advance and support by company with travel and accomodation
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 2)
- Maths (grade 2)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
- Ideally you have a drivers license or are progressing towards driving
About this employer
ODS provides cost-effective commercial and public sector facilities management across Oxfordshire. Since our formation in 2012, we have supported over 2,000 businesses in Oxford and over 150,000 residents with our vast range of services. Our specialist teams of master craftspeople, engineers, and technicians construct, maintain and repair properties, maintain fleet vehicles and highways, cleanse and manage landscapes, and deliver total waste management solutions.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
- Progression opportunities to develop as the apprenticeship moves forward
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
TELFORD COLLEGE
Chris Field
chris.field@telfordcollege.ac.uk
01952642452
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000040373.
Apply now
Closes in 29 days (Friday 31 July 2026 at 11:59pm)