Highways Maintenance Apprentice (Road Worker)
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Oldbury (B69 2BW)
Closes in 15 days (Thursday 13 August 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 29 July 2026
Contents
Summary
An exciting opportunity to start a career in Highways Operations. As a Highways Maintenance Apprentice, you will work outdoors as part of a skilled team responsible for maintaining and improving the borough’s roads, footways, verges and associated infrastructure preparing you for a long‑term career in highways and civil engineering.
- Wage
-
£15,392 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Highways maintenance skilled operative (level 2)
- Hours
-
Anytime between the hours of 7.00am - 4.00pm, Monday - Friday.
37 hours a week
- Start date
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Monday 21 September 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
Under supervision and with full training, you will learn to:
- Assist in the construction, maintenance and repair of highways, footways, verges and drainage systems
- Support the safe set‑up, maintenance and removal of temporary traffic management, including signs, cones, barriers, lighting and guarding
- Help erect and maintain temporary and emergency road closures
- Operate and maintain a range of tools and equipment, including hand tools, power tools, compressors, breakers and floor saws
- Carry out basic excavation work in footways, carriageways, kerb lines and drainage channels following safe systems of work
- Assist with setting out lines and levels for laying kerbs, slabs, block paving, drainage channels and ironwork
- Support the laying, raking and compacting of bituminous and unbound road materials
- Help install street furniture such as posts, bollards and pedestrian guard rails
- Complete required paperwork, records and administrative tasks linked to the work carried out
- Work collaboratively with colleagues, contractors, statutory authorities and members of the public
- Follow all health and safety procedures, including correct use of PPE and safe systems of work
Where you'll work
Highways Department
Taylors Lane
Oldbury
B69 2BW
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SANDWELL 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
You will work towards the Level 2 Highways Maintenance Skilled Operative Apprenticeship Standard, which includes:
- On‑the‑job training with experienced Highways Operatives
- Off‑the‑job training delivered by an approved training provider
- End‑Point Assessment (EPA)
More training information
Training will cover:
- Highway construction and maintenance techniques
- Traffic management and temporary works
- Use of tools, plant and equipment
- Health and safety, risk assessment and safe systems of work
- Materials, specifications and quality standards
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 9-4 / A-C)
- Maths (grade 9-4 / A-C)
Functional Skills in:
- English (grade Level 2)
- Maths (grade Level 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
- 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
- Physical fitness
- Adhere to Health & Safety
- Wearing of PPE
- Flexible to travel
- Follow instructions
- Work outdoors
- Show respect for others
Other requirements
- Due to the requirement to operate heavy plant machinery (including e.g., excavators/rollers/dumpers) as part of this role, all applicants must be aged 18 or over. This is a safety-critical requirement.
- Proof of qualification certificates will be required during the recruitment process.
- This role involves outdoor work in all weather conditions.
- Some tasks require physical activity, manual handling and working in live traffic environments.
- Full PPE and safety training will be provided.
- We reserve the right to close vacancies prior to their advertised date, if we receive a large number of applications. Therefore, you are strongly advised to complete and return your application as soon as possible.
About this employer
Sandwell is a large, multicultural metropolitan borough situated in the heart of the Black Country, to the west of Birmingham, within the West Midlands conurbation and with a population of over 280,000. The Council is one of the largest employers in the Borough with employees in a variety of occupations, providing a comprehensive range of services. For more information about Sandwell Council’s apprenticeship programme and our recruitment process please visit our YouTube channel. Find out more information on Sandwell’s Values and Behaviours on the council’s webpage. For more information on careers in local government you can view a copy of the Local Government Career Guide.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
This apprenticeship is a fixed term 18 month contract and at the end you will gain a Level 2 Highways Maintenance Skilled Operative qualification.
However, the skills, knowledge and experience gained in this apprenticeship will allow you to gain future opportunities in the sector.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SANDWELL COLLEGE
parmjit_sidhu@sandwell.gov.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000045283.
Apply now
Closes in 15 days (Thursday 13 August 2026 at 11:59pm)