2026 Hardware Engineering Apprentice - Crawley
THALES UK LIMITED
Crawley (RH10 9HA)
Closes on Thursday 12 February 2026
Posted on 3 November 2025
Contents
Summary
This exciting Hardware Apprentice role will develop your skills by the designing and implementation of the engineering solutions in accordance with programme and product requirements. Typical tasks will range from requirements management via the design and development cycle, to test, integration and validation of complex products and systems.
- Wage
-
£24,000 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Performance related pay uplifts
- Training course
- Electro-mechanical engineer (level 6)
- Hours
-
37 hours a week, Monday– Thursday 8 hours a day, Friday 5 hours (Flexible start time between 07:00 and 09:30)
37 hours a week
- Start date
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Monday 7 September 2026
- Duration
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5 years
- Positions available
-
5
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
- Design, implement and test engineering solutions in accordance with Thales procedures
- Attendance at project reviews
- Creation of functional and physical system architectures
- Preparation of engineering specifications, interface control documents & test documentation
- Deliver tasks on time and to the required quality
- Work as a team-player asking for guidance and direction where necessary
- Develop knowledge and skills within the engineering discipline
- Effectively communicate engineering issues related to own tasks
Where you'll work
Manor Royal
Crawley
RH10 9HA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM, THE
Training course
Electro-mechanical engineer (level 6)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Communicate technical information with others at all levels, including technical reports and the use of digital tools.
- Follow a methodical approach to engineering problem solving.
- Establish and report engineering design briefs.
- Produce mechanical and electrical designs / drawings / sketches using Computer Aided Design (CAD) and manual systems.
- Model real-world mechanical systems efficiently.
- Select the design solution for a given electro-mechanical engineering application and environment using data to inform their decisions.
- Integrate electrical and mechanical engineering systems, considering new and emerging technologies.
- Use appropriate equipment to develop and execute test plans to support electro-mechanical product validation and approval.
- Design functional electronic systems and circuits from component level.
- Write and document structured programming code for electro-mechanical systems.
- Fabricate engineering components and assemblies using specialist manufacturing methods and hand fitting techniques.
- Assemble, wire, program and test electrical equipment, motors and control systems.
- Plan, manage and lead engineering projects.
- Perform risk management for engineering activities.
- Comply with statutory and organisational safety requirements.
- Communicate technical information with others at all levels, including technical reports and the use of digital tools.
- Follow a methodical approach to engineering problem solving.
- Establish and report engineering design briefs.
- Produce mechanical and electrical designs / drawings / sketches using Computer Aided Design (CAD) and manual systems.
- Model real-world mechanical systems efficiently.
- Select the design solution for a given electro-mechanical engineering application and environment using data to inform their decisions.
- Integrate electrical and mechanical engineering systems, considering new and emerging technologies.
- Use appropriate equipment to develop and execute test plans to support electro-mechanical product validation and approval.
- Design functional electronic systems and circuits from component level.
- Write and document structured programming code for electro-mechanical systems.
- Fabricate engineering components and assemblies using specialist manufacturing methods and hand fitting techniques.
- Assemble, wire, program and test electrical equipment, motors and control systems.
- Plan, manage and lead engineering projects.
- Perform risk management for engineering activities.
- Comply with statutory and organisational safety requirements.
Training schedule
Through our degree apprenticeship you’ll be making the most of your talents, getting to understand engineering from the ground up; and doing so with the help of one of the biggest and best names in the industry.
As a Hardware Engineering Apprentice, you will be studying towards a BEng in Electro-mechanical Engineering at the University of Nottingham.
Delivered over 5 years via a blended learning model, your study will combine on campus taught lectures, with online and work-based learning. You can typically expect to study on campus for 4-weeks per academic year, delivered in 1-week blocks.
At the end of the programme, and following End Point Assessment you will have achieved a (fully funded) accredited BEng in Electro-mechanical Engineering, as well as a Level 6 Electro-mechanical Degree Apprenticeship qualification.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
A Level in:
T Level in:
BTEC 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
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Analytical skills
- Team working
About this employer
Together, we create the ingenious technological systems and innovations that impact and improve people's lives every single day. Even if you haven't heard the name Thales before, you've definitely benefited from our inventiveness. We reinvest 20% of our sales in Research & Development in the UK. We support businesses, organisations, and governments in addressing tomorrow’s major challenges by developing advanced Defence, Security, Cybersecurity, Digital Identity, and Aerospace solutions, in the most sustainable, responsible, and ethical manner.
https://careers.thalesgroup.com/global/en/united-kingdom-careers#Uk-Future-talent (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
201 hours annual leave (plus a company day and bank holidays) Company Pension Health Care Cash Plan Life Insurance Discount Portal 80 Hours Volunteering a year (first two years)
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
Will qualify with a BEng in Electro-mechanical Engineering and be a permanent Hardware Engineer within the Thales business.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
THALES UK LIMITED
Thales Future Talent Team
suppearlycar@uk.thalesgroup.com
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000349328.
Apply now
Closes on Thursday 12 February 2026
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