Academy Apprentice Engineer Electrical
HARWIN PLC
Portsmouth (PO6 1RT)
Closes in 31 days (Monday 9 March 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 6 February 2026
Contents
Summary
The 1st year will be at our own purpose-built training academy with day release to South Downs College. Learing vital engineering skills as well as rotating through different areas across our engineering and operations teams, working on the different technologies and gaining new skills before moving into your placement in years 2 & 3
- Wage
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£17,000 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Our Engineering Apprentices will also take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award alongside their apprenticeship programme.
- Training course
- Automation and controls engineering technician (level 4)
- Hours
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Monday -Thursday, 08:00 - 16:30 and Friday, 08:00 - 15:30.
40 hours a week
- Start date
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Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
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3 years
- Positions available
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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
As an Engineering Apprentice, you will gain hands-on experience working towards an apprenticeship alongside skilled engineers while studying toward a nationally recognised qualification. This is an exciting opportunity to kick-start a rewarding career in engineering with full support and mentoring. Your first year in the apprenticeship will be undertaken in Harwin’s purpose-built training academy with day release to your nominated training provider. Here you will learn vital hands-on engineering skills as well as spending time rotating through different areas across our engineering and operations teams, working on the different technologies and gaining an array of engineering skills before moving into your placement in years two and three.This apprenticeship is in Electrical Engineering, with roles in Software Automation or Electrical Machine Design.
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Learn and apply engineering principles related to mechanical or electrical systems.
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Read and interpret technical drawings, plans, and specifications.
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Participate in routine inspections, troubleshooting, and repairs of machinery or infrastructure.
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Support ongoing engineering projects by preparing reports, documentation, and CAD drawings.
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Attend college/training provider as required and maintain up-to-date coursework.
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Comply with all health and safety regulations and company policies
Where you'll work
Fitzherbert Road
Farlington
Portsmouth
PO6 1RT
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
HAVANT AND SOUTH DOWNS COLLEGE
Training course
Automation and controls engineering technician (level 4)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Safety Effective - The ability to work safely in an industrial environment and where required, produce risk assessment and method statement documentation. Be able to apply the principles of functional machinery or process safety including SIL (Safety Integrated Level) and PL (Performance Level) terminology.
- Engineering documentation - Production and interpretation of a range of technical documentation (device manuals, operating procedures, schematics, fault reports etc), and working with company documentation systems.
- Project engineering capabilities - Support of installation, commissioning, shut-down, start-up and maintenance, service, or support of a wide range of systems and devices.
- Diagnostic capabilities - Fault finding, diagnosis, rectification and reporting of automation control systems and controls applications via the utilisation of formal problem solving methods and diagnostic tools or software.
- Instrumentation configuration and calibration - Set-up, calibrate and commission a wide variety of field level instrumentation that interfaces to automation and control systems
- Industrial Networks configuration and support - configure, assist commissioning and continued support of industrial network solutions at all hierarchical levels of control system integration using the requisite tools and or software.
- HMI and SCADA configuration and programming - Make changes to existing systems or implement new configurations.
- PLC or Robot configuration and programming - Implement complex PLC or Robot program content and configurations to affect changes to increase availability and or efficiency of automation controlled machinery and the ability to configure PLC and or Robot hardware and program a wide variety of PLC’s and or Robot’s.
- Safety Effective - The ability to work safely in an industrial environment and where required, produce risk assessment and method statement documentation. Be able to apply the principles of functional machinery or process safety including SIL (Safety Integrated Level) and PL (Performance Level) terminology.
- Engineering documentation - Production and interpretation of a range of technical documentation (device manuals, operating procedures, schematics, fault reports etc), and working with company documentation systems.
- Project engineering capabilities - Support of installation, commissioning, shut-down, start-up and maintenance, service, or support of a wide range of systems and devices.
- Diagnostic capabilities - Fault finding, diagnosis, rectification and reporting of automation control systems and controls applications via the utilisation of formal problem solving methods and diagnostic tools or software.
- Instrumentation configuration and calibration - Set-up, calibrate and commission a wide variety of field level instrumentation that interfaces to automation and control systems
- Industrial Networks configuration and support - configure, assist commissioning and continued support of industrial network solutions at all hierarchical levels of control system integration using the requisite tools and or software.
- HMI and SCADA configuration and programming - Make changes to existing systems or implement new configurations.
- PLC or Robot configuration and programming - Implement complex PLC or Robot program content and configurations to affect changes to increase availability and or efficiency of automation controlled machinery and the ability to configure PLC and or Robot hardware and program a wide variety of PLC’s and or Robot’s.
Training schedule
As an Apprentice, you will have the opportunity to study the following through this Apprenticeship:
- Engineering Manufacturing Level 4 Apprenticeship Standard
- HNC Electronic and Electrical Engineering
The day college day release will be held at South Downs College Campus.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 5)
- Maths (grade 7)
Desirable 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
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
About this employer
Harwin plc is a Portsmouth based manufacturing company specialising in the innovative design and production of electrical / electronic components. Our products are distributed worldwide through our network of partners in Europe, Asia and the US. We offer a breadth and depth of expertise in such markets as distribution, industrial and instrumentation, medical, military, aerospace, automotive and telecommunications.
https://www.harwin.com/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- 25 days holiday plus bank/public hols
- Additional 3 days off over the festive period
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Company pension scheme
- Company bonus scheme
After this apprenticeship
- Full career progression
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
HAVANT AND SOUTH DOWNS COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000013720.
Apply now
Closes in 31 days (Monday 9 March 2026 at 11:59pm)