Apprentice Project Manager
FAIRFIELD CONTROL SYSTEMS LIMITED
RETFORD (DN22 7WF)
Closes in 21 days (Friday 6 March 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 9 February 2026
Contents
Summary
As an Apprentice Project Manager, you will be supporting our Project Managers in the planning, coordination & delivery of engineering projects across multiple sectors in the UK & worldwide. You will help to ensure work is delivered successfully, on time, within budget, safely, within scope & to technical specification.
- Wage
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£17,250 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
As you progress, gain practical experience and increase your academic knowledge, your salary will be reviewed annually and adjusted to the appropriate level.
- Training course
- Project manager (integrated degree) (level 6)
- Hours
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Our core working hours are:
Monday - Friday, 8.30am - 4.30pm or 9.00am to 5.00pm.
20% of your week will be dedicated to off-the-job learning/training.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
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Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
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4 years
- Positions available
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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
Fairfields provides industrial automation and control solutions across various sectors using electrical, electronic and programmable systems. We’re continuously looking into new technologies and trends. We are already working with IoT devices, cyber-security solutions, augmented reality and advanced software design.
As an Apprentice Project Manager, you will be involved in the following:
- Support with the management and commercial interface with external customers, suppliers and subcontractors
- Track project deliverables and provide regular monthly reports
- Support the Engineering Manager, Project Managers and Engineering Teams with the project health and safety lifecycle
- Support the Engineering Teams with data gathering, design coordination and technical queries
- Support the preparation of cost estimates, budgets and financial tracking
- Assist with the contract close process
- Assisting with the development and execution of the Project Execution Plan (PEP), including project activities, milestones, resource allocation, SAT/FAT testing requirements
- Assist with ensuring that projects are run in accordance with the agreed scope and contract terms
- Monitor and maintain the project defined client portals, including drawings, reports, minutes, change logs and technical files
- Plan and coordinate site mobilisation and demobilisation to meet project requirements
- Attend sites for client meetings, progress assessments and project team support
You will be part of a team installing and maintaining critical infrastructure where you could be involved in:
- Flood defence schemes
- Aerospace facilities
- Moving bridges and structures
- Manufacturing facilities
- Roller coasters and leisure rides
- Pharmaceutical facilities
Where you'll work
RANDALL PARK WAY
RETFORD
DN22 7WF
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
LINCOLN BISHOP UNIVERSITY
Training course
Project manager (integrated degree) (level 6)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Governance Frameworks: Lead and take responsibility for the project management plan as required by the governance structure. Apply techniques and project management methodologies as appropriate, dependent upon project complexity and criticality to the organisational environment in which a project is being delivered. Maintain, review and communicate a project business case for approval through the stages of a typical project lifecycle ensuring continued value for money and continued alignment with organisational objectives.
- The Business Environment: Identify and analyse the context, opportunities and challenges presented by projects in a range of organisational settings, appreciating the differences within both large and small organisations and in different industry sectors and the consequent need for tailoring. Identify the operating constraints that apply to projects including ethical, legal and regulatory considerations. This may include the green economy and the impacts of strategies for achieving net carbon zero by 2050.
- Stakeholder and communications management: Lead and take responsibility for the identification and analysis of internal and external stakeholders and their impact on the project. Manage an effective project communication plan across stakeholders with different cultural and physical barriers. Analyse information and communicate with stakeholders incorporating elements of feedback to understand and measure the effectiveness of planned communications. Effectively listen and influence others through negotiation and persuasion.
- Control of projects in terms of time, cost and quality: Manage the project within the constraints of time, cost and quality. Control expenditure and produce status reports as required, including control of costs against budgets, forecasting, and establishing performance indicators as required by funding sources. Measure progress and actual costs against plans to determine a full understanding of project performance. Identify, achieve and maintain quality standards appropriate to the context and specific requirements of project activities.
- Risk Management: Ensure that project risks, opportunities and issues are addressed using quantitative and qualitative methods to categorise risks and their impacts. Identify, evaluate and implement appropriate mitigation strategies, ensuring that mitigation actions are incorporated into the project plan and are implemented should they develop into issues. Manage risk through the regular review of a risk management plan, adopting appropriate strategies to manage both threats and opportunities.
- Commercial and Contract management: Maintain and evaluate different commercial contract and procurement types to select appropriate options for specific programmes and projects. Support effective contract management and the achievement of programme and project outcomes.
- Project Change Control: Dependent upon the size and complexity of a project, define and apply a recognised process to manage change in projects. Make effective decisions in the interests of a range of stakeholders with regards to change requests. Handle change within different project management methodologies.
- Schedule Management: Evaluate requirements and methods for data capture and analysis in a project environment. Evaluate project schedule integrity including identification and resolution of scheduling problems. Apply resource acquisition and management techniques to balance programme and project needs against resource demand. Negotiate the allocation and scheduling of internal and external resources to meet programme and project demands.
Training schedule
The Level 6 Apprenticeship programme provides day release to Lincoln Bishop University over 4 years. This enables you to access education up to degree level without the need for a student loan, so you can earn while you learn.
We sponsor you throughout your apprenticeship and in return, you receive a competitive salary which is reviewed annually in line with academic and practical progress. We provide ongoing support and mentoring throughout the programme to ensure you are on track to becoming a qualified Apprentice Project Manager.
Upon completion of your Apprenticeship, you will attain:
- BA (Hons) Project Manager
- IPMA Level D qualification
- Professional recognition with the Association of Project Managers (APM)
The course includes:
- An introduction to Project Management
- The Business Environment: a strategic approach
- Stakeholder Engagement and Communication Management
- The Professional Project Manager
Entry Requirements:
- Age 18+
- A Levels (or equivalent qualifications)
- Relevant level 3 qualifications
- or relevant prior experience
Also required:
- GCSE English and maths grade A*-C/9-4
- Be able to demonstrate ICT skills
- Ideally, an Engineering or Technology qualification
More training information
You will also spend time learning about each company department, gaining hands-on experience in design, manufacture, installation, commissioning and service support for control and automation systems and Industrial ICT solutions
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
A Level in:
BTEC in:
Other 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
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
Other requirements
Full driving licence (or learning to drive).
Willing & able to travel/work away (UK & abroad).
Security clearance/DBS check.
Fluent in English.
Eligible & authorised to work in UK. To meet clearance requirements, you need to have the right to live & work in UK, resident in the UK for last 3 years.
Live no more than 1 hour from Head Office DN22 7WF.
About this employer
Fairfields are experts in designing and building complex and bespoke industrial control systems and solutions across various sectors using electrical, electronic and programmable systems. We’re continuously looking into new technologies and trends. We are already working with IoT devices, cyber-security solutions, augmented reality and advanced software design.
We are located in Retford DN22 7WF (North Nottinghamshire). You will be expected to attend the office for the duration of your apprenticeship. Therefore, we ask that you live no further than 1 hour from our Head Office.
http://www.fairfields.co.uk/fcs (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
Company bonus, option to join the pension scheme, Cycle to Work Bike Scheme, EV scheme, Professional Membership Paid, free parking.
After this apprenticeship
Once qualified, you will have the opportunity to progress into a full-time and permanent position as:
- Assistant Project Manager
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
LINCOLN BISHOP UNIVERSITY
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000014104.
Apply now
Closes in 21 days (Friday 6 March 2026 at 11:59pm)