Engineering Technician Apprenticeship

NCC OPERATIONS LIMITED

Bristol (BS16 7FS)

Closes in 29 days (Sunday 22 March 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 20 February 2026

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Summary

Kick-start your engineering career as a Composites Technician Apprentice at NCC in Bristol. Gain hands-on experience in advanced composite manufacturing, work towards a Level 3 Composites Technician role, contribute to real industry projects, and learn from expert mentors in a world-leading innovation environment.

• Wage:

  £17,000 a year

  Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  Annual salary increase.

• Training course: Composites technician (level 3)
• Hours: Monday to Friday, with occasional weekend work, only on agreement. Flexible working hours: 7.4 hours per day, including a 45-minute unpaid lunch break. Shifts to be confirmed.

  37 hours a week

• Start date:

  Tuesday 1 September 2026

• Duration:

  3 years 3 months

• Positions available:

  2

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

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Support the manufacture, assembly, and finishing of composite components and tooling
• Assist with lay-up, vacuum bagging, curing, trimming, and inspection processes
• Operate workshop machinery and equipment safely and effectively
• Work with advanced composite materials and associated consumables
• Support automation and advanced manufacturing activities within the workshop
• Interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and work instructions
• Carry out quality checks and maintain accurate production records
• Complete a Level 3 qualification with Weston College and apply learning on site

Where you'll work

NCC Bristol and Bath Science Park
Feynman Way Central Emersons Green
Bristol
BS16 7FS

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

WESTON COLLEGE OF FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION

Training course

Composites technician (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand task.
• Plan work. Identify and organise resources.
• Identify hazards and risks in the workplace.
• Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
• Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
• Apply sustainability principles for example, in choice of materials, minimising waste.
• Prepare and use mould tools.
• Select and check hand tools, equipment and machinery including calibration record.
• Use or operate hand tools, equipment, and machinery.
• Store mould tools, hand tools, and equipment.
• Select, check, and prepare materials for example, weigh resins, cut reinforcement.
• Follow quality control processes during manufacture for example, check for contaminants, record batch numbers or expiry dates.
• Apply laminate to mould for example, cut, add darts, corner definition, orientation, position, and order.
• Complete preparation for and start curing process for example, select and apply consumables for example vacuum bag, infuse with resin, add heat or pressure.
• Extract product from mould (break out).
• Conduct final product quality assurance procedure. For example, conduct grading parameters checks (size, appearance, weight), and take samples for laboratory testing.
• Identify issues for example, de-laminations, inclusions, surface defects, surface imperfections, and maintenance requirements.
• Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
• Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
• Record or enter data - paper based or electronic. For example, process and production records, traceability records, and quality assurance records.
• Interpret data for example, defect data and geometrical measurements. Use data to validate suggestions.
• Investigate a problem to identify the underlying cause. Identify a solution to the problem.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement. For example, improving the energy consumption or waste profile of processes and procedures to improve the sustainability or carbon footprint of a product, process, or task.
• Apply team working principles.
• Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
• Communicate in written form in the workplace for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
• Use information technology for work tasks. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
• Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned continued professional development (CPD) activities. Evaluate CPD against plans made.
• Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand task.
• Plan work. Identify and organise resources.
• Identify hazards and risks in the workplace.
• Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
• Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
• Apply sustainability principles for example, in choice of materials, minimising waste.
• Prepare and use mould tools.
• Select and check hand tools, equipment and machinery including calibration record.
• Use or operate hand tools, equipment, and machinery.
• Store mould tools, hand tools, and equipment.
• Select, check, and prepare materials for example, weigh resins, cut reinforcement.
• Follow quality control processes during manufacture for example, check for contaminants, record batch numbers or expiry dates.
• Apply laminate to mould for example, cut, add darts, corner definition, orientation, position, and order.
• Complete preparation for and start curing process for example, select and apply consumables for example vacuum bag, infuse with resin, add heat or pressure.
• Extract product from mould (break out).
• Conduct final product quality assurance procedure. For example, conduct grading parameters checks (size, appearance, weight), and take samples for laboratory testing.
• Identify issues for example, de-laminations, inclusions, surface defects, surface imperfections, and maintenance requirements.
• Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
• Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
• Record or enter data - paper based or electronic. For example, process and production records, traceability records, and quality assurance records.
• Interpret data for example, defect data and geometrical measurements. Use data to validate suggestions.
• Investigate a problem to identify the underlying cause. Identify a solution to the problem.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement. For example, improving the energy consumption or waste profile of processes and procedures to improve the sustainability or carbon footprint of a product, process, or task.
• Apply team working principles.
• Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
• Communicate in written form in the workplace for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
• Use information technology for work tasks. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
• Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned continued professional development (CPD) activities. Evaluate CPD against plans made.

Training schedule

• 3-year 3-month scheme which combines on the job training and classroom learning
• 1st year is spent mainly at college except for when you’ll come to NCC to put what you’ve learnt at college into practice and learn even more
• 2nd and 3rd years are spent mainly at NCC with one day a week at college
• Qualification - NVQ 2&3 and BTEC Engineering Award
  You will rotate around different departments and sectors within NCC workshop including automation

More training information

• Each apprentice will be assigned a mentor within the workshop who they will work closely with, as well as a buddy who is a former apprentice and has completed the same programme
• Apprentices will take part in six-monthly reviews, deliver presentations, complete skills assessments, and receive college progress reports
• Monthly review meetings to ensure regular feedback and ongoing support
• Additional internal training is provided, including Health & Safety and presentation skills training

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• Another Subject (grade 4/C)
• Another Subject (grade 4/C)
• English (grade 6/B)
• Maths (grade 6/B)
• Science (grade 6/B)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Team working
• Willingness to learn
• Enthusiasm
• Commitment to apprenticeship

Other requirements

At NCC is it important that candidates:

• Demonstrate positive behaviours and thrive in a team environment rather than working solely independently.
• Communicate effectively and are willing to contribute and support open communication within the team.
• Candidates must be willing to commit to commuting to our site each day, as this is a fully site-based role.The site is easily accessible by public transport, with a bus stop located directly outside.

About this employer

Who are NCC?
NCC is a world-leading innovation organisation that turns cutting-edge research and technology into industrial impact.

What we do
We help manufacturers take on bigger challenges - whether that’s building cleaner aircraft, scaling up offshore wind, or strengthening the UK’s supply chains. We’re here to deliver practical outcomes, not prototypes that sit on shelves.

Who we work with
We work across 16 sectors, from defence and energy to infrastructure and space. Some projects are with global tier 1s, others with small UK firms solving one specific problem - the works always varied, and always real.

What it’s like here
We’re not a startup. We’re not a corporate. We’re a national centre with the kit, time and people to do the job properly. The teams are focused, the thinking is sharp, and you’ll be trusted to get on with it.

Why this job matters
This role isn’t just internal support - it’s part of how we deliver nationally important work. If we do our job right, the UK’s manufacturers can do theirs better.

https://www.nccuk.com/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

• 5 weeks holiday plus statutory bank holidays
• Private medical cover
• Support to keep learning and progressing
• University of Bristol honorary staff status

After this apprenticeship

• This is a fixed-term apprenticeship contract lasting 3 years and 3 months, including the EPA period
• Upon successful completion, technician vacancies may be available, and apprentices can apply and go through the standard interview process
• Career progression is dependent on individual performance and business needs
• Opportunities may include Technician or Advanced Technician roles, with some apprentices progressing into Mechanical Engineering positions. This is on a case-by-case basis

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

WESTON COLLEGE OF FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION

Erin Allsworth

erin.allsworth@weston.ac.uk

01934411594

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000016983.

Apply now

Closes in 29 days (Sunday 22 March 2026 at 11:59pm)