Engineering Degree Apprentice
EATON LIMITED
Brook Road (BH21 2BJ)
Closes in 4 days (Friday 20 March 2026)
Posted on 11 March 2026
Contents
Summary
Kick start your Engineering career with Eaton’s Degree Apprenticeship, gaining experience with air to air refuelling and actuation products while earning a fully funded BEng. Rotate through expert teams, build hands on skills, learn from industry specialists, and progress into a permanent role that suits your ambitions.
- Wage
-
£22,500 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Yearly salary increase structure in place whilst on rotational scheme (must meet both work and college performance expectations to progress through the structure). Competitive contractual benefits.
- Training course
- Product design and development engineer (degree) (level 6)
- Hours
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Monday - Friday, 08:00 - 16:30, possibility of shift work in line with placement rotations.
37 hours a week
- Start date
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Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
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3 years 6 months
- Positions available
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4
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 a Degree Engineer Technician, we’ll work in partnership to create a personal development plan designed to focus on the specific learning and development needs associated with your role. You’ll gain exposure to a wide range of disciplines including bespoke technical training within Engineering placements around the business, aiding in development of mechanical and electrical systems in the Aerospace industry, with particular focus on Air to Air Refuelling and Actuation.
You must be able to work on your own initiative, and as part of a team and have an enthusiasm for learning as 6 years will be dedicated to your studies. Due to the rotational structure of the first 3 years, you will need to be an individual that embraces change and adapts to new situations successfully, with the confidence to ask questions and absorb information.
The structure of the Degree Apprentice programme will be as follows:
Year 1 & 2 - During your first two years, you will combine work based learning with day release study at Bournemouth and Poole College, completing the initial stages of the Product Design & Development (Mechanical Design) degree pathway.
While on site, you will take part in rotational placements designed to give you a broad understanding of the business and support the needs of your academic curriculum. These rotations will include gaining hands on experience within our shop floor environment to develop familiarity with our products and manufacturing processes, before moving into office based areas such as Production Support, Simulation and Modelling, Systems Test, Airworthiness, Avionics, and Design.
Year 3 - The rotational structure will continue, and you will be gaining experience within functional specialisms, for example, Research and Development, and Air to Air Refuelling and Actuation Integrated Project Teams on an extended placement structure. You will continue with your professional studies through day release at Bournemouth College, studying towards your 3rd year of your BEng.
Year 4 & 5 – From Year 4 onward, the rotational element is removed, and you will move into a permanent role aligned to your interests, strengths, and development expectations, as well as those needs of the business. Alongside this, you will continue with your remaining two years of academic study, working towards the completion of your full BEng degree at Bournemouth University.
Year 6 – In your final year, you will focus on finalising your preparation of the mandatory End Point Assessment, which evaluates the knowledge, skills, and behaviours you have developed throughout the programme.
Where you'll work
Brook Road
BH21 2BJ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BOURNEMOUTH AND POOLE COLLEGE, THE
Training course
Product design and development engineer (degree) (level 6)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Translate conceptual ideas or technical requirements into developmental outcomes or operational designs or specifications for products, systems or components to solve engineering challenges such as compliance, technology, technical or physical challenges.
- Select, use and apply approved problem-solving methods to solve complex problems and determine appropriate solutions or actions such as Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control (DMAIC), Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) or Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA).
- Collate and use a range of data sources and supporting documentation to support projects.
- Interpret and produce technical documentation such as schematic and circuit diagrams, engineering drawings or 3D CAD models, simulation models, project plans, engineering reports, test reports, fault reports or data analytics using company documentation systems and guidelines.
- Observe, record and draw accurate and auditable conclusions from data or developmental or test evidence.
- Manage assigned projects or programmes of work to meet the required specification, taking into account factors such as resource requirements, safety, quality, cost and performance or sustainability criteria. Apply processes for project or programme management including outcomes such as escalation, audit or risk management and risk mitigation.
- Comply with statutory and organisational safety standards and requirements, supporting safety risk assessments and mitigate any risks identified within the design, manufacture, development or test activity.
- Identify resources, such as digital tools or technologies, human, equipment, materials or data, to complete design and development projects or programmes of work.
- Create and manage a project or work programme plan and develop activities in a logical process embedding mechanisms for adapting to changing circumstances or requirements.
- Demonstrate leadership when undertaking product design, development, modification or update engineering activities.
- Identify and rectify faults, inaccuracies, discrepancies or unexpected results during the design or development process, which may impact the quality and reliability of the product, system or component.
- Ensure that all systems or equipment has been correctly configured and checked for safe operation before use.
- Evaluate engineering designs, development or modification options.
- Identify areas for improvement and lead continuous improvement activities in the operation and performance of the product, system or component.
- Complete project documentation checks throughout the activity and report non-conformances.
- Translate conceptual ideas or technical requirements into developmental outcomes or operational designs or specifications for products, systems or components to solve engineering challenges such as compliance, technology, technical or physical challenges.
- Select, use and apply approved problem-solving methods to solve complex problems and determine appropriate solutions or actions such as Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control (DMAIC), Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) or Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA).
- Collate and use a range of data sources and supporting documentation to support projects.
- Interpret and produce technical documentation such as schematic and circuit diagrams, engineering drawings or 3D CAD models, simulation models, project plans, engineering reports, test reports, fault reports or data analytics using company documentation systems and guidelines.
- Observe, record and draw accurate and auditable conclusions from data or developmental or test evidence.
- Manage assigned projects or programmes of work to meet the required specification, taking into account factors such as resource requirements, safety, quality, cost and performance or sustainability criteria. Apply processes for project or programme management including outcomes such as escalation, audit or risk management and risk mitigation.
- Comply with statutory and organisational safety standards and requirements, supporting safety risk assessments and mitigate any risks identified within the design, manufacture, development or test activity.
- Identify resources, such as digital tools or technologies, human, equipment, materials or data, to complete design and development projects or programmes of work.
- Create and manage a project or work programme plan and develop activities in a logical process embedding mechanisms for adapting to changing circumstances or requirements.
- Demonstrate leadership when undertaking product design, development, modification or update engineering activities.
- Identify and rectify faults, inaccuracies, discrepancies or unexpected results during the design or development process, which may impact the quality and reliability of the product, system or component.
- Ensure that all systems or equipment has been correctly configured and checked for safe operation before use.
- Evaluate engineering designs, development or modification options.
- Identify areas for improvement and lead continuous improvement activities in the operation and performance of the product, system or component.
- Complete project documentation checks throughout the activity and report non-conformances.
Training schedule
Level 6 Product Design & Development Engineer Degree Standard.
Personal Development Programme.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE or equivalent in:
A Level or equivalent in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Administrative skills
- Analytical skills
- Attention to detail
- Communication skills
- Customer care skills
- Ethical
- Initiative
- IT skills
- Logical
- Non judgemental
- Number skills
- Organisation skills
- Patience
- Presentation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
Other requirements
Must be able to travel to Wimborne, Dorset on a daily basis. The programme is fast paced and varied, so you should be comfortable adapting to new teams, working environments, and technical challenges. As this is a six year Degree Apprenticeship, applicants should be prepared to balance full time work with ongoing academic study.
About this employer
Join Eaton and be a part of our commitment to providing impactful, energy efficient solutions that shape a sustainable future. At Eaton, we make what matters work, and we're dedicated to a workplace where ethics, inclusion, diversity, and our people are at the forefront. Located in Wimborne, Dorset, Eaton's Aerospace division is a global leader in aerospace fuel systems, renowned for delivering fully integrated solutions for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft. Our Wimborne facility specialises in cutting edge air to air refuelling systems, advanced refuelling probes, air to air and air to ground launch systems utilising both pneumatic and pyrotechnic ejection technologies, as well as a range of Defensive Aids Sub-Systems. With over 90 years of industry experience, we are recognised as the world’s leading provider of air to air refuelling systems, offering fifth generation solutions to Air Forces worldwide. Our legacy of innovation and technical excellence sets us apart as the most advanced air to air refuelling supplier on the globe.
https://www.eaton.com/gb/en-gb.html (opens in new tab)
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
Progression to full time employment.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
BOURNEMOUTH AND POOLE COLLEGE, THE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000020634.
Apply now
Closes in 4 days (Friday 20 March 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.