Construction Materials Technician Apprentice (Level 3) - Balfour Beatty
BALFOUR BEATTY PLC
Redcar (TS10 5NX)
Closes in 26 days (Friday 24 April 2026)
Posted on 27 March 2026
Contents
Summary
Join Balfour Beatty on the Net Zero Teesside project and start your career in materials testing. You’ll test construction materials, support innovation using new technologies, and ensure quality and safety standards are met on a major low-carbon infrastructure project.
- Wage
-
£16,640 to £26,436.80, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
- Training course
- Laboratory technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 7:30am - 6:00pm (AM, PM and nights shift patterns to be implemented within the next few months).
Weekend work requirement.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Friday 1 May 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
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
- Test materials including concrete, aggregates, and cement
- Support trials to improve material performance
- Use new technologies and testing methods
- Ensure quality standards and UKAS compliance
- Work alongside a team on a major infrastructure project
Where you'll work
Net Zero Teesside
Freeport
Redcar
TS10 5NX
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
TIRO TRAINING LTD
Training course
Laboratory technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Comply with health and safety policies and procedures including HASWA, COSHH, risk assessments, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling, emergency procedures.
- Maintain excellent housekeeping, in accordance with organisation Standard Procedures
- Order and control stocks of laboratory materials where required
- Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks applying the concepts of resource efficiency e.g energy, water and waste
- Adhere to internal and external regulatory requirements e.g. GLP, GMP, GDP
- Prepare for, and perform, laboratory experiments, tests or tasks following any specified methodologies to provide reliable, accurate data e.g. weighing, pipetting, filtering, spectroscopic techniques, chromatography techniques
- Demonstrate technical competence in the use of specified instruments and equipment
- Report faults and seek diagnostic advice to maintain equipment in good working order, including calibration where required
- Complete documentation proficiently
- Keep accurate records of laboratory work undertaken and results
- Contribute to the preparation of reports.
- Use simple statistical techniques for data presentation and evaluation e. g calculation of median and standard deviation, production of graphs
- Demonstrate problem solving techniques including identification of sources of error and how they can be reduced e.g. human error
- Use standard software packages and applications e.g. Microsoft Office suite
- Use Laboratory Information Management systems to support their work
- Address non-routine problems with samples and instrumentation, within defined areas
- Identify relevant information from scientific sources e.g. supervisors, literature etc. in order to contribute to solutions
- Participate in continuous performance improvement of systems and processes relevant to the work environment e.g. workplace organisation techniques, accreditation (e.g. ISO, UKAS) and proficiency testing.
- Evaluate data, recognise and call attention to anomalous or unusual results
- Comply with health and safety policies and procedures including HASWA, COSHH, risk assessments, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling, emergency procedures.
- Maintain excellent housekeeping, in accordance with organisation Standard Procedures
- Order and control stocks of laboratory materials where required
- Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks applying the concepts of resource efficiency e.g energy, water and waste
- Adhere to internal and external regulatory requirements e.g. GLP, GMP, GDP
- Prepare for, and perform, laboratory experiments, tests or tasks following any specified methodologies to provide reliable, accurate data e.g. weighing, pipetting, filtering, spectroscopic techniques, chromatography techniques
- Demonstrate technical competence in the use of specified instruments and equipment
- Report faults and seek diagnostic advice to maintain equipment in good working order, including calibration where required
- Complete documentation proficiently
- Keep accurate records of laboratory work undertaken and results
- Contribute to the preparation of reports.
- Use simple statistical techniques for data presentation and evaluation e. g calculation of median and standard deviation, production of graphs
- Demonstrate problem solving techniques including identification of sources of error and how they can be reduced e.g. human error
- Use standard software packages and applications e.g. Microsoft Office suite
- Use Laboratory Information Management systems to support their work
- Address non-routine problems with samples and instrumentation, within defined areas
- Identify relevant information from scientific sources e.g. supervisors, literature etc. in order to contribute to solutions
- Participate in continuous performance improvement of systems and processes relevant to the work environment e.g. workplace organisation techniques, accreditation (e.g. ISO, UKAS) and proficiency testing.
- Evaluate data, recognise and call attention to anomalous or unusual results
Training schedule
Over 18 months, you’ll devote a minimum of 6 hours of your working week on ‘off the job’ training. This can include theory training (for example, virtual lessons & online learning), alongside practical training (for example shadowing, mentoring, & time spent writing assignments. Together this will count towards a Level 3 Materials Technician apprenticeship.
You’ll be trained by an expert tutor from Tiro as well as an experienced mentor at Balfour Beatty who together, will make sure you develop the knowledge, skills, and work habits you’ll need to succeed in your career.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE 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
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
Please note: Due to the nature of the role, applicants must be 18 or over, hold a full UK driving licence, have access to their own vehicle, and be willing to commute and travel as required to support the Balfour Beatty project.
About this employer
Do you want to be at the forefront of one of the world's most ambitious sustainability initiatives?
Balfour Beatty have created iconic buildings and infrastructure all over the world over the past 115 years redefining excellence and setting the industry benchmark with every project.
As a result, alongside several consortium partners; Balfour Beatty have been selected by bp (British Petroleum) to construct a first-of-a-kind fully integrated gas-fired power station with carbon capture and storage which is a key driving force behind plans to make Teesside the UK's first de-carbonised industrial cluster.
Balfour Beatty is seeking a dynamic apprentice materials technician contribute to the Net Zero Teesside (NZT) project based at our site in Redcar.
After this apprenticeship
When you join Balfour Beatty the possibilities for your success are limitless. As a successful applicant, you have the potential to secure a full-time position within the company at the conclusion of your apprenticeship.
Through practical, on-the-job training, you will develop new skills and gain the competence and responsibility required for materials testing and analysis. This apprenticeship serves as a stepping stone towards a rewarding career in materials science, with the added opportunity for the apprentice to become a registered Science Technician (RSci Tech).
This programme opens up a variety of career pathways across industries including construction materials, civil engineering, geotechnical investigation, environmental consultancy, and infrastructure development, ensuring your materials science skills are in demand across multiple sectors.
This apprenticeship can also help pave the way for further educational and professional advancement. You may choose to pursue higher-level qualifications through one of our Degree Apprenticeships such as a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Applied Materials Science.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
TIRO TRAINING LTD
Emily Rankin
emily.rankin@tiro.co.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000023905.
Apply now
Closes in 26 days (Friday 24 April 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.