Materials Technician Apprenticeship (Level 3) - Hampshire County Council

Hampshire County Council

Winchester (SO21 3BB)

Closes in 25 days (Tuesday 7 July 2026)

Posted on 11 June 2026

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Summary

We are pleased to offer an opportunity for a Materials Technician Apprentice to join the team. You can develop towards performing the investigation and testing work both at the laboratory and on-site, working within the team to produce results.

Wage

£25,186 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

£25,186 - £26,244 / year

Training course
Laboratory technician (level 3)
Hours
Workings hours are 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Shifts to be confirmed.

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 10 August 2026

Duration

1 year 8 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

  • With a highly varied workload, no two days are ever the same – you could be working on site collecting samples, at the laboratory testing them, or writing up reports and undertaking quality checks. 
  • The role holder will be part of the materials testing team in the County Highways Laboratory, working alongside your colleagues to support and undertake the technical work of the laboratory on a day-to-day basis. 
  • You will be working on behalf of our clients to carry out a range of road pavement investigations and materials testing activities both within the laboratory (based in Micheldever) and out in the field.

Where you'll work

Hampshire County Council Highways Laboratory
Stockbridge Road
Winchester
SO21 3BB

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

Start your career as a materials technician and gain hands-on experience supporting real testing and analysis in a laboratory or technical environment.

As part of this Level 3 Materials Technician apprenticeship, you’ll learn how to carry out tests, analyse data, and contribute to important projects, whether that’s in a laboratory or a more practical, site-based environment.

Over 20 months, you’ll combine day-to-day experience in your role with structured training delivered by expert tutors at Tiro. Our blended learning approach includes a mix of online sessions, in-person training, and hands-on support, alongside guidance from a dedicated mentor in the workplace.

You’ll spend at least 6 hours per week on off-the-job training, including virtual learning, practical activities, and applied assignments.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4 / C +)
  • Maths (grade 4 / C +)
  • Science (grade 4 / C +)

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

Skills

  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Initiative

Other requirements

  • Please note: You must be 18+ due to the nature of the working environment 
  • Please note: A full UK manual driving licence is required for this role

About this employer

Based just outside Winchester, the County Highways Laboratory provides testing for both local authorities and the private sector. The laboratory is equipped to conduct over 50 specialised tests and is staffed by a team of experts dedicated to excellence in testing and analysis. 

We are proud to be accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS); maintaining the highest levels of quality and reliability in our testing services. We check compliance against the required specifications and British / European Standards, therefore maximising safety and quality.

https://www.hants.gov.uk/business/hampshireengineeringservices (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

This apprenticeship will help you build the skills and experience needed to start your career as a materials technician and progress within the industry.

Through hands-on training, you’ll develop the competence and confidence to carry out laboratory testing and take on increasing responsibility in your role. This programme can also lead to professional recognition, such as becoming a Registered Science Technician (RSciTech).

You’ll gain experience that’s valued across a wide range of technical and scientific roles, opening up opportunities to grow and specialise in your chosen field.

If you choose to continue your development, you may also have the opportunity to progress onto higher-level qualifications, such as degree apprenticeships in Materials or Chemistry.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

TIRO TRAINING LTD

John Proctor

john.proctor@tiro.co.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000036616.

Apply now

Closes in 25 days (Tuesday 7 July 2026)

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.