2027 Mechanical Engineer Apprentice - Level 6 Electro-Mechanical Apprentice

Thales · Templecombe, England, United Kingdom

FULL TIME

Job Description

Location: Templecombe, United Kingdom

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

2027 Mechanical Engineering Apprentice - Level 6 Electro-Mechanical Apprentice

Start Date:

6 September 2027

Salary:

£24,000 per annum

Employee type:

Permanent

Location

Templecombe

Working Schedule:

Monday – Friday, 37 hours a week (8 hours Monday – Thursday, 5 hours Friday)

Do you have an inquisitive mind? Do you like to know how things work and are interested in engineering? Are you looking for an employer who will sponsor you through a degree, whilst providing valuable and exciting on-the-job experience within a global, innovative and industry-leading organisation? If so, read on to see what Thales has to offer…

Benefits of the programme

Earn a salary while studying for your degree

Gain hands-on experience in a real engineering environment

Receive job-specific training and development

Achieve a recognised engineering qualification

Secure a permanent role from the start of your apprenticeship

Have your university tuition fees fully paid

About the Role

As a Mechanical Engineer at Thales in Templecombe, you'll be part of a team developing advanced underwater naval systems used by the UK Ministry of Defence and customers around the world. You'll help design, test and improve cutting-edge defence technology while having the opportunity to shape the role around your strengths and career interests.

Your responsibilities may include

Designing mechanical parts and systems using CAD software

Packaging of electronics and associated cabling

Designing equipment that can be installed on military platforms

Producing manufacturing and assembly drawings for production teams

Understanding factors such as stress, shock and vibration when designing products

Building and testing prototypes during product development

Helping qualify products for use in demanding operational environments

Applying design-for-manufacture principles to create practical and efficient solutions

What You Will Learn

During this role, you'll gain valuable experience across the full product development lifecycle while working with experienced engineers and advanced defence technologies.

You will learn

Advanced CAD design techniques and best practices

How electronic and mechanical systems are integrated into complex products

Engineering design principles for defence and naval applications

How to create professional manufacturing and assembly drawings

The effects of stress, vibration and shock on engineering designs

Product testing, environmental qualification and validation processes

Prototype building and hands-on development skills

Design for manufacture principles to improve product quality and efficiency

How defence products are developed for the Ministry of Defence and international customers

Teamworking and problem-solving skills within a multi-disciplinary engineering environment

Apprenticeship Programme

You'll work towards a

Level 6 Electro-Mechanical Engineering Degree Apprenticeship

with the

University of Nottingham

while gaining valuable hands-on experience in the workplace.

The programme lasts five years and combines

On-campus learning (approx. 4 weeks per academic year)

Online study

Practical, work-based learning

Throughout the programme, you'll develop both your technical knowledge and practical engineering skills.

On successful completion of the apprenticeship and End Point Assessment, you'll achieve

A fully funded BEng (Hons) in Electro-Mechanical Engineering

A Level 6 Electro-Mechanical Engineering Degree Apprenticeship qualification.

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The programme is accredited by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers to support those who wish to apply for Chartered Engineer status later in their career.

Entry Requirements

To apply, you will need

3 A Levels (BBB) including Mathematics (Citizenship Skills, General Studies and Critical Thinking are not accepted), Alternative Level 3 qualifications will be accepted, subject to passing a Maths assessment. Alternative Level 3 qualifications include Engineering and Manufacturing T Level (Merit), BTEC Extended Diploma in Engineering discipline (MMD) or a preceding engineering apprenticeship

5 GCSES grade 9-4 (A-C) including English and Maths

Please note that applicants who already hold a relevant degree will not be eligible for this programme.

Benefits

Competitive salary of £24,000 per annum

Performance-related pay uplifts

Holiday entitlement of 201 hours a year (plus a company day and bank holidays)

Contributory Company Pension

Health Care Cash Plan

Hybrid/flexible working options

Employee assistance programme

Learning and development support

Employee discounts and wellbeing initiatives

Life Cover

80 Hours Volunteering per year (first two years)

Thales Apprentice Recruitment Process

1.

Apply Online -

submit your application online to register your interest. You only need to register for one role as you will have the opportunity to apply for additional roles at the full application stage.

2.

Upload Your CV

3.

Check your emails for the invitation to apply –

this will comefrom

4.

Complete Your Application

– follow the link provided in the email to complete your application. You can apply for one primary role and up to 3 additional roles.

5.

Complete Online Tests -

undertake the online assessments designed to evaluate your suitability for the role.

6.

Virtual Assessment Centre -

candidates who progress from the online assessment stage will attend a virtual assessment centre, which will include group exercises, and competency-based interviews.

7

Job Offer –

successful candidates who perform well throughout the recruitment process will receive a job offer from Thales.

For further information about our Future Talent recruitment process, including hints and tips, or to connect with a member of the Future Talent Team, a Graduate, or an Apprentice, please visit

Thales Future Talent - Connectr

.

Please note, assessment centres for shortlisted candidates will be held between February - May 2027. Induction week for all Graduate and Apprentices will take place from Monday 6 September - Friday 10 September 2027.

Closing date:

Our applications will close at

11.59pm

on

Wednesday 17 February 2027

, this is the only time we will be accepting applications this year. Please note, we will be in contact by the end of

February 2027

with details of next steps.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ROLES MAY CLOSE EARLIER THAN THE ADVERTISED DEADLINE IF WE RECEIVE A HIGH NUMER OF APPLICATIONS. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID MISSING OUT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY.

Because of the work we do at Thales, all roles are subject to security requirements.

To be considered for this position, you must have the permanent right to work in the UK and be able to successfully complete and maintain UK Government security checks, including Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) screening and Security Clearance (SC), which is a government background check, before starting employment.

To be eligible for SC clearance, you will typically need to have lived in the UK continuously for the last five years. As part of the vetting process, you will be asked to provide evidence of your identity, right to work in the UK, any time spent overseas during the last five years, and your employment and/or education history.

In addition, this role supports a UK Eyes Only programme and is therefore subject to government-mandated nationality restrictions. To satisfy the security clearance requirements for access to highly sensitive information, applicants must have been British citizens from birth and must not hold any other nationality. This requirement is determined by the UK Government and is a condition of programme access rather than an employment preference.

For further details of the evidence required to apply for security clearance please follow this link -

.

Thales is an equal opportunities employer and diversity, and inclusion are integral to the success of Thales.

At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits

here.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features

here.

If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community

here.

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