About the job

Job summary

Are you passionate about a career in Engineering? Do you want to be part of Defence and contribute to supporting the Fleet worldwide? Then apply for an apprenticeship within Naval Base Commander (Devonport) organisation, known as NBC(D).

NBC(D) organisation is proud to announce the introduction of a new apprenticeship scheme and is looking for enthusiastic and motivated personnel to join our Engineering Technician Apprenticeship and become our engineering professionals of the future, supporting operational capability and wider defence.

NBC(D) organisation offers a 42 month Engineering Technician Apprenticeship, which will give you a unique blend of hands-on experience and academic learning, setting you on the path to an exciting career in Defence.

Throughout the apprenticeship you will receive structured career development to enable you to gain the technical and leadership skills to shape your future and that of NBC(D) organisation.

Job description

Over the course of the apprenticeship, apprentices will attend college on a combination of block/day release and have the opportunity to carry out engineering focused work placements within His Majesty`s Naval Base Devonport within NBC(D) organisation as well as with a range of Industry Partners. You will also receive dedicated support as you work towards a Level 3 Engineering Technical Standard (ST0457) apprenticeship qualification. 

N.B. Whilst some work placements may provide “hands on” engineering experience on successful completion of the apprenticeship, including the end point assessment, your role will primarily be office based. 

Phase 1: You will undergo initial Induction Training into the Civil Service before starting and attending college on a full-time basis developing your underpinning knowledge of engineering as well as carrying out a range of practical workshop tasks. During college half term periods you will have familiarisation visits in the Naval Base to develop your understanding of NBC(D`s) business in preparation for Phases 2 and 3.

Phases 2 and 3: Typically, you will undertake four six-month work placements that will give you the opportunity to develop skills and experience while you play an active role in helping the business meet operational requirements and workplace objectives.  Placements are flexible and will cover different areas within NBC(D`s) organisation, and include wider Defence organisations and Industry Partners we work with. Work placements will support your technical tasks associated with your apprenticeship as well as supporting your colleagues in their specialist areas in achieving NBC(D`s) objectives.

During phases 2 and 3 you will also be required to attend college one day per week (day to be confirmed) in support of your Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering-Technical Support technician qualification.

To support your personal development, you will also be provided with Mentoring opportunities, outreach activities, engagement with senior management, equipment familiarisation visits and networking opportunities.

Your contracted hours will be 37 per week, although some additional study will be required in your own time to complete the academic part of the apprenticeship.

Once you’ve successfully completed the apprenticeship, and end point assessment, you will be invited to sit a suitability interview and may be offered an Executive Officer Development Post opportunity within NBC(D) organisation.

Person specification

1. Successfully complete Phase 1 of Standard Base Training (SBT),including completing practical and written assignments as directed by the training provider and as stated in the apprenticeship standard. 
2. Successfully complete all aspects of Phase 2 and 3 SBT within a specified time to progress to the next phase of the apprenticeship/successful achievement of end point assessment.
3. Responsible for managing own workload when in college/work placements including contributing to work placement team task/objectives and managing training provider assignment deadlines.
4. When in work placements, contribute and support your respective teams in meeting NBC(D)/team and/or operational and delivery objectives.
5. Collaborate with peers to achieve group projects/tasks as required by the training provider/MOD.
6. Responsible for health and safety of self, and others both in the workplace and offsite.
7. Actively participate in work/college initiatives to support personal development.
8. Support the junior phase of NBC(D) apprenticeship programme including mentoring support.
9. Contribute and attend various apprentice management workshops in support of personal development and end point assessment.
10. Support the apprentice management team with marketing events and apprenticeship fairs.
11. Actively promote STEM within the local community, including attendance at schools/colleges.
12. Adhere to the Civil Service Code of Conduct.
13. Successfully complete MOD/local mandatory training.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £24,985, Ministry of Defence contributes £6,745 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

 Applications will be by measured against Civil Service Success Profiles, Technical Skills and your Personal Statement. 

We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are dedicated to creating a great place to work that reflects the diversity of the society we serve. By bringing together different ideas, experiences, and perspectives, we can achieve our ambitions, together.

Please note offers of employment are subject to achieving satisfactory pre-employment and security checks. These include an Occupational Health Assessment and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). As part of this you will need to confirm your identity, employment/education history, nationality and any criminal record (unspent convictions only).  

The level of security needed is Security Check (SC) and you should usually have been continuously resident in the UK for 5 years immediately before clearance action commences. If you have lived overseas or travelled extensively during this period, it may affect the length of time to obtain full security clearance and this may affect your offer of employment. It is essential that ALL requests for information are completed fully and timely, as incomplete information may result in significant delays. Offers of employment are also subject to candidates achieving acceptable grades where predicted.  

Non – Reserved Posts

You must have the right of abode in the UK and have been ordinarily resident in the EEA (including other countries determined within the EEA or those with bilateral agreements), for at least the previous three years on the first day of learning.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.