2026 Engineering Apprentice - Level 6 Applied Professional Engineer (Level 6 Manufacturing Engineer)

Thales; Cheadle; On-site; GBP 24,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defence technology firm in Cheadle is offering a Level 6 Engineering Apprenticeship. Successful candidates will earn while they learn, with tuition fees covered for a degree at Warwick University. This role combines on-the-job experience with formal education in engineering, requiring 112 UCAS points including a grade B in Maths and a relevant STEM subject. Candidates will develop skills in sonar technology and gain practical engineering experience.

Benefits

Annual leave of 201 hours

Company Pension

Health Care Cash Plan

Life Insurance

Discount Portal

Performance-related pay uplifts

80 hours of volunteering

Qualifications

• Must have 112 UCAS tariff points at A Level with a grade B in Maths and a STEM subject.
• 5 GCSEs including English, Maths, and a Science subject at grades 9-4.

Responsibilities

• Support the team to deliver sonar systems and equipment solutions.
• Participate in systems requirements and design work, project reviews, and testing.
• Develop an understanding of professional engineering behaviours.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Team collaboration

Communication

Education

112 UCAS tariff points at A Level

5 GCSEs grade 9-4 including English and Maths

Job description

Location: Cheadle, United Kingdom Thales people provide armed forces customers with operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defence mission systems solutions at land, sea, and air. Our platforms extend across the battlespace including Above and Sonar, Electronic Combat, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance systems. Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

2026 Engineering Apprentice – Level 6 Applied Professional Engineer (Level 6 Manufacturing Engineer)

Start Date: 07 September 2026

Salary: £24,000 per annum

Employee type: Permanent

Location: Cheadle

Working Schedule: Monday – Thursday, 37 hours a week (9.25 hours a day)

Are you passionate about engineering? Do you have an inquisitive mind? 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…

What the role has to offer:

• Earn while you learn
• Job specific training experience
• Recognised qualifications
• Permanent role from day one
• Tuition fees for university or approved training providers are fully covered

The role will develop your engineering skills to become a confident, positive and flexible engineer, with well-honed technical knowledge gained from the academic commitments. You will support the team to deliver sonar systems and equipment solutions to deadlines and within budget, including participating in systems requirements and design work, project reviews, system test and possibly site and platform visits for surveys, installations or trials.

As an Engineering Apprentice you will develop the key skills and experience in the following:

• Develop an understanding of the required behaviours and codes of practice of a professional engineer
• Understanding complex systems for Sonar Technology, by working on different roles and tasks on on-going projects
• Familiarity with the Manufacturing Engineering lifecycle and activities
• Familiarity with Manufacturing Engineering tools and methods for requirements capture, requirements management and system design
• An understanding of systems test activities including Integration, Validation, Verification & Qualification (IVVQ) and the associated processes and tools
• A methodical and structured approach to problem investigation

Apprentice Programme

Through our degree apprenticeship you’ll be making the most of your talents, getting to understand engineering from the ground up; and doing so with the help of one of the biggest and best names in the industry.

As an Engineering Apprentice you will be enrolled onto the Level 6 Applied Professional Engineering Programme at Warwick University, following the Manufacturing Engineer pathway. Delivered via a blended learning model, this programme combines the best of both with on campus delivery (6 block weeks per year) plus virtual coaching and online resources. The first 2 years on programme will be common across all pathways and will provide a broad engineering skill set including mechanical, electrical, electronic, materials and design, plus computational. In Year 3 and Year 4 learners will move to their specialist pathway. For the duration of this 4 year programme you will combine university studies with practical application, working within our Manufacturing function in Cheadle.

Requirements

• 112 UCAS tariff points at A Level including a grade B in Maths and at least 1 further relevant STEM subject (Physics, Computer Science, Engineering, Electronics)
• 5 GCSEs grade 9-4 (A-C) including English, Maths and a Science subject

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

Benefits

• 201 hours annual leave (plus a company day and bank holidays)
• Company Pension
• Health Care Cash Plan
• Life Insurance
• Discount Portal
• Performance-related pay uplifts
• 80 Hours Volunteering (first two years)

Please note, assessment centres for shortlisted candidates will be held between February - May 2026. Induction week for all Graduates and Apprentices will take place from Monday 7 September - Friday 11 September 2026.

Closing date: Our applications will close at 11.59pm on Thursday 12 February 2026, this is the only time we will be accepting applications this year. Please note, we will be in contact by the end of February 2026 with details of next steps.

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

Recruitment Process

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.

Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, all of our roles are subject to security restrictions.

All successful candidates must possess the permanent right to work in the UK andwill be required to go through Government security clearance at BPSS Level and to obtain full SecurityClearance (SC) in line with the United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) requirements below, prior to starting with us.

This role requires Security Clearance (SC). It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. As part of the vetting process you will be asked to provide evidence of your identity, eligibility to work in the UK, time spent abroad over the last 5 years, as well as employment and / or educational history.

For further details of the evidence required to apply for security clearance please follow this link - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels

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

In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Teamfor graduate and apprentice roles.

Great journeys start here, apply now!