2027 Project Planning & Controls Apprentice

Thales Group; Crawley; Hybrid; GBP 22,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Earn a salary while studying

Hybrid/flexible working

Company pension

Private medical insurance

Learning and development support

Job summary

Thales Group invites applications for a two-year Project Planning & Controls Apprenticeship in the UK. You will learn planning, scheduling, reporting, risk management, budgeting, governance and stakeholder engagement as part of the Bid and Project Management function.

The programme blends on‑the‑job training with virtual workshops and coaching, leading to a Project Planner or Project Controller role. You will gain hands‑on experience while earning a salary, with the potential for a permanent

Qualifications

• A Levels: 2 A Levels grade C or above or equivalent
• GCSEs: five GCSEs at Grade 9-4 including English & Maths
• Right to work in the UK and ability to obtain BPSS and SC clearance

Responsibilities

• Assisting with creation and maintenance of integrated master schedules for assigned projects
• Contributing to project reports and reviews
• Assisting in deployment and reporting of risk and opportunity management
• Ensuring effective project governance is applied
• Operating Thales UK tools for schedule, budgets, risks and opportunities
• Attending all apprenticeship elements including training modules and coaching

Skills

Project Planning

Scheduling

Risk Management

Cost Management

Governance & Controls

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

A Levels

GCSEs

Job description

This exciting Project Planning & Controls Apprenticeship will give you the skills and knowledge to be an effective team member within the Bid and Project Management Function at Thales. The apprentice programme will provide you with a strong understanding and working knowledge of planning, scheduling, monitoring and controls, building the foundations for future roles supporting or managing projects that deliver world leading solutions to our global customer base. The Bid and Project Management functions' key responsibilities are to support the project team deliver the mission and ensure strong governance over bids and projects and oversee the implementation of consistent and assured processes. Your responsibilities may include:

• Assisting with the creation and maintenance of the integrated master schedules for assigned projects
• Contributing to project reports and attend associated reviews
• Assisting in the deployment & reporting of risk & opportunity management
• Helping the project team ensure correct and effective project governance is applied
• Operating Thales UK tools to ensure effective management of the project schedule, budgets, risks and opportunities
• Committing to attend all elements of the apprenticeship including attendance on virtual training modules, 1-2-1 coaching calls, assignments, exams and mandatory Thales UK training activities to lay the foundations for your contribution to future growth of the business

What You Will Learn: Throughout your apprenticeship, you will develop knowledge and skills in:

• Project Planning and Scheduling
• Project Reporting and Performance Analysis
• Risk and Opportunity Management
• Cost and Budget Management
• Project Governance and Controls
• Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Building

Apprenticeship Programme: Through the apprenticeship you'll be making the most of your talents, getting to understand the role of Project Planner and Project Controller from the ground up; and doing so with the help of one of the biggest and best names in the industry. Throughout your apprenticeship, you'll receive on-the-job training tailored to work alongside your studies, giving you the hands‑on experience needed to develop practical skills and knowledge. The programme will be delivered via:

• A virtual delivery model
• Live virtual workshops
• 1-2-1 coaching calls

This is a 2-year programme, working towards the Level 4 Project Manager Associate Apprenticeship standard, with our training provider, The Apprentice Academy. Upon successful completion of your End Point Assessment, you will roll off into the Thales UK Bid and Project Management job family into a Project Planner or Project Controller role.

A Levels:

• 2 A Levels grade C or above in any subject or equivalent L3 qualification such as BTEC Diploma (MM), T Level (Merit) or Level 3 apprenticeship.

GCSE's:

• Minimum of five GCSEs at Grade 9-4 (A-C)
• Must include - English and Maths, 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.

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.

Working Schedule: 37 hours per week (8 hours Monday - Thursday, 5 hours on a Friday)

Benefits of the programme:

• Earn a salary while studying for your apprenticeship
• Gain hands‑on experience within the Bid & Project Management environment
• Receive job‑specific training and development
• Achieve a recognised qualification
• Secure a permanent role from the start of your apprenticeship
• Have your tuition fees fully paid, 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, 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. 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.