2027 Project Planning & Controls Apprentice

Thales; Stockport; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid/flexible working options

Contributory Pension

Health Care Cash Plan

Employee discounts and wellbeing

Learning and development support

Life Cover

80 Hours Volunteering per year

Job summary

Thales UK invites applications for the 2027 Project Planning & Controls Apprentice - Level 4 Project Management Associate Apprenticeship in Cheadle. Start date is 6 September 2027 with a salary of £24,000 per annum and permanent status.

The 2-year higher apprenticeship blends academic study with hands-on experience in the Bid & Project Management environment, offering a pathway to a permanent role and a Level 4 qualification.

Qualifications

• 2 A Levels grade C or above in any subject or equivalent Level 3 qualification.
• Minimum of five GCSEs at Grade 4-9 (A-C) in English and Maths.

Responsibilities

• 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.
• Attend all elements of the apprenticeship including virtual training, coaching calls, assignments and exams.

Skills

Project planning

Scheduling

Risk management

Governance

Education

A Levels or Level 3 qualification

GCSE English and Maths

Job description

Location: Cheadle, 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 Project Planning & Controls Apprentice - Level 4 Project Management Associate Apprenticeship

Start Date: Monday 6 September 2027

Salary: £24,000 per annum

Employee Type: Permanent

Location: Cheadle

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

Transform your curiosity into a rewarding career. If you're passionate about projects and eager to learn, this apprenticeship is perfect for you. Combining academic study with hands-on, practical experience, it offers a fantastic opportunity to grow and thrive within a global, innovative & industry leading organisation. We'd love to hear from you!

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

About the Role:

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:

• Project planning, scheduling, monitoring, and control techniques
• Supporting effective bid and project delivery through project controls
• Applying governance, assurance, and project management processes
• Developing and maintaining integrated project schedules and plans
• Tracking performance, risks, costs, and progress against project objectives
• Supporting the delivery of complex, world-leading solutions for global customers

Apprenticeship Programme:

Through our higher apprenticeship you'll be making the most of your talents, getting to understand the Project Management Function 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 consisting of:

• live virtual workshops
• 1-2-1 coaching calls
• Self-directed learning activities

This is a 2-year programme, working towards the Level 4 Project Manager Associate Apprenticeship standard, with our lead training provider. 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.

We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who are motivated, committed and keen to learn. A self-starter who can manage their time, show initiative and has a genuine interest in project planning/controls and Thales. Successful candidates will show self-discipline and an aspiration to achieve the qualification.

Entry Requirements:

• 2 A Levels grade C or above in any subject or equivalent Level 3 qualification such as BTEC Diploma (MM), T Level (Merit) or Level 3 apprenticeship
• Minimum of five GCSEs at Grade 4-9 (A-C) in English and Maths

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)

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.