2027 Software Engineering Apprentice

thales

Cheadle

Hybrid

GBP 20,000 - 28,000

Full time

37 hours ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid/flexible working options

University tuition fees fully paid

Permanent role from the start

Contributory Company Pension

Health Care Cash Plan

Employee discounts and wellbeing

Job summary

Thales in the United Kingdom is offering a 4-year Software Engineering Apprentice with a Level 6 Digital and Technology Solutions Degree Apprenticeship at the Cheadle site. The role includes university study one day per week at Manchester Metropolitan University and four days on-site applying learning to real projects.

Competitive salary (£24,000 pa) and a permanent role from the start. You will learn software engineering lifecycle, design, coding, testing, and IVVQ activities while contributing

Qualifications

104 UCAS points (A Level BCC) or equivalent qualification
BTEC Extended Diploma (DDM), T Level (Merit) or apprenticeship
5 GCSEs at Grade 9-4/A-C including Maths and English

Responsibilities

Supporting system requirement and design activities
Developing software solutions to fulfil an actual business need
Contributing to project reviews
Assisting with engineering investigations and problem solving
Communicating technical recommendations to stakeholders
Working with experienced engineers on live projects

Skills

Teamwork

Communication

Problem solving

Education

UCAS points 104+

BTEC Extended Diploma (DDM)

T Level (Merit)

GCSE Maths & English

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 Software Engineering Apprentice - Level 6 Digital and Technology Solutions Apprenticeship

Start Date: 6 September 2027

Salary: £24,000 per annum

Employee type: Permanent

Location: Cheadle

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

Turn your curiosity into a career. If you're passionate about engineering, eager to learn, and looking for a degree apprenticeship that combines academic study with exciting on-the-job experience, we'd love to hear from you.

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 Software Engineering Apprentice , you will develop the technical knowledge, practical skills and professional behaviours needed to become a confident and capable engineer. Working as part of our Software Engineering team, you will support the delivery of software solutions, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.

Your responsibilities may include:

Supporting system requirement and design activities
Developing software solutions to fulfil an actual business need
Contributing to project reviews
Assisting with engineering investigations and problem solving
Communicating technical recommendations to stakeholders
Working with experienced engineers on live projects

What You Will Learn

Throughout the apprenticeship, you will gain experience and knowledge in:

Professional engineering behaviours and industry best practice
Working securely, ethically and responsibly with complex data in compliance with regulatory standards
The Software Engineering lifecycle and key engineering processes
Software Engineering tools and methods
Requirement management, design techniques, and software code implementation
Testing, integration, verification, validation and qualification (IVVQ) activities
Structured and methodical approaches to problem solving and investigation

Apprenticeship Programme

You will study towards a Level 6 Digital and Technology Solutions Degree Apprenticeship with Manchester Metropolitan University.

As a Software Engineering Apprentice, you'll develop a broad set of skills and knowledge across the digital and technology landscape. You'll learn how information systems work, how software is built and tested, and how data and cyber security fit into real business environments‑alongside the fundamentals of business organisation, IT project management, and computer and network infrastructures.

Your learning is supported through taught units and work‑based projects, where possible focused on live business scenarios and real‑world problem solving, with experienced support throughout.

For the duration of this 4‑year programme you will attend Manchester Metropolitan University one day per week to study. For the other four days you will be working at our Cheadle site, applying your learning to real work projects and gain a breadth of experience with your teammates. At the end of the apprenticeship, you will be working as a Software Engineer within the Thales UK businesses.

The programme is delivered through a blended learning approach, combining:

On campus teaching, face to face one day a week during the academic year
Online workshops/classes
Guided self‑study

Throughout the 4‑year programme, you will combine university study with practical workplace experience, developing both academic knowledge and professional engineering skills.

Entry Requirements

To apply, you will need: