2027 Systems Engineering Apprentice - Reading

Thales Group; Reading; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Thales Group in Reading offers a Systems Engineering Apprenticeship designed to build the technical knowledge, practical skills and professional behaviours needed to become a capable engineer. You will work within our Systems Engineering team, supporting the delivery of systems and equipment solutions on time and within budget.

You will learn through a blended program with the University of Warwick, combining on-campus blocks, virtual coaching and online resources.

Qualifications

• GCSEs including Maths and English at grade A-C (9-4) are essential.
• A Level Maths and a further STEM subject with at least 112 UCAS points are essential.

Responsibilities

• Supporting systems requirements and design activities
• Contributing to project reviews
• Participating in system testing and validation activities
• Assisting with engineering investigations and problem solving
• Visiting customer sites, platforms and installations to support surveys, trials and system deployment
• Working with experienced engineers on live projects

Skills

Communication skills

IT skills

Attention to detail

Organisation skills

Problem solving skills

Administrative skills

Number skills

Analytical skills

Logical

Team working

Education

GCSEs incl. Maths & English (A-C/9-4)

A Level Maths & STEM (112 UCAS points)

Job description

As a Systems 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 Systems Engineering team, you will support the delivery of systems and equipment solutions, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.

Your responsibilities may include:

• Supporting systems requirements and design activities
• Contributing to project reviews
• Participating in system testing and validation activities
• Assisting with engineering investigations and problem solving
• Visiting customer sites, platforms and installations to support surveys, trials and system deployment where required
• 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
• Understanding and working with complex engineering systems
• Different engineering roles and activities across live projects
• The Systems Engineering Lifecycle and key engineering processes
• Requirements capture, requirements management and system design techniques
• Systems engineering tools and methods
• Testing, integration, verification, validation and qualification (IVVQ) activities
• Structured and methodical approaches to problem solving and investigation

Training

You will study towards the BEng Applied Professional Engineering Degree Apprenticeship with The University of Warwick, following the Product Design and Development Engineer pathway.

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

• On-campus teaching (approximately 12 blocks of 3 days)
• Virtual coaching sessions
• Online learning resources

Programme structure:

This is a broad programme, designed to provide a strong multi-disciplinary engineering foundation prior to moving onto a more specialist pathway.

Years 1 and 2

• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Materials and Design
• Computational skills

Years 3 and 4

• Progress onto the Design and Development Engineer specialist pathway
• Work based project

Throughout the four-year programme, you will combine university study with practical workplace experience, developing both academic knowledge and professional engineering skills. Aligned to the IET accreditation requirements, this degree will support those looking to become a Chartered Engineer in future.

What happens at the end

• Will qualify and be a permanent member of the team within the Thales business

Skills

• Communication skills
• IT skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Problem solving skills
• Administrative skills
• Number skills
• Analytical skills
• Logical
• Team working

Qualifications

• GCSE 5 GCSEs incl. Maths & English (grade A-C or 9-4) - essential
• A Level Maths and a further STEM subject (grade BB minimum of 112 UCAS points) - essential

Key details

• Wage: £24,000 a year
• Working week: Monday - Friday. Shifts to be confirmed.
• Hours: 37 hours per week
• Duration: 4 Years
• Start date: 2027-09-06
• Closing date: 2027-02-17
• Apprenticeship standard: Product design and development engineer (degree) (level 6)
• Training provider: THE UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK

About the employer

Together, we create the ingenious technological systems and innovations that impact and improve people's lives every single day. Even if you haven't heard the name Thales before, you've definitely benefited from our inventiveness. We reinvest 20% of our sales in Research & Development in the UK. Together we supply invention across 4 core areas: Aerospace, Space, Defence and Security, Digital Identity and Security.