Apprentice Civil Engineering Technician

Canal & River Trust; Leighton Buzzard; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Starting salary £22,095

Competitive pension

Increased holiday entitlement

Employee benefits

Job summary

Canal & River Trust in Leighton Buzzard is launching an Apprentice Engineering Technician role that combines hands-on work with formal training in civil engineering. You’ll work Monday to Friday, 37 hours, starting October 2026, with apprenticeship training from February 2027 and a typical duration of 36 months.

You’ll gain practical experience across the East Midlands region while based at the Leighton Buzzard depot.

Qualifications

• No prior experience required; we’ll teach you everything you need.
• Interest in practical, hands-on work and passion for mechanics and electrical work.
• Willingness to work outside in all weathers.
• GCSE Maths and English at grade A-C / 9-4 or on track.

Responsibilities

• Complete all apprenticeship training and coursework, working towards the qualification.
• Develop knowledge of civil engineering, asset management and waterway infrastructure.
• Support engineers with inspections, surveys and assessments of canals, locks, bridges and other assets.
• Assist with collection and maintenance of engineering data to support maintenance decisions.
• Gain experience in engineering design, project delivery and asset management through placements and site visits.

Skills

Hands-on problem solving

Education

Maths & English GCSE (A-C / 9-4)

Job description

About the Trust

We’re one of the UK’s biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water. We’re looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you?

Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country’s third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year.

Join Our Team: Engineering Technician Apprentice

Start Date: October 2026

Apprenticeship Programme: Formal apprenticeship training will commence in February 2027, when the next learner cohort begins. Prior to this, you’ll gain valuable experience through shadowing, on-the-job learning, and practical workplace development.

Typical Duration: 36 months

Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.

As part of our commitment to the long-term maintenance and restoration of the waterways, we are looking to recruit an Apprentice Engineering Technician. Working for the Canal & River Trust, you can take pride in knowing that you are really making a difference each and every day. By joining us, you’ll be caring for your environment as well as your community, helping make life better by water for everyone. Every day.

This role follows a 37 hours, Monday to Friday working pattern. You’ll be based at ourLeighton Buzzard depot and travel across the East Midlands region, with occasional support in other areas.

RoleOverview

As a Civil Engineering Apprentice, you'll combine practical workplace experience with formal training, developing the skills and knowledge needed to support the maintenance and improvement of the Trust's historic waterways.

Working alongside experienced engineers, you’ll gain hands‑on experience through site visits, inspections, project work and placements, while building expertise in civil engineering, asset management and infrastructure projects. No two days are the same, with opportunities to work across our network and contribute to projects that help keep our canals open and alive.

Key Responsibilities

• Complete all apprenticeship training and coursework, working towards successful achievement of the qualification.
• Develop knowledge and practical skills in civil engineering, asset management and waterway infrastructure.
• Support engineers with inspections, surveys and assessments of canals, locks, bridges and other assets.
• Assist with the collection and maintenance of engineering data to support maintenance and investment decisions.
• Gain experience in engineering design, project delivery and asset management through placements, site visits and project work.
• Follow health, safety and environmental procedures at all times, both on site and in the office.
• Build positive working relationships with colleagues, contractors and other stakeholders.
• Take ownership of personal development, seeking feedback and continuously developing technical knowledge and skills.
• Demonstrate the Trust's values and behaviours, contributing positively to the team and wider organisation.
• The Canal & River Trust is committed to supporting apprentices to become experts in their field, offering structured development pathways and long-term career prospects.

About You

• You don’t need any prior experience - we’ll teach you everything you need. What matters is you have a genuine interest in practical, hands‑on work. You love to understand how things work and have a passion for all things mechanical and electrical.
• You enjoy solving problems and feel comfortable working outside in all weathers.
• Ideally, you have grade A-C or grade 9-4 in Maths and English GCSE (or equivalent) already achieved or on track.

Apprentice story: Eunilzo was always fascinated by a career in engineering and has a passion for nature and the outdoors which led him to the Mechanical & Engineering Apprenticeship at the Trust. He’s soon coming to the end of his apprenticeship and is moving into a M&E Technician role. See more here: Eunilzo's Story

#INDLP

What We Offer

We offer a starting annual salary of £22,095. Enjoy a competitive pension scheme, increasing holiday entitlement, and a range of employee benefits. For a full breakdown of our benefits, check out our brochure here: EVP - 1 ( https://canalrivertrust.pagetiger.com/cqhhihy/1 )

Our values

We care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone can thrive. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.

We want everyone to have the opportunity to perform at their best during our recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments - whether for a disability, neurodiversity, or health condition - please let us know what you need and how we can support you. We’ll work with you to make any necessary changes.

All of our jobs can be considered on a part time, flexible or job share basis.

We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. You are considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to carry out normal day‑to‑day activities. We recognise not everyone who is classified as disabled under the Equality Act personally identifies this way, or with this definition of disability. Please do not let this discourage you from applying under the scheme.

At Canal & River Trust, we are committed to fair, transparent, and ethical recruitment practices. As part of our hiring process, we may use AI to analyse applications and support us work more efficiently. However, all hiring decisions – without exception – are made by our hiring managers.

Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.