Apprentice Project Manager

COSTAIN GROUP; Lewes; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading smart infrastructure solutions company in the UK is seeking a Project Management Apprentice. This role will involve working closely with project managers to oversee projects from conception to completion. Candidates should have strong organisational skills, a minimum of 5 GCSEs, and 96 UCAS points. The apprenticeship includes both on-the-job and off-the-job training to develop necessary skills and competencies.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 GCSEs Grade 4/C in Mathematics, English Language & Science/Engineering.
• Minimum of 96 UCAS Points, at A Level / T-Level.
• An organised individual who can work well to deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Learn to oversee and drive projects from start to finish.
• Gain insights into managing project budgets, schedules, and resources.
• Be involved with checking, measuring, and evaluating the quality of project work.

Skills

Organisational skills

Creativity

Problem-solving

Communication

Teamwork

Education

5 GCSEs Grade 4/C in Mathematics, English Language & Science/Engineering

Minimum of 96 UCAS Points

Vocational equivalents at level 3 or higher

Job description

Job Description

As a Project Management Apprentice, you'll work closely with experienced Costain Project Managers and the integrated project team in one of the most complex and dynamic working environments in the UK.

A career in Project Management offers a unique blend of strategic planning, leadership, and hands‑on problem‑solving. As an Apprentice Project Manager, you will work closely with the team to oversee the entire lifecycle of projects, from initial conception and design through to completion and evaluation.

This role requires a keen eye for detail, the ability to support the coordination of various teams and resources, and the resilience to support the team with achieving tight deadlines and unexpected challenges. It demands excellent communication skills to inspire and guide your team, as well as a proactive approach to risk management and troubleshooting.

At Costain, Project Management is not just about delivering projects on time and within budget—it’s about driving innovation and creating lasting impacts on society. Whether you’re overseeing the construction of new infrastructure, managing risk in high‑stakes environments, or ensuring the smooth execution of complex operational tasks.

What does an Apprenticeship at Costain offer me?

The level and training provider for your apprenticeship will depend on the skills you present at interview. The Early Careers team will register you with a suitable training provider who can support the delivery of your qualification. Being an apprentice means you will work both on‑the‑job with your project at site, and off‑the‑job with the provider.

When taking on one of the many apprenticeships on offer by Costain, you will be supported by your project line manager and team, the Costain Early Careers Team, and the training provider of your academic qualification. The training provider may be a college, a university or even an independent training provider.

You will be supported throughout your apprenticeship by your local team and line manager, and you will be given time to carry out your studies with the provider. Your on‑the‑job training will be in line with the work available on site but will afford the opportunity to ensure that you are given on‑site experience required to meet the technical and competency levels to achieve your apprenticeship goals.

Responsibilities

• Project Management: Learn to oversee and drive projects from start to finish.
• Project Controls: Gain insights into managing project budgets, schedules, and resources.
• Quality: Be involved with checking, measuring, and evaluating the quality of your project work against the quality criteria and standards, and taking corrective actions if needed.
• Commercial: Ensure that all commercial aspects of the projects under your remit are properly managed and controlled, and that commercial strategy is developed and delivered in accordance with the requirements of the business.
• Construction: Get hands‑on experience in the execution and operational phases of projects.

Throughout the programme, you will be integral to the success of pioneering projects.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 GCSEs Grade 4/C in Mathematics, English Language & or Science/Engineering subject.
• Minimum of 96 UCAS Points, at A Level / T‑Level, all subjects considered.
• Other Level 3 qualifications may be considered.
• Vocational equivalents at level 3 or higher will also be considered as equivalent to UCAS points.
• Functional Skills Level 2 will also be considered as equivalent to GCSE Grade 4/C.

About you

• An organised individual that can work well to deadlines.
• Someone who is creative with a keen interest in the latest technology.
• Someone that enjoys challenges and problem solving in their day‑to‑day work.
• Communicating clearly, both written and verbally.
• Works well within a team, but equally on your own.
• Building and maintaining positive working relationships.

Additional Requirements

• Candidates will be required to achieve appropriate security and medical clearances; these will be instigated on receiving a conditional offer of employment.
• Please note that if you are invited to interview, we will require you to produce your passport and/or right to work documentation.
• As some of our project sites are based in remote locations, it is worth noting that you will be required to have the ability to travel to the site.

About Us

Costain helps to improve people’s lives with integrated, leading‑edge, smart infrastructure solutions across the UK’s energy, water, transportation and defence markets. We help our clients improve their business performance by increasing capacity, improving customer service, safeguarding security, enhancing resilience, decarbonising and delivering increased efficiency. Our vision is to be the UK’s leading smart infrastructure solutions company.

We will achieve this by focusing on blue‑chip clients whose major spending plans are underpinned by strategic national needs, regulatory commitments, legislation or essential performance requirements. We offer our clients leading‑edge solutions that are digitally optimised through the following five services which cover the whole lifecycle of their assets: future‑shaping strategic consultancy; consultancy and advisory; digital technology solutions; asset optimisation and complex programme delivery. Our culture and values underpin everything we do.

Costain appreciates the time and effort taken when applying for one of our positions but, due to the high volume of responses, we are unable to provide individual feedback on candidates at the application phase. We do share individual feedback following an interview.

Equal Opportunity

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that discloses they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer.

It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high‑volume, seasonal and high‑peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non‑disabled people.

For more details please go to the Disability Confident website: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disability-confident-campaign