Higher Apprentice Quality Practioner

BAE Systems; Mellor; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace and defence company in the UK is seeking new team members to join their Quality Professionals program. You will design quality systems, conduct audits, and analyze data to ensure products meet standards. Ideal candidates will have relevant qualifications and skills in communication and teamwork. The role offers competitive salary and benefits, with opportunities for career growth and higher education funding.

Benefits

Competitive salary with annual increases

Free higher education

Employee share plans and discounts

Qualifications

• Effective communication skills to influence stakeholders.
• Ability to analyse quality data using statistical methods.
• Experience in quality management and assurance.

Responsibilities

• Design systems for reliable outputs and implement Quality Management Plans.
• Ensure that quality standards are maintained by conducting audits.
• Verify that products meet agreed specifications and customer requirements.

Skills

Communication skills

Organisation skills

Team working

Education

GCSE: Maths and English (grade A–C or 9–4 or equivalent)

A Level: STEM based subjects (grade 72 UCAS points, C or above)

Job description

You will be joining a team function of skilled Quality Professionals who will guide you through a three‑year learning journey to deploy effective Quality Practices within the Air sector.

Responsibilities

• Quality Planning: Designing systems for reliable outputs and implementing Quality Management Plans.
• Quality Assurance: Ensuring that quality standards are maintained by conducting audits.
• Quality Control: Verifying that a product or service meets agreed specifications and customer requirements.
• Continuous Improvement: Preventing recurrence of poor quality through analysis and addressing the root cause.
• Communicate using appropriate methods (verbal, written, visual) to influence internal and external stakeholders and using open or leading questioning techniques.
• Identify, collect and analyse relevant quality data using tools such as Pareto analysis, statistical methods and trending analysis.
• Apply methods and tools to improve the quality performance of processes, products and services such as production control plans, standardised work and the use of failure mode and effects.
• Identify, analyse and prioritise quality specific risks and opportunities and support the development and implementation of actions.
• Plan and conduct system, product or process audits.
• Assess the effectiveness of measurement systems using Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA).
• Identify requirements from technical documents, commercial input or stakeholder statements and convert them to definitions that drive the organisation’s processes.
• Identify gaps in process performance and develop improvement plans to close those gaps.
• Apply structured problem solving including identification, definition, measurement, analysis, improvement and control methods and tools.
• Communicate the organisational quality strategy to all levels of the organisation.
• Identify internal and external stakeholders and their current and optimal positions to support quality related activities.

Qualifications

• GCSE: Maths and English (grade A–C or 9–4 or equivalent)
• A Level: STEM based subjects (grade 72 UCAS points, C or above)
• Communication skills
• Organisation skills
• Team working
• Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience.

The Air sector leads in aerospace innovation, designing advanced aircraft, supporting global customers, and developing cutting‑edge technology. With 23,000 employees worldwide, it offers world‑class training, career growth, and opportunities to impact the future of Aviation. At BAE Systems, we provide some of the world's most advanced, technology‑led defence, aerospace and security solutions. We employ a skilled workforce of more than 93,000 people in around 40 countries.

Competitive Wage and Benefits

• Competitive salary with annual increases throughout the apprenticeship.
• Free higher education and access to the company pension and share saving scheme.
• Employee share plans, extensive flexible discounted health, wellbeing & lifestyle benefits including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts.