Manufacturing Operator Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship

MBDA; Bolton; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 21,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully funded qualification starting 09

Paid travel expenses to and from your 

Annual pay reviews

Healthcare Cash Plan

25 days annual leave (plus holiday buy

Study leave during exam periods

Job summary

MBDA invites applications for a Manufacturing Operator Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in Bolton. You will study for a Level 3 Engineering Fitter Apprenticeship, align with IET EngTech, and train on the Manufacturing Operations floor at MBDA.

The program combines on-site manufacturing work, college attendance at Wigan and Leigh College, and travel support. A British citizen or dual UK national requirement applies, with BPSS checks after offer.

Qualifications

• GCSE Maths at Grade 5 minimum
• GCSE English Language at Grade 4 minimum
• An additional 3 GCSEs at Grade 4 minimum including Science or Technology

Responsibilities

• Learn in Manufacturing Operations Training Facility and complete placements while studying at Wigan and Leigh College
• Move into manufacturing placements and work on on-site manufacturing teams
• Exposure to Printed Electrical Circuit Manufacturing, Cable Manufacturing and Missile Assembly

Education

GCSE Maths, English Language and Science/Technology requirements

Job description

Manufacturing Operator Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship 2027

Salary: £19,500 plus a £3000 joining bonus.

Working location: Bolton

This is a hands on role and as such, the majority of your work will be conducted on site. Our Bolton site operate shift patterns. In order to maximise time working with experienced team members in the manufacturing facilities, you may be expected to start as early as 7am on a regular basis. There is the opportunity for an early finish on a Friday (college dependant).

Learning provider: Wigan and Leigh College

Due to the need to attend your MBDA site and the training provider as required for your apprenticeship, applicants need to ensure their home or rental location is appropriate, travel arrangements are manageable and travel time is minimised as required for your role.

The qualification: You'll study for a Level 3 Engineering Fitter Apprenticeship, which aligns with IET EngTech professional recognition.

Find out more details about the course here: https://www.wigan-leigh.ac.uk/course-detail/appr/engineering-fitter-apprenticeship/1567/

Security clearance: British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship.

Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by the MBDA Personnel Security Team.

This role is scheduled to close for applications at midnight on Friday 22nd January 2027 but may close earlier depending on application volumes.

What we can offer you

• Fully funded qualification starting September 2027
• Paid travel expenses to and from your place of study
• Annual pay reviews
• Healthcare Cash Plan: provides support with everyday health related costs – including medical, dental, optical, physio and health & wellbeing.
• 25 days annual leave (plus holiday purchase) and up to 15 days flexi leave
• Study leave during exam periods

Programme structure - your work at MBDA

During your first year you'll complete your initial training within our Manufacturing Operations Training Facility, before moving directly into your manufacturing placements, whilst studying at Wigan and Leigh College. Whilst you can typically expect to be at college one day per week, there may be times when you will need to be there more often; we will reimburse travel costs to your place of learning. The remainder of your working week will be onsite.

You will be working in our Manufacturing Team as an Operator - at MBDA 'Manufacturing' consists of the Assembly, Integration and Test of all our products for the company. The products we make are delivered directly to our customers which could be Army, Navy or Airforce and therefore Manufacturing are vital to MBDA’s business.

Integral to the build of each and every one of our range of products are our Operations community. They work with our Engineers to deliver on our commitment to our customers. They maintain the integrity of each and every one of our builds through the specialist work they do.

You will be part of a team of operators in a fast-paced but friendly and inclusive manufacturing environment. The team has a great mix of people, all striving to deliver technical excellence and maintain product output.

You'll get to experience placements within the following teams:

• Printed Electrical Circuit Manufacturing
• Cable Manufacturing
• Missile Assembly including Actuators and Control and AIT
• Missile Integration including Platforms
• Missile Test
• Calibration & Maintenance

This opportunity would suit anyone that has a keen interest in how things work and is looking to learn and shape a career around a practical skill. We are looking for anyone with a love for hands‑on work, who wants to contribute to the delivery of our products. Further opportunities during the completion of your apprenticeship may lead to more specialist roles, such as electro‑mechanical dual skilling, and you could even end up leading a team in the future!

What we’re looking for from you

This role has specific qualification and subject criteria so please make sure you carefully check your eligibility against this criteria before applying otherwise your application will not be considered. If you are currently studying and predicted to meet these requirements by the start date you are welcome to apply.

GCSEs

They must include:

• GCSE Maths at Grade 5 minimum
• GCSE English Language at Grade 4 minimum
• An additional 3 GCSE's at Grade 4 minimum to include a Science or Technology subject

Our company: Peace is not a given, Freedom is not a given, Sovereignty is not a given

MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom.

We are proud of our employee‑led networks, examples include: Gender Equality, Pride, Menopause Matters, Parents and Carers, Armed Forces, Ethnic Diversity, Neurodiversity, Disability and more…

We recognise that everyone is unique, and we encourage you to speak to us should you require any advice, support or adjustments throughout our recruitment process.

Follow us on LinkedIn (MBDA), X (@MBDA_UK), Instagram (MBDA_UK) and Glassdoor or visit our MBDA Careers website for more information.

Advert end date: 23 January 2027