Operations Apprentice (Level 3 – Advanced)

Atomic Weapons Establishment; Aldermaston; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday entitlement 270 hours

Pension scheme

Every other Friday off

Discounts portal

Employee Assistance Programme

Occupational Health Services

Job summary

Atomic Weapons Establishment in Reading/Aldermaston area offers an Operations Apprenticeship expected to last 3 years, with hands‑on experience across production, safety and process operations. You’ll learn how different business areas collaborate to support national security in a highly regulated environment.

Starting salary £16,750 per year, rising to £24,500 in year 2, with ongoing increases subject to performance.

Qualifications

• Practical interest in how things work, especially in engineering and technology.
• Good attention to detail.
• Ability to work well with others.
• Good communication skills, including listening, asking questions and sharing information clearly.
• Understanding of why health and safety is important.
• Ability to follow instructions carefully and ask if you are unsure.
• Motivation to learn and develop new skills.
• Good time management, including planning your work and completing tasks to deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Spending time in different operational areas to understand the tasks people carry out, the processes they follow, and how work is completed to specific requirements.
• Carrying out practical laboratory analysis, supporting administrative activities, and learning how teams monitor physical and environmental health.
• Learning how experiments are carried out in our explosives operational areas, including the safety measures needed to do this work responsibly.
• Understanding how daily tasks, weekly plans, and safe systems of work are organised so that activities across the site are completed safely and correctly.
• Taking part in science‑related work, such as pulsed power trials, where energy is built up over time and then released very quickly.

Skills

Practical interest in engineering and技

Education

5 GCSEs including Maths and English

Job description

About AWE

We’re a team of remarkable people, united by one extraordinary mission: keeping the UK safe and secure. The UK’s independent nuclear deterrent has existed for 75 years to deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, helping to guarantee our safety, and that of ourNATOallies. Our work is critical. We’re delivering Astraea, the next warhead for the UK’s nuclear deterrent and pushing the boundaries of nuclear science and technology. But that’s just part of the story. We support the UK government in a range of vital areas – from counter‑terrorism to global nuclear test monitoring to building a world‑class community of experts in nuclear science. This is work that protects lives and strengthens national security. At AWE, you’ll find more than just a job. You’ll find purpose, growth, and a community like no other. Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your career to the next level, this is your chance to learn from the best, develop your skills, and be part of something truly unique. Be extraordinary at AWE.

About the apprenticeship

As an Operations Apprentice at AWE, you’ll start building a career in a unique environment where you can learn how different parts of the business work together, including Operations, Manufacturing, Science and Engineering. You’ll help support the manufacturing and assembly work that contributes to the defence and security of the United Kingdom. You’ll gain hands‑on experience in production and process operations, working in a highly regulated environment where safety is always the priority.

During your placements, you could get involved in a range of activities, such as:

• Spending time in different operational areas to understand the tasks people carry out, the processes they follow, and how work is completed to specific requirements.
• Carrying out practical laboratory analysis, supporting administrative activities, and learning how teams monitor physical and environmental health.
• Learning how experiments are carried out in our explosives operational areas, including the safety measures needed to do this work responsibly.
• Understanding how daily tasks, weekly plans, and safe systems of work are organised so that activities across the site are completed safely and correctly.
• Taking part in science‑related work, such as pulsed power trials, where energy is built up over time and then released very quickly.

This role can be physically demanding, so you’ll need to pass a medical assessment to check your general fitness and suitability to work with our unique materials. This includes having a BMI under 35, which is a legal requirement for wearing respiratory protection. Depending on your role, you may need to wear this protection while working.

Opportunities when you complete your apprenticeship

When you complete your apprenticeship, you’re likely to move into one of our operational business units. You may also be able to apply for roles in other areas of AWE, such as logistics, science or engineering.

Apprenticeship Standard

ST1407

About you

• A practical interest in how things work, especially in engineering and technology
• Good attention to detail
• The ability to work well with others
• Good communication skills, including listening, asking questions and sharing information clearly
• An understanding of why health and safety is important
• The ability to follow instructions carefully and ask if you are unsure
• Motivation to learn and develop new skills
• Good time management, including planning your work and completing tasks to deadlines

• Looking closely at details and finding ways to improve how things are done
• Reading instructions or documents and understanding how they apply to real work
• Understanding step‑by‑step processes and why each stage matters
• Solving problems in a practical, hands‑on way
• Practical work that involves using your hands carefully, such as assembling components

Entry Requirements

• 5 GCSEs at grade 4/C or above including Maths and English
• Due to the security requirements associated with this apprenticeship, applicants must be British Nationals and be aged 18 or over by 31 August 2027.

The Benefits

• A starting salary of £16,750 yearly, increasing to £24,500 in Year 2, with further annual salary increases throughout your apprenticeship, subject to satisfactory performance and achievement of apprenticeship milestones.
• Market leading contributory pension scheme
• Generous paid holiday entitlement of 270 hours per year, inclusive of Bank Holidays, plus every other Friday off as part of AWE’s flexible working pattern.
• Access to employee discounts portal - everyday savings on retail, hospitality and leisure
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services
• Alongside these benefits, you will learn from experienced specialists in their fields while contributing to work that supports national nuclear security, threat reduction and counter‑terrorism.

Location

Reading area: AWE Aldermaston and/or AWE Burghfield sites, depending on your apprenticeship pathway, placements and business needs. Due to the nature of our work and security requirements, you should expect to work on‑site during your apprenticeship and in your role after you complete it. Being on‑site means you can learn directly from experienced technical specialists, access hands‑on support, and build valuable connections across the business.

Start Date

1st September 2027. Annual leave will not be granted from 1st September until 1st October due to mandatory inductions you are required to complete as part of your apprenticeship. Any leave approved after this point will depend on the training provider requirements for your apprenticeship and must be agreed in advance.

Apprenticeship Duration

3 years plus End Point Assessment

Recruitment Process

• This vacancy will close on 10th January 2027, but we review applications as they come in—so we strongly encourage you to apply early. We want you to shine in your application process which is designed to be fair and transparent. So we’ve kept it simple with a three step process.
• Online application: Apply for one apprenticeship; take your time to explore the options and choose the one that best matches your interests and goals.
• Online test: If successful, you will be invited to complete our online assessment stage. These include online testing against numerical, verbal, logical and cognitive reasoning tests.
• In person assessment: Those successful at testing will be invited to an in person assessment centre. The Assessment Centres are scheduled for 1st February, 3rd February, 2nd March and 4th March 2027. Please note that these dates may be subject to change, but rest assured, we’ll keep all applicants informed throughout the process.
• These roles are governed by Health and Safety at Work Regulations and require all candidates to have an Occupational Health pre‑employment medical held at AWE which follows the initial selection process. All candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role and be willing and able to work in designated areas.

Inclusion and support

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants.

If you choose to share information on your application form about support needs, learning differences, disabilities, health conditions or adjustments, we may contact you to understand how we can support you through the recruitment process. This information will only be used for this purpose and will be handled in line with GDPR.

Final note

We’re at the start of a once in a generation – possibly two generations – programme to design and produce a replacement warhead for the UK’s continuous at sea deterrent. We will do this while continuing to deliver the Trident programme as well as managing ambitious state‑of‑the‑art capital and construction projects – some of which have never been done before. We are recruiting right across the business: from technical roles in engineering, science, manufacturing and industrial work to business roles in areas such as IT, project management/ controls, commercial, human resources and facilities management. We also have our Evolve graduate programme, or you may be interested in an apprenticeship with our award‑winning Skills Academy. What we do is vital to national nuclear security. Keeping our nation, everyone, our environment and everything around us safe and secure is a top priority for us. So, as you would expect, that brings with it a high level of safety and security that you will see across our sites and in how everyone who works here operates. We are always looking for high calibre people to join our team, so why not explore the opportunities we currently have on offer. Whatever stage of your career, AWE is an exciting and challenging environment to develop your skills and achieve your potential.