Sales Internship (A-Level Students)

R.E. Thompson & Co. Ltd; Basingstoke and Deane; On-site; GBP 24,300 - 29,700; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dedicated mentor

Structured development programme

On-site parking

Job summary

R.E. Thompson & Co. Ltd is offering a Sales Internship in Basingstoke and Deane. This fully paid 6-month programme offers aspiring sales professionals the chance to learn critical skills in technical sales while engaging with prestigious aerospace and defence clients.

Interns will develop skills in preparing quotations, understanding customer requirements, and will benefit from dedicated mentoring and real customer interaction. A competitive salary of £27,000 per annum is offered, with genuine potential for a full-time career.

Qualifications

• Recent A-Level leaver with a good grip on numerical skills.
• Strong interest in business and customer relationships.
• Ability to use computers and adapt to new systems.

Responsibilities

• Learn to prepare manufacturing quotations.
• Support customer communications and relationship building.
• Gain exposure to aerospace industry requirements.

Skills

Numerical skills

Detail-oriented

Organised

Education

Recent A-Level leaver or equivalent

Job description

Want to learn technical sales in a B2B engineering environment?

Our Sales Internship combines commercial skills with technical understanding. You’ll learn how to prepare quotations, understand customer requirements, and support relationships with prestigious aerospace and defence clients.

This is a fully paid 6-month programme with dedicated mentoring, real customer interaction, and genuine potential for a full-time career in technical sales.

£27,000 per annum (pro‑ra­tion for 6 months)

Start Date

Monday 5th October 2026

About Us

R E Thompson is a leading precision aerospace engineering company with over 75 years of experience providing complete manufacturing solutions.

Operating from our advanced facilities in Hampshire, we are home to the UK’s most sophisticated automated 5‑axis machine shop. Our state‑of‑the‑art Flexible Manufacturing System enables 24/7 lights‑out production, and we hold AS9100, ISO9001, ISO14001, and ISO45001 certifications.

We work with prestigious clients including GE Aviation, BAE Systems, and Ontic, delivering complex precision components for the aerospace, defence, automotive, and electronics industries.

• Learn to prepare manufacturing quotations for precision components
• Understand how to read and interpret technical drawings
• Support customer communications and relationship building
• Learn to assess manufacturing requirements and costsUse CRM systems to track opportunities and customer data
• Assist with contract review and order processing
• Gain exposure to aerospace industry requirements
• Understand the sales cycle in precision engineering
• Phase 1 (Months 1‑3): Induction, shadowing, guided tasks, building operational understanding
• Phase 1 Review: Assessment of progress and suitability for Phase 2
• Phase 2 (Months 4‑6): Greater responsibility, supporting scheduling, full team integration
• Final Assessment: Review with potential for full‑time job offer

What We’re Looking For

• Recent A‑Level leaver or equivalent
• Good numerical skills (A‑Level Maths advantageous but not essential)
• Interest in business and customer relationships
• Detail‑oriented and organised
• Comfortable using computers and learning new systems

What We Offer

• Competitive salary of £27,000 per annum (pro‑ra­tion)
• Dedicated mentor from day one
• Structured development programme
• Real project experience for your CV
• On‑site parking
• Potential pathway to full‑time employment