Trainee Mechanical Engineer

Wales & West Utilities Limited; Llandarcy; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Pension scheme

25 days annual leave

Company vehicle and tools

Bonus scheme

Life insurance

Employee assistance

Job summary

Wales & West Utilities Limited is seeking a Trainee Mechanical Engineer for the Llandarcy/Treforest area. The role offers a starting salary of £31,736 rising to £35,216 and a permanent full-time contract.

You will learn on the job under supervision, contribute to gas network maintenance and join a safety-conscious team. Ideal candidates have practical, hands-on skills, a positive attitude, and a willingness to learn.

Qualifications

• Good practical and team working skills.
• An understanding or willingness to learn on-site health and safety and all aspects of gas safety.
• Full UK Driving Licence is required.

Responsibilities

• Learn on the job and assist with everyday tasks on our gas network, including laying, connecting, disconnecting, commissioning, decommissioning and maintaining pipework and equipment.
• Undertake installation and maintenance work on pressure reduction installations, holders, compressor stations, heaters, pipework, valves and meters.
• Assist in emergency response, standby, testing, survey, detection and diagnostic work.
• Undertake excavation, backfill, reinstatement and repair work to necessary standards.

Skills

Practical skills

Teamwork

Willingness to learn

On-site safety

Driving licence (UK)

Job description

Trainee Mechanical Engineer - Llandarcy/Treforest

Trainee Mechanical Engineer - Llandarcy/Treforest

Location

Llandarcy

£31,736 rising to £35,216

Contract

Permanent Full Time

Closing Date:

28th September 2026

Accessibility

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Who are we?

We are a gas distribution business that services the gas infrastructure across Wales and the south-west of England. We serve our customers and communities with safe, reliable, and affordable energy services whilst investing to create a sustainable future to deliver our carbon-free vision for 2050.

What we’re looking for?

We are looking for a reliable, hands‑on individual with a practical mindset and a willingness to learn. Some mechanical, civils or manual experience is helpful, but attitude matters more than background.

If you are comfortable using tools, following instructions and working as part of a team, this could be a great opportunity for you.

We value people who show initiative, pay attention to detail and takes pride in doing their work properly.

The purpose of this job is to contribute to a cost effective and customer focused, reliable gas service by carrying out routine and non-routine work across the district under supervision of a team leader.

Working under supervision, the job holder will carry out repairs to our network gas mains and services, attend emergencies and complete all new customer connections work. There is also a requirement to help with the delivery of our Replacement and Capital programmes, to make sure that we can supply all future gas demand.

The job holder will be trained to an appropriate standard to carry out the duties allocated and will receive direction from a First Line Manager or equivalent.

The job holder may well be an experienced practitioner in one aspect of the work, but, with appropriate training may also undertake work across a wider cross section of work.

We’ll trust you to:

• Learn on the job and take instruction from experienced team members, assisting with everyday tasks on our gas network, including: lay, connect, disconnect, commission, decommission and maintain pipework, associated plant and equipment; this may involve non-routine work and civils operations. Receive instructions and requests, plan and organise resources and make appropriate arrangements to ensure that work is carried out efficiently
• Undertake installation and maintenance work on pressure reduction installations, holders, compressor stations, heaters, pipework, valves, filters, meters and associated equipment; this may involve non-routine work and/or appropriate specialist knowledge.
• Assist in emergency response, participate in standby and undertake testing, survey, detection and diagnostic work which may be of a non-routine nature, reporting results, ensuring safety and taking appropriate action in order to maintain the transportation system and associated equipment
• Undertake and ensure that excavation, backfill, reinstatement and repair work is carried out to the necessary standards, including the removal of surplus/waste material

You’ll need to have:

• Good practical and team working skills
• A positive, can‑do attitude and willingness to learn
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions accurately and safely
• Basic engineering/hands on principles and skills, civils and/or mechanical backgrounds are preferred
• Good timekeeping and reliability
• Customer awareness and care
• An understanding or willingness to learn on‑site health and safety and all aspects of gas safety
• An understanding of the gas supply network and the behaviour of various gases is preferred
• Knowledge of New Roads and Streetworks Act Activities
• Ability to communicate with fellow workers, management, public officials, site managers and the general public in order to carry out work, deal with routine complaints and ensure that we satisfy our customers and the general public
• Full UK Driving Licence

We would also love to hear about anything else you feel you could add or bring to the role!

As we are a safety critical organisation, all offers of employment are subject to pre‑employment drug & alcohol screening.

What’s in it for you?

• A competitive salary from £31,736 rising to £35,216
• A structured pay & competency framework which rewards skills, competence and enables development and career progression
• Additional earnings through the standby rota plus overtime and additional work available
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Retirement Savings Plan (pension) with Aviva: 5% employee contribution, with WWU doubling your contribution at 10% - totalling 15%
• 14 x salary Life Insurance linked to membership of the Retirement Savings Plan
• “Choices” flexible benefit scheme options including corporate gym memberships, dental insurance, and health cash-plans
• Access to our Financial Wellbeing Programme - allowing you to manage your benefits flexibly to suit your financial needs
• Enhanced pay for parental leave
• Retail discounts and cashback scheme
• Annual salary review
• An opportunity to earn a monthly bonus via our incentive scheme
• Company Sick Pay
• In‑house Occupational Health Team
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Company vehicle (including vehicle insurance & fuel card), tools, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and uniform

The way we do things

Our Ambition, Priorities and Values inform everything we do as a business – from our strategic planning to the performance management of our colleagues. Our values underpin everything we do and we are committed to creating a working environment that supports and fosters diversity, inclusion and equity, where all of our colleagues feel valued and supported to contribute to their full potential.

We are focused on creating a culture where it doesn’t matter about gender, race, sexuality or disability; it’s about our colleagues’ skills, the way we do things and how we live our values.

If you think you’d make a good addition to the team, we would love to hear from you!