2026 Engineering Apprentice - Cheadle
Level: 6
Employer: THALES UK LIMITED
Location: Ashurst Drive Bird Hall Lane
Duration: 4 Years
Expected start date: 07/09/2026
Hours per week: 37 hours
Wage: (Annually)
Job role includes
The role will develop your engineering skills to become a confident, positive and flexible engineer, with well-honed technical knowledge gained from the academic commitments. You will support the team to deliver sonar systems and equipment solutions to deadlines and within budget, including participating in systems requirements and design work, project reviews, system test and possibly site and platform visits for surveys, installations or trials.
As an Engineering Apprentice you will develop the key skills and experience in the following:
- Develop an understanding of the required behaviours and codes of practice of a professional engineer
- Understanding complex systems for Sonar Technology, by working on different roles and tasks on on-going projects
- Familiarity with the Manufacturing Engineering lifecycle and activities
- Familiarity with Manufacturing Engineering tools and methods for requirements capture, requirements management and system design
- An understanding of systems test activities including Integration, Validation, Verification & Qualification (IVVQ) and the associated processes and tools
- A methodical and structured approach to problem investigation
About employer
Together, we create the ingenious technological systems and innovations that impact and improve people's lives every single day. Even if you haven't heard the name Thales before, you've definitely benefited from our inventiveness. We reinvest 20% of our sales in Research & Development in the UK. We support businesses, organisations, and governments in addressing tomorrow’s major challenges by developing advanced Defence, Security, Cybersecurity, Digital Identity, and Aerospace solutions, in the most sustainable, responsible, and ethical manner.
Through our degree apprenticeship you’ll be making the most of your talents, getting to understand engineering from the ground up, and doing so with the help of one of the biggest and best names in the industry.
As an Engineering Apprentice, you will be enroled onto the Level 6 Applied Professional Engineering Programme at Warwick University, following the Manufacturing Engineer pathway. Delivered via a blended learning model, this programme combines the best of both with on-campus delivery (6 block weeks per year) plus virtual coaching and online resources.
The first 2 years on the programme will be common across all pathways and will provide a broad engineering skill set including mechanical, electrical, electronic, materials and design, plus computational.
In Year 3 and Year 4 learners will move to their specialist pathway. For the duration of this 4-year programme, you will combine university studies with practical application, working within our Manufacturing function in Cheadle.
Will qualify and be a permanent member of the team within the Thales business.
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Team working
- Initiative
