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Engineering Plant Apprentice

Great Western Railway • Bristol, ENG, GB • £13.79k - £25k / year • 2m ago

Who are we?

GWR is the proud custodian of Brunel's railway - one of the most prestigious networks in the world. We have some of the newest trains in the country and exciting plans to extend our services. With more than one hundred million passenger journeys each year, we carry people to over 275 stations in the South West, from Cornwall and South Wales to London, passing through beautiful country and some of the UK's top tourist destinations.

We are transforming the way people think about train travel, empowering our team of over 6,000 people from all different backgrounds to make it a great experience for our customers. Together, we will revalue rail as a very special way to travel – relaxing, fast, efficient, friendly and fun.

About the team:

The award-winning scheme is seen as the benchmark for the industry. The Apprentice programme is the holder of We Invest In Apprentices Gold Accreditation in the IIP process. The scheme has achieved significantly higher than national success and retention rates year on year since its inception. The apprentice scheme provides the talent pipeline for entry level grades and above for GWR. GWR is a place where you can truly be your unique self, thrive and be part of an awesome family.

About the job:

As an Engineering Plant technician apprentice at GWR you'll train and learn whilst you earn. Everything from how to inspect, service, repair, fault find and react to faults with depot infrastructure, from lighting / heating systems to 415v shore supply systems and equipment that enables our Engineering depots to operate and in turn supports Engineering in delivering the train service for our customers.

The apprenticeship is designed to maximise your full potential and provide you with the competencies, experiences and qualifications needed to become a skilled Engineer of the future.

Your main responsibilities will be:

During your apprenticeship, you will study a level 2 & 3 qualification in electrical engineering, with an opportunity to progress to further qualifications throughout your career. Alongside training at the depot, you'll attend college to work towards your qualifications. In year 2 of the programme, you'll be given the opportunity to complete the Duke of Edinburgh Business Gold award.

You'll need to be:

You'll enjoy working with people, have great communication, numerical and team working skills. You'll bring with you your enthusiasm to learn and a commitment to develop a career in engineering.

As a minimum, you will need to have:

Essentially you must be over 16 years of age at the start of the programme, live within 1 hour of your chosen location above and have achieved Functional Skills Level 2 or GCSE grade 4 and above in Maths and English. You'll have good numerical, verbal and written communication skills.

About the location:

We currently have 2 vacancies 1 each based at Bristol and Plymouth Depot. You must live within a maximum of 60 minutes travelling time to the depot you apply for. (This means able to travel to work within 60 minutes for both your own travel and using public transport, which is not negotiable).

Working Pattern:

For the first 2 years of the apprenticeship, you will do day shifts between 0700n and 2000. Monday through Saturday, with a rest day and study time during this period. For year 3 and 4 you will follow a 24/7 shift pattern. During periods of training, overnight stays may be required.

Additional Information:

The apprenticeship scheme starts on 26th August 2025 and is for 4 years.

The recruitment process will involve:

Completion of your applications
If you are short-listed, you will be invited to attend an assessment centre scheduled for week commencing
If short listed, you will be invited to attend an selection event scheduled for week commencing 21st April or 28th April 25 depending on which location you have applied for.

The salary details are as follows:

Starting Salary for Under 18's is £13785 / Starting Salary for Over 18's is £23000

For more information regarding the application process, please contact the Recruitment Team gwrrecruitment@gwr.com

We all belong at GWR. This is our vision for providing an inclusive environment for all our colleagues, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment.

We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent.

We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below. We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.

INGWR