Engineering Degree Apprenticeships

How do they work?

Instead of going to university, you’ll work full-time in an engineering role for a company. Typically, engineering degree apprenticeships last between 3 and 5 years.

You’ll do your job for around 80% of the time, gaining the practical skills and knowledge needed to become a skilled engineer. The other 20% is spent studying towards your degree, usually at a local university or college.

You’ll be paid a salary like any other employee, and best of all, you’ll pay zero tuition fees.

On completion of your engineering degree apprenticeship, you’ll be awarded a degree qualification (usually a BEng or BSc) and up to 5 years' worth of relevant work experience on your CV.

Engineering Areas

To begin with, you’ll have to choose a company and a role. There are loads of different areas to work within engineering, some include: 

• Automotive Engineering

  • Developing cars, trucks, and other vehicles, focusing on performance, safety, and design.

• Chemical Engineering

  • Turning raw materials into usable products using chemical processes.

• Mechanical Engineering

  • Designing, building, and testing mechanical systems like engines, machines, and tools.

• Aerospace Engineering

  • Designing aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and related systems.

• Automotive Engineering

  • Developing cars, trucks, and other vehicles, focusing on performance, safety, and design.

• Civil Engineering

  • Designing and constructing infrastructure like roads, bridges, tunnels, and buildings.

• Electrical Engineering

  • Dealing with electricity, circuits, power generation, and electronic systems.

And more!

Here’s what a degree apprentice said about their time with ARUP:

Is it better to do a degree apprenticeship or go to university?

For engineering, this will depend on many factors. Both paths are well respected and take a similar amount of time (if you decide to include a placement year at university, for example).

Regardless of your choice, the UK needs engineers, and you will never be short of work. We have compiled a list of pros and cons to help you make your decision:

Here’s what a degree apprentice said about their apprenticeship with BAE Systems:

Do you get paid for an engineering degree apprenticeship?

Yes! You definitely do! 

You will be paid like any other employee, with paid sick leave and paid holiday. You also don’t have to worry about your tuition fees, that’s covered for you. You’ll avoid the dreaded university debt and student loans.

How much you will be paid will depend on your company and location, but on average, you will be paid £25,000 a year (based on apprentice-written reviews on Higherin). 

Remember that this is just the beginning; there are so many opportunities awaiting you after you have completed an engineering degree apprenticeship. Like a higher salary 😉

How do you apply for a degree apprenticeship in engineering?

Entry requirements will vary depending on the employer, but they’ll usually expect the following qualifications:

• Five or more GCSEs passes (including maths and English)

• Two or more A-levels or equivalent, like:

  • BTEC qualification

  • Level 4 apprenticeship

Some companies will ask for UCAS points. You’ll also have to be age 18 or older when you start.

Roles tend to go live from September, the year before your degree apprenticeship starts. However, you will get more time to apply for degree apprenticeships than if you were just going to university, as you don’t have the strict UCAS deadline. Loads of engineering degree apprenticeships continue to open applications up until March, and sometimes even later.

Once you have found your engineering degree apprenticeship on Higherin, you then need to make sure your application is ready. Unlike a university, you won’t necessarily need a personal statement. Instead, you’re likely going to need a CV and a cover letter. Show off your skills, passion and experience to show them why you would be a great fit for their engineering degree apprenticeship. You can find templates for these on our apprenticeships application advice area of our website.

Feeling well prepared to start your degree apprenticeship in engineering? Go check out our opportunities and start applying.