Precision Machining Level 3 Apprenticeship

Precision Machining Level 3 Apprenticeship

About the apprenticeship:

Precision machining is the manufacturing of components on various machines. During the first part of your training as a Precision Machining Apprentice (Years 1 & 2) you will learn basic machining and hand fitting skills through a series of supervised machining tasks, in which you will manufacture of a number of useful engineering tools.

You will attend a variety of lectures, through college day release, which will provide you with the knowledge and understanding of the tools and techniques that you will be using. It will also give you more information about the materials, manufacturing equipment and processes that you will be following throughout your career.

Apprentices work on a variety of machines within the academy including:

• Manual Centre lathes
• Manual Vertical and horizontal milling machines
• Surface grinders
• Pillar drills
• Computer numerical controlled (CNC) lathes & CNC milling machines

In the second part of your training (years 3 & 4), in your on-site rotational placements, you will undertake a series of more advanced machining tasks. These are designed to prepare and expose you to the full spectrum of our plant, including CNC milling and turning machines and the facilities that you will work in.

During your apprenticeship you will have been working towards gathering a portfolio of evidence so that you can demonstrate your Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSB’s) against your Apprenticeship Standard. Within the last six months of your apprenticeship, you will complete the End Point Assessment

This role may appeal to you if you enjoy:

This role will appeal to you if you enjoy the challenge of manufacturing a component to meet the specifications laid down on an engineering drawing. You will need good hand eye co-ordination skills and good workshop maths skills. The machinist role is very much a hands-on role, it will require you to operate your own machines to manufacture parts which will fit together with other team members parts.

Entry Requirements:

• 5 GCSEs at grade 4/C or above including Maths and English
• Applicants must be aged 16 or over, as of 31st August 2026 due to security clearance requirements
• You must be a British National to apply for a role with us.
• If you currently hold a Level 3 Diploma in Engineering or similar, you should consider applying for a degree level apprenticeship.

Duration:

42 Months plus 3 End Point Assessment

The Benefits:

• A starting salary of £16,750 yearly, increasing to £23,500 in Year 2 and annually throughout your apprenticeship — subject to meeting key milestones and performance expectations.
• Market leading contributory pension scheme
• Generous holiday entitlement of 270 hours a year (inclusive of Bank Holidays) plus every other Friday off
• Access to employee discounts portal - everyday savings on retail, hospitality and leisure
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services

Alongside these benefits you will get the opportunity to learn from some of the top leaders in their field whilst helping us to continue to deliver national nuclear security, threat reduction and counter-terrorism solutions.

Location:

Aldermaston/Reading area

Start Date: Tuesday 1st September 2026

Annual leave will not be granted from 1st September until 2nd October 2026 due to mandatory inductions you are required to complete as part of your apprenticeship. Any leave approved after this point will depend on the training provider requirements for your apprenticeship and must be agreed in advance.

Recruitment Process:

This vacancy will close on 22nd February 2026, but we review applications as they come in—so we strongly encourage you to apply early.

We want you to shine in your application process which is designed to be fair and transparent. So we've kept it simple with a three-step process.

1. Online application: Apply for one apprenticeship; take your time to explore the options and choose the one that best matches your interests and goals.
2. Online test: If successful, you will be invited to complete our online assessment stage. These include online testing against numerical, verbal, logical and cognitive reasoning tests. Don't be intimidated: practice assessments will be available so you will be fully equipped with the knowledge of what to expect.
3. Virtual assessment: Those successful at testing will be invited to a virtual assessment centre. The Assessment Centres are scheduled for 11th and 16th February 2026. Please note that these dates may be subject to change, but rest assured, we’ll keep all applicants informed throughout the process.

These roles are governed by Health and Safety at Work Regulations and require all candidates to have an Occupational Health pre-employment medical held at AWE which follows the initial selection process.All candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role and be willing and able to work in designated areas.

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants.

Any inclusion information you provide us will be used to encourage and support you through the application process and will be held only for this purpose in accordance with GDPR.

Contact us:

If you have questions during the application process, please reach out to the Early Careers Team at EarlyCareers@awe.co.uk

How to apply

To apply for this role and to find out more, please click on the apply button. Please note that applications may close before the application deadline, so apply early to avoid disappointment.