Why Apprenticeships?
Reasons for Choosing an Apprenticeship
An engineering apprenticeship combines a real job with structured training and practical workplace development.
1. Earn a Salary
You are employed by a business while completing your apprenticeship.
2. Gain Experience
Develop practical workplace skills while working alongside experienced people.
3. Build Knowledge
Complete structured training linked to your engineering occupation.
4. Start Your Career
Build skills, experience and confidence within the engineering sector.
Where Could it Take You?
Engineering Covers a Huge Range of Careers
Depending on the apprenticeship, you could work across many different areas of engineering and manufacturing.
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical and Electronic
- Manufacturing
- Maintenance
- Machining & CNC
- Fabrication & Welding
- Composites
- Specialist Engineering
Timing Your Application...
When Should You Start Applying?
Start looking as soon as possible in the year running up to when you want to start your apprenticeship. Keen employers will start to recruit apprentices up to 11 months before they want them to begin the programme, particularly when recruiting school and college leavers. Other employers will not start their recruitment until later in the academic year so it is best to start looking as soon as possible, there is no single national apprenticeship application deadline!
Keep checking vacancies and apply when you find something that genuinely interests you.
Already left school? Don’t worry, you haven't missed your chance. There is no upper age limit, and vacancies can become available throughout the year.
Don't assume September is the only time
apprenticeships begin.
In summary, Apprenticeships can suit a wide range of people including:
- First-time Employment | Beginning a career
- Already Employed | Alongside your current occupation
- Career Change | Moving into a new role or area in engineering
- Returning to Work | Supporting your next career step
Key Point to Remember...
Apprenticeships are a Competitive Process
An apprenticeship is a real job and as such the recruitment process is similar to applying and interviewing for any other job. Employers may receive several applications, so there is no guarantee that applying will result in an offer. How to be a great applicant, take your time with the application, provide evidence to back up any claims you make and give enough information to show why you are interested in engineering and why you could be a good fit for their business. Information employers would be interested in includes:
- Why you are interested
- Your existing skills (and evidence as such)
- Personal interest & experience
- Why you want an apprenticeship
- Your achievements
We’re here to help you find that perfect opportunity and you can submit one application, join the 'ETT Talent Pool' and be put forward to multiple opportunities. You can apply for a specific vacancy or submit a general application to be considered for suitable current and future engineering apprenticeship opportunities.
Why Join The Talent Pool?
It allows our team to understand your interests and abilities before suitable vacancies become available. If you are unsuccessful with one employer, we may still be able to consider you for other suitable opportunities.
How We Recruit...
Our Recruitment and Shortlisting Process
We use a structured recruitment process to help us understand candidates and identify people who could be suitable for our partner employers. Typically in 4 steps...
Stage 1:
What Should Go in My Initial Application?
Tell us about your qualifications, interests, experience, skills, engineering motivation and apprenticeship preferences. Don't just tell us you like engineering — explain why.
Stage 2:
What does the Vocational Aptitude Assessment Look Like?
Our online assessment helps us understand abilities that may be relevant to engineering and technical roles. Don't worry, this assessment score won't determine your entire future.
The vocational assessment gives us additional information about abilities that can be relevant to engineering occupations. Key topics include:
- Mechanical Reasoning
- Electrical Principals
- Spatial Awareness
- Measurement
- Literacy
- Numeracy
- General IT
Stage 3:
What Will we Talk About in The Interview With an ETT Officer?
Talk with one of our engineering officers about your interests, ambitions, skills, location and the opportunities you would like to be considered for. We will cover...
1. Engineering Motivation
Why engineering interests you...
2. Your Skills
What knowledge and experience do you have?
3. Your Ambitions
Where would you like an apprenticeship to take you?
4. Practical Considerations
Your location, travel distance and possible relocation
Stage 4:
What Might Qualify You For our final Shortlist?
We consider vacancy requirements alongside qualifications, assessment information, interests, motivation, skills and practical considerations such as travel.
Shortlisting is more than just grades. When an employer asks us to recruit for a vacancy, we consider a range of information to identify candidates who could be a good match. These include comparing:
- The Employer's Entry Requirements
- Pre-existing Qualifications
- Assessment Information (Stage 2)
- Skills & Experience
- Interests & Personal Motivation
- Location & Travel
- Occupational Stability
If Successful, What Happens at the Employer Stage?
Employer Interviews & Selection
The final recruitment decision belongs to the employer. We can recommend candidates who we believe could be suitable, but the employer decides who they want to progress and ultimately employ. Some of the potential selection processes you may experience range from:
Standard Interviews
Assessments
Practical Activities
Follow-up Interviews
Employer Specific Selection
Workplace Visit
If All Goes Well, What Happens When Receiving an Offer...
1. Employment Offer
The employer normally provides an offer of employment and completes its onboarding process.
2. Initial Assessment
Qualifications, knowledge, skills and relevant experience are reviewed.
3. Training Plan
The apprentice, employer and training provider agree how training will be delivered.
4. Your Apprenticeship Begins
Once the required employment and apprenticeship arrangements are in place, your programme can start.
To Summarise to Why, When and How...
1. Apply Early
Apply the moment you see a vacancy that interests you
2. Take Your Time
Complete the application properly rather than rushing it
3. Give Examples
Show your skills and interests through real examples
4. Research the Employer
Understand the business properly before your interview
5. Understand the Role
Know for certain what the apprenticeship involves
6. Practise Interviews
Prepare answers and examples before the interview
7. Think About Travel
Be realistic about how you'll travel to the workplace
8. Keep Applying
Do not reply to only one job opportunity
It's Up to You Now to Start Your Journey...
Find Your Right Engineering Apprenticeship
Our aim is to help you find an engineering apprenticeship that is right for you. We look at your interests, abilities, qualifications, location and the requirements of our partner employers so that we can consider you for opportunities that could be a good match.
The important thing is to give us enough information to understand you.
Your application, assessment, interview and preferences all help us understand the kinds of engineering opportunities that may suit you.
Ready to Apply?
Start Your Engineering Apprenticeship Journey
Apply for a specific vacancy or submit a general application to join our ETT Talent Pool and be considered for suitable current and future opportunities.
Information correct as of August 2026. Apprenticeship vacancies, eligibility requirements and individual employer recruitment processes may vary.