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Electronic Design Apprenticeship
AWE PLC
Berkshire (RG7 4PR)
Closes on Sunday 10 January 2027
Posted on 12 October 2026
Summary
As an Electronic Design Apprentice, you will start by learning the basics of electronics through practical projects. You will then spend time in different teams across the business, building your skills and understanding how electronics are used at AWE.
Wage: £24,500 a year
Wage Details
- A starting salary of £24,500 yearly, increasing to £26,000 in Year 2, with further annual salary increases throughout your apprenticeship, subject to satisfactory performance and achievement of apprenticeship milestones.
- Market leading contributory pension scheme
- Generous paid holiday entitlement of 270 hours per year, inclusive of Bank Holidays, plus every other Friday off as part of AWE’s flexible working pattern.
Training
Training Course: Embedded electronic systems design and development engineer (degree) (level 6)
Hours: 9 day fortnight. 33 hrs on the short week, 8hrs 15 mins per day. 41 hrs on the long week, 8hrs 15 mins per day Monday to Thursday and Fridays 8hrs. Please note hours may alter due to your offsite training establishment training times.
Start Date: Wednesday 1 September 2027
Duration: 5 years
Positions Available: 7
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What You'll Do at Work
As an Electronic Design Apprentice, you will start by learning the basics of electronics through practical projects. You will then spend time in different teams across the business, building your skills and understanding how electronics are used at AWE. Alongside this, you will attend college part-time to work towards a Higher National Diploma (HND). After completing your HND, you will move into the final two years of your apprenticeship, where you will complete further placements and work towards your Apprenticeship End Point Assessment, which is the final stage of your degree apprenticeship.
Through a mix of college learning, planned placements and hands-on experience at work, you will develop skills in:
- Basic electronic theory
- Recognising and understanding different electronic components
- Circuit design
- Circuit construction
- Semiconductor theory
- Finding and fixing faults in electronic circuits
- Recording and explaining your work clearly
- Test and measurements
Where You'll Work
Atomic Weapons Establishment
Aldermaston
Reading
Berkshire RG7 4PR
Training Course Contents
- Design functional electronic systems and circuits from component level
- Utilise modern CAD technology to implement circuit design with understanding of considerations for heat dissipation, electrical interference and other industry specific considerations affecting layout
- Write and document structured code to comply with industry norms and to allow others to understand and subsequently maintain/modify the code
- Utilise modelling techniques for circuit design, embedded software development and thermal management
- Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the principles and practice of design for market, design for manufacturability, design for testability and design for maintainability
- Ability to develop a test plan for a product that they have developed
- Ability to explain the process by which a product is introduced into production, including what aspects are discussed at what stage and with whom and how development gateways work
- Ability to develop a basic project plan including resource planning, time planning, use of contingencies etc. Also techniques for predicting pinch points and strategies for timescale recovery
- Awareness of international standards and compliance requirements for the products designed by the employer. Ability to discuss the differences between legislative and non-legislative requirements
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge of basic business fundamentals including costs, overheads, gross margin, net margin, profit, and cash
- Ability to demonstrate awareness and understanding of basic health and safety principles both in the general workplace and specific to electronic circuit design
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Training Schedule
The apprenticeship is 60 months followed by the End Point Assessment.
Requirements
Essential Qualifications
- GCSE in: 5 GCSEs inc English and Maths (grade 4/C or above)
- A Level in: Maths or Stem related or BTEC (grade C or abvove)
- BTEC in: BTEC level 3 /HNC/HND/T level (or A levels) (grade C or above)
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Health and Safety Awareness
Other Requirements
- Start Date: 1st September 2027
- Annual leave will not be granted from 1st September until 1st October 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.
- 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.
About this Employer
We’re a team of remarkable people, united by one extraordinary mission: keeping the UK safe and secure. The UK’s independent nuclear deterrent has existed for 75 years to deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, helping to guarantee our safety, and that of our NATO allies. Our work is critical. We’re delivering Astraea, the next warhead for the UK’s nuclear deterrent and pushing the boundaries of nuclear science and technology. But that’s just part of the story. We support the UK government in a range of vital areas – from counterterrorism to global nuclear test monitoring to building a world-class community of experts in nuclear science. This is work that protects lives and strengthens national security. At AWE, you’ll find more than just a job. You’ll find purpose, growth, and a community like no other. Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your career to the next level, this is your chance to learn from the best, develop your skills, and be part of something truly unique. Be extraordinary at AWE. http://www.awe.co.uk
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Company Benefits
- Access to employee discounts portal - everyday savings on retail, hospitality and leisure
- Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services
Alongside these benefits, you will learn from experienced specialists in their fields while contributing to work that supports national nuclear security, threat reduction and counter-terrorism.
After This Apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay [here](opens in new tab).
On completion, you will be ready to join one of our engineering teams as an Electronic Design Engineer. Depending on the business need and the experience you develop, your career could include:
- Analogue Electronic Engineer – designing and supporting electronic circuits that control power supplies and other equipment.
- Firmware Engineer or Digital Electronic Engineer – creating the instructions and digital designs that help electronic systems work, using specialist languages such as VHDL or SystemVerilog.
- Pulsed Power Engineer – working with high-voltage power systems, energy storage and switching equipment.
- RF Electronic Engineer – working with radio-frequency systems, including equipment that sends and receives signals.
- Embedded Software Engineer – writing software that is built into electronic devices and systems, using programming languages such as C++ or Java.
- Electronic Systems Engineer – helping to define what a system needs to do, how it should be designed, and how to check that it works correctly.
Ask a Question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
AWE PLC
Early Careers
earlycareers@awe.co.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000057960.
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