Apprentice Structural Engineering Technician

Summary

This is an opportunity to join Fairhurst as part of the engineering design team. You will produce CAD drawings in both 2D and 3D as well as REVIT structural models and develop your design and drawing skills in a fast-paced workplace. On completion, you will be able to produce drawings to industry standards and regulations.

Wage

£15,600 to £24,784.50, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Training course

Engineering design technician (level 3)

Hours

Monday to Friday, with working hours typically between 09:00 - 17:00 (7.5 hours per day, excluding lunch). A minimum 30-minute lunch break is taken between 12:00 - 14:00. Working hours are flexible.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 6 July 2026

Duration

2 years 6 months

Positions available

1

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

This role focuses on the use of computer aided design software, and its application to design.

Day to day tasks would include:

• Using CAD and Revit software to produce and amend 2D and 3D drawings to support building engineering design projects
• Provides assistance at an appropriate level in the preparation of technical drawings, specifications and reports for new or refurbishment to existing structures and buildings for tender and construction stage
• Assisting with liaison at an appropriate level with clients, design team and other relevant bodies for design coordination
• Assisting with liaison at an appropriate level with contractors for live projects on site
• Working collaboratively with other staff from other disciplines
• Assisting senior staff where necessary in writing notes of meetings and attending meetings with clients, local authorities and other consultants from various disciplines
• Understanding of BIM and assist in undertaking 3D model clash detection with other disciplines

Where you'll work

1 Arngrove Court,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
Newcastle
NE4 6DB

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

T3 TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT LTD

Training course

Engineering design technician (level 3)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Apply health and safety procedures and safe systems of work in compliance with regulations and standards.
• Work in accordance with the design process, company management systems, policies and procedures.
• Review and interpret technical information and requirements from different sources such as specifications, engineering drawings, concepts, stakeholders.
• Identify and assess factors that affect designs such as materials, application, location, risk and environment.
• Select materials and parts.
• Propose and evaluate ideas for sustainable engineering concepts to solve engineering challenges.
• Develop solutions that can be manufactured or built, and proven, operated and maintained during their operational life and decommissioned or recycled at the end of their operational life.
• Provide feedback on engineering designs.
• Apply quality assurance procedures to engineering drawings or models, including own designs and those of peers.
• Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
• Produce written documents, schedules and reports.
• Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
• Identify inaccuracies or discrepancies in drawings and specifications and propose solutions.
• Incorporate changes to an existing design as a result of any modifications made during the as-built implementation.
• Create concepts for system layouts and associated components.
• Read, interpret and establish design intent.
• Determine the correct tolerances for components of the design.
• Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
• Perform simple calculations to use in design drawings.
• Use measuring techniques for reverse engineering.
• Option 1. Produce general arrangements of electrical power.
• Option 1. Produce detailed drawings of electrical power components such as wires connection, voltage, capacity, main switches.
• Option 1. Identify cable types and application.
• Option 1. Use digital tools such as CAD and BIM to produce electrical power project deliverables such as output drawings and electrical designs.
• Option 2. Produce general arrangements of control and instrumentation designs.
• Option 2. Produce detailed drawings of control and instrumentation components such as cable numbers, wire colours, junction block numbers and panel identification.
• Option 2. Identify different cable types and appropriate application.
• Option 2. Use digital tools such as CAD to produce control and instrumentation project deliverables.
• Option 3. Produce general arrangements of mechanical designs.
• Option 3. Produce detailed drawings of mechanical components such as part dimensions, shape and manufacture.
• Option 3. Use digital tools such as CAD to produce mechanical project deliverables.
• Option 4. Produce general arrangements of piping design.
• Option 4. Produce detailed drawings of piping components such as pipework, ducts and fittings and including supports and skids.
• Option 4. Use digital tools such as CAD or Plant Design Management Systems to produce piping design project deliverables.
• Option 5. Produce general arrangements of structures showing multiple materials such as steel, concrete, masonry, timber.
• Option 5. Produce detailed drawings for multiple materials such as steel, concrete, timber or masonry.
• Option 5. Use digital tools such as CAD and BIM to produce structural project deliverables.
• Apply health and safety procedures and safe systems of work in compliance with regulations and standards.
• Work in accordance with the design process, company management systems, policies and procedures.
• Review and interpret technical information and requirements from different sources such as specifications, engineering drawings, concepts, stakeholders.
• Identify and assess factors that affect designs such as materials, application, location, risk and environment.
• Select materials and parts.
• Propose and evaluate ideas for sustainable engineering concepts to solve engineering challenges.
• Develop solutions that can be manufactured or built, and proven, operated and maintained during their operational life and decommissioned or recycled at the end of their operational life.
• Provide feedback on engineering designs.
• Apply quality assurance procedures to engineering drawings or models, including own designs and those of peers.
• Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
• Produce written documents, schedules and reports.
• Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
• Identify inaccuracies or discrepancies in drawings and specifications and propose solutions.
• Incorporate changes to an existing design as a result of any modifications made during the as-built implementation.
• Create concepts for system layouts and associated components.
• Read, interpret and establish design intent.
• Determine the correct tolerances for components of the design.
• Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
• Perform simple calculations to use in design drawings.
• Use measuring techniques for reverse engineering.

Training schedule

• 2 ½ Year Apprenticeship Programme
• Design Technician, Knowledge, skills & Behaviours - delivered in the workplace
• Level 3 BTEC in Construction and the Built Environment - Day Release or Remote Delivery (Optional qualification)
• Specialist Training Programme Blocks
• End Point Assessment - Knowledge Test, Practical Test and Presentation/Interview Specialist training in structural steel modelling (Tekla Structures and BIM processes)

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 4+)
• Mathematics (grade 4+)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• IT skills
• Attention to detail
• Problem solving skills
• Administrative skills
• Number skills