Course Overview

You need to be employed to start an Apprenticeship. Please visit our vacancy page or if you have an employer, please ensure you add full contact details of your employer within your application. If you are unable to secure employment, you could enrol on a full-time study programme and transfer to an Apprenticeship at a later date. Please apply for a full-time course as your second option.

Apprenticeships allow you to gain technical knowledge and real practical experience, along with behavioural and personal skills required for your job and future career.

Delivered by Bridgwater & Taunton College in partnership with the National College for Nuclear (Southern Hub), courses have been developed with industry partners, educational partners and government.

Nuclear Engineering remains one of the UK’s most important industries, offering a diverse range of challenging apprenticeship opportunities within the Nuclear and Energy sectors including power generation, decommissioning, nuclear new build, defence or renewable energy. Job roles within these sectors include: Reactor Operator, Instrumentation & Control (I&C) Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Radiation Protection Technician, Project Control Engineer. It allows the apprentice to gain technical knowledge and real practical experience, along with behavioural and personal skills, required for their job and future career. These are acquired through a mix of learning in the workplace, learning through the National College for Nuclear formal and the opportunity to practise and embed new skills in a real work context.

Level 3 Apprenticeship opportunities at the NCfN Southern Hub include:

• Level 3 Team Leader/Supervisor Apprenticeship Standard
• Level 3 Project Control Technician Apprentice Standard
• Level 3 Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship Standard
• Level 3 Digital Engineering Apprenticeship Standard
• Level 3 MOET Apprenticeship Standard
• Level 3 Maintenance Operations Engineering Technician Apprenticeship Standard
• Level 3 Construction & the Built Environment Apprenticeship Standard

Assessment Methods

Your knowledge and skills will be continuous assessed and you will have to demonstrate that you can meet the required standards throughout your training. There will be a mixture of coursework, projects, practical tasks, exams and end assessment. As an Apprentice you will have an allocated Trainer Assessor who will oversee your training at work and College. Your Trainer Assessor will regularly review your progress and help you with any problems.

A £15m capital investment provides a state-of-the-art nuclear training facility, including a virtual reality environment, a reactor simulator and computer-equipped training rooms, labs, recreation collaboration space and student accommodation. These fantastic facilities and dedicated staff enable us to replicate the nuclear environment, engaging students in project-based work that help you learn new skills, behaviours and the safety cultures essential for a licensed site.

Progression Options

Apprenticeships provide excellent career progression opportunities and are widely recognised in the employment market. Fully qualified engineers are always in demand, both at home and abroad, and are often amongst the top earners. On successful completion you could progress to the Higher Education courses including a BEng/BSc Degree with the National College for Nuclear, apply for Tech-Eng status or study further professional qualifications.