Maintenance and Operations Engineering Technician - Advanced Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship Summary
The Maintenance and Operations Engineering Technician apprenticeship offers a dynamic and rewarding pathway for individuals looking to build a career in the heart of the UK's vital infrastructure sectors — and for employers, it presents a strategic opportunity to grow and future-proof their technical workforce.
This apprenticeship covers seven diverse and highly valued roles: Electrical Technicians, Mechanical Technicians, Control and Instrumentation Technicians, Wind Turbine Technicians, Electrical System and Process Control Technicians, Electromechanical Technicians, and Plant Operations Technicians. Apprentices will gain hands-on experience in maintaining the safety, integrity, and efficient operation of complex plant and equipment across key industries including energy, pharmaceuticals, food production, telecommunications, and oil and gas.
For apprentices, this programme opens the door to a varied and meaningful career. You'll develop essential skills such as installation, maintenance, diagnostics, fault-finding, and operational control, working with real equipment and experienced professionals. You’ll also benefit from the opportunity to move across industries, as the core engineering principles remain consistent.
For employers, investing in this apprenticeship means equipping your organisation with adaptable, highly skilled technicians who understand the critical systems that keep industry running. With the ability to tailor training to your operational needs, this apprenticeship supports both immediate productivity and long-term business resilience.
Apprenticeship standard dates
| Start date | Location | Duration / Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
01 Sep 2026
|
Lancashire Energy HQ
|
/
£26,000
|
Next steps
As an Employer
If you would like to offer this as an apprenticeship vacancy within your organisation, enrol one of your existing employees on this apprenticeship or simply find out more about supporting an apprenticeship within your organisation, please complete the Enquire Now form above and a member of our Business Development Team will be in touch within 2 working days to advise you on next steps.
As an Apprentice
If you are interested in securing an apprenticeship as a Maintenance and Operations Engineer, please visit our Vacancies page to check for any suitable roles.
If there are currently no roles available, please submit an enquiry form using the Enquire Now button above to register your interest. We will use this information to let you know when a suitable vacancy becomes available and also to advise you of any courses we offer that might advance your career goals in the meantime.
Key information
How will the Apprenticeship be funded?
As the employer
How your apprenticeship is funded will depend on whether or not you pay the Apprenticeship Levy. If you do pay the Levy, your apprenticeship will be funded out of this, provided you have sufficient monies available. If you do not pay the Apprenticeship Levy, 95% of the apprenticeship will be funded by the Government, with the remaining 5% being funded by you. There may also be some further incentives offered by the Government which we will be able to advise you of when setting up your apprenticeship. Either way, B&FC's Business Development Team will be on hand to help you navigate the funding arrangements and support you through this process.
As the apprentice
One of the benefits of an apprenticeship is that, as the apprentice, you are not required to fund your training. You will also receive a wage for the work that you do with minimum hourly rates set by the Government. Your employer can choose to pay you more than the minimum wage, but they cannot pay you less. For details of current minimum wage rates for apprentices, please visit the Government website.
What will my Apprentice learn?
Knowledge
By the end of their apprenticeship, your apprentice should understand:
- Fundamental principles of how mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and control systems operate and are maintained.
- Industry health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements relevant to plant operations and maintenance.
- Standard practices and procedures for preventive and reactive maintenance across a range of equipment and systems.
- Engineering concepts and theories relevant to their specialist role and wider operational environment.
- Diagnostic techniques used to identify and resolve faults in complex plant and equipment.
- The operation and performance requirements of plant and equipment used across infrastructure sectors.
- The commissioning, operation, and decommissioning processes of plant and equipment.
Skills
Your apprentice will learn how to:
- Work safely and comply with health, safety, and environmental legislation and company policies.
- Read and interpret technical information, specifications, and documentation to perform tasks correctly.
- Carry out maintenance, repair, installation, testing, and fault-finding on plant and equipment to ensure operational efficiency.
- Use tools, equipment, and resources effectively to perform tasks with minimal supervision.
- Prepare and reinstate work areas, ensuring tools and systems are safely managed before and after work.
- Communicate effectively with colleagues and stakeholders to share information, escalate issues, and confirm work status.
- Monitor, assess, and report on the performance and condition of plant and systems.
- Handover plant and equipment safely and in accordance with operational procedures and standards.
Behaviours
Your apprentice should be able to demonstrate:
- A strong commitment to working safely, including challenging unsafe behaviour and promoting a safety-first culture.
- Attention to detail and focus on delivering work that meets quality standards and performance expectations.
- Teamwork and collaboration with people from different disciplines and backgrounds.
- Professionalism and respect in dealing with others, showing strong interpersonal awareness.
- Logical thinking and problem-solving, using available data and resources to address issues effectively.
- Ethical and sustainable working practices that support long-term operational and environmental goals.
- Risk awareness and the ability to stay focused, follow procedures, and adapt to changes in a dynamic working environment.
Expert Tutors
All tutors involved in the delivery of courses and apprenticeships within the College are approved to teach the subjects and modules they deliver.
Our recruitment process ensures that tutors delivering a given programme are suitably qualified and, where appropriate, possess relevant technical and industrial experience and a familiarity with professional practice. This is especially important for apprenticeships where off-the-job training needs to align with apprentices' on-the-job experience.
How will the Apprenticeship be delivered?
The apprenticeship will typically be delivered over a 36-month period with additional time required to prepare for the End Point Assessment. The apprentice's time will typically be split 80:20 throughout the apprenticeship programme with four days a week spent at the employer premises learning on the job and one day a week spent off-site, undertaking classroom-based and workshop-based training at B&FC.
What support will I get from B&FC?
As the employer
Each employer is supported by an experienced member of our Business Development Team to set up their apprenticeship. For those employers who are completely new to the apprenticeship process, the Team will support them with all the necessary paperwork and administration to get their apprenticeship programme up and running as quickly and efficiently as possible. For existing employers, their dedicated Client Services Manager will be an ongoing point of contact for all their apprenticeship queries, however big or small.
We can also help employers who are looking to recruit new apprentices by advertising their vacancy, finding suitable applicants and supporting them with the interview and selection process. Once an apprentice is onboard, our Curriculum Tutors and Apprenticeship Trainers and Skills Coaches also step in to support the employer-apprentice relationship and ensure the apprentice is on track to succeed.
As the apprentice
In the first instance, we aim to give potential apprentices all the support they need to find a suitable apprenticeship. That can mean working with them prior to an application to improve their CV, hone their interview skills and advise them of any additional training that may help them secure an apprenticeship vacancy.
Once they start their apprenticeship, we continue to support them with their off-site training and with regular meetings with our Apprenticeship Trainers and Skills Coaches to ensure they are progressing and acquiring all the knowledge, skills and behaviours that will ensure they complete their apprenticeship successfully.
How will the Apprenticeship be assessed?
What is an end-point assessment and why it happens
An EPA is an assessment at the end of the apprenticeship. The EPA is the apprentice's opportunity to show an independent assessor how well they can carry out the occupation they have been trained for.
The overall grades available for this apprenticeship are:
- fail
- pass
- distinction
Assessment methods
Knowledge test
The apprentice will sit a multiple choice knowledge test under exam conditions which consists of 30 questions and has a time limit of 45 minutes.
Practical competence assessment with questions
The apprentice will be observed by an independent assessor carrying out a series of activities During the assessment, the assessor will ask a series of questions designed to test the apprentice's understanding of the tasks being performed.
Techincal interview underpinned by a portfolio of evidence
During their apprenticeship, the apprentice will compile a portfolio evidencing all the work they have undertaken during their apprenticeship. This will be submitted to an independent assessor and form the basis of the professional discussion which will last at least 60 minutes during which time the assessor will ask a series of questions to determine the apprentice's competencies and ensure they meet the occupational standard.