Network Operations Apprentice

CDS, an HPE company, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), providing field service capabilities to Hewlett Packard Enterprise customers as well delivering business-oriented services, such as development, support and maintenance of applications, virtualisation, automation, cloud and infrastructure administration. CDS is present in 11 European countries with more than 1,800 employees.

We are excited to announce that CDS is currently recruiting for Network Operations Apprentice! This is a fantastic opportunity for individuals who have recently completed or are finishing secondary education or college and are looking for an alternative path to university. A Modern Apprenticeship with CDS provides an opportunity to gain hands-on engineering experience across the HPE Edge-to-Cloud technology platforms of Compute, Data Storage, Networking, Supercomputing/AI, and Hybrid Cloud. We are looking for enthusiastic and driven people to join our two-year Apprenticeship Programme.

Key Responsibilities

• Follow a structured learning path in the L4 Network Engineer standard.
• Travel to customer sites and data centres, supporting network hardware, network software, and network solutions.
• Build and maintain strong customer relationships, handle escalations, and ensure a high level of customer satisfaction.
• Work on the delivery and implementation of high-end network solutions.
• Contribute to team collaboration and enhance knowledge across the business.

A large part of the role will involve keeping documentation and reporting tools up to date including: MyPlanning (project time tracking), spreadsheets, technical performance reviews, project documents, and writing change plans/scripts etc.

Requirements

• A strong interest in Networking technologies.
• Enjoy working with others to solve problems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• High level of self-motivation and drive as well as the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• A genuine desire to build a career in IT.
• Must be a UK/EEA resident for the last 3 years.
• This job will occasionally involve working at height using a ladder or Mobile Elevator Work Platform (MEWP) after training.
• Flexibility to work outside regular hours and potentially join an on-call rota after meeting required skills.
• A full driving licence is required as the role will have a mobile element.
• GCSEs including Maths, English, and IT (grades 9-4 or equivalent). If you don’t have the exact grades, but have completed functional skills at Level 2, you can still apply.

What We Offer

• Fully Funded Apprenticeship: L4 Network Engineer Apprenticeship through LearnTech, plus access to CDS internal programmes and the HPE Early Careers programme.
• Dedicated Mentorship: Learn from experienced team members who are committed to your growth.
• Hands-On Experience: Work on networking technologies and business-critical projects.
• Training & Development: Certification through LearnTech and CDS internal training.
• Career Opportunities: Potential to transition into a permanent Networking Engineer role or explore other career paths within HPE.

This role is for those looking for a varied job, you could be spending weeks at a customer site for a network deployment, followed by weeks working at home writing reports after completing a Wi-Fi survey, then spending time on site troubleshooting and replacing networking hardware including switches, cables, and access points. This role is a fantastic entry point for a career in IT, offering exposure to the latest technologies and real-world experience from day one.

Security Clearances Notes: This role may require national security and government level vetting, including Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, and Security Check (SC) clearance. These checks are mandatory for all employees aligned to a secure customer account which require such security clearances, due to the sensitive nature of the work and the secure environments in which our clients operate. As part of this process, we are required to ask about criminal record information. The level of vetting for this role is exempt from certain provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that, for the purposes of security clearance, you may be required to disclose both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, or other relevant information. Please note that individuals who are unable to obtain -or maintain- the required level of security clearance throughout their employment cannot remain in their role.

If you’re ready to take the next step in your IT career and eager to learn and grow with a leading global company, we want to hear from you! Apply today and start your journey with CDS.

This apprenticeship is available in Croydon.

At CDS, we are an equal opportunity employer. We attract and retain the best-qualified individuals available, without regard to race/ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability.