Engineering Apprentice in Stoke-on-Trent

Location: Stoke, ST4 4HP

Salary: Starting salary of £17,288 per annum with staged uplifts throughout the apprenticeship

Job Type: Full Time, Permanent

Introduction: Are you looking to start a career in the rail industry? Perhaps you're interested in a hands-on role, working in a busy engineering environment while gaining a recognised qualification to develop your technical knowledge. DB Cargo UK currently has an exciting opportunity to join our Maintenance team at our Stoke site as an Engineering Apprentice.

As an Engineering Apprentice, you'll support the maintenance, repair and overhaul of Traction & Rolling Stock (T&RS) and associated components, ensuring all work is carried out in a safe, thorough, professional and timely manner. You'll work closely with experienced engineers, learning the fundamentals of rail engineering in a live depot environment. This is a 12-month apprenticeship, combining practical, on-the-job learning at the depot with day-release classroom learning at Stoke on Trent College. During the programme, you'll work towards a Level 2 Diploma in Engineering Operations, building a strong foundation in Traction & Rolling Stock and core engineering principles.

Interviews will be held in June with exact dates to be confirmed. Start date 1st September 2026.

What will you be doing? The one-year apprenticeship will cover all rail engineering skills through classroom based learning and hands on depot tasks all while being supported by a skills coach and the maintenance team at the depot. You will develop your skillset in the below practical and theory based elements of Engineering Operations:

• Safe and Professional working practices including legislation, regulation, industry procedures and safety requirements.
• The scientific, technical, engineering, mathematical and design principles that are required to support the maintenance of our Wagon Fleet.
• How to work effectively and contribute to engineering solutions and innovation including understanding and applying problem solving techniques and diagnostics, project planning and management, time management and quality management and assurance systems.
• Career skills such as time management, working analytically, communication and organisation.
• Learn how to handle equipment safely and correctly.
• Use systematic faults diagnosis techniques to assist in the rectification of mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems.
• Use test and measuring instruments in both metric and imperial units.

What are we looking for? We're looking for people with a keen interest in engineering, maintenance and the desire and ambition to build a successful career with DB Cargo UK. Willing to play an active part of your own training and development. Inquisitive minded who like to understand how things work and develop your learning. Someone who can work as part of a team and communicate with colleagues in an honest and effective way. Work with safety as a number one priority with the ability to follow instructions, rules and regulations, to ensure all maintenance is carried out in a safe manner. You must hold a minimum of three GCSEs, including Maths and English at Grade 4 (or equivalent to a C grade) or above, and be able to provide evidence of these qualifications at the interview stage. You must live within a 60-minute commute of the depot location. You must also be 18 years of age or above due to the safety critical nature of this role. A safety critical medical will be carried out as standard for all new starters.

What matters to you? Here at DB Cargo we offer a range of benefits as part of your employment. These will include:

• Starting salary of £17,288 per annum with staged uplifts throughout the course of the apprenticeship.
• Defined Contribution pension scheme with generous employer contribution - up to 10% employer contribution.
• Free on-site parking.
• EV charging at selected sites.
• Cycle to work Scheme.
• Access to our employee benefits portal where you can take advantage of discounts for a variety of shops and services as well as accessing our wellbeing content.
• We take the health and wellbeing of all employees seriously and provide access to an Employee Assistance Programme.

Please click APPLY to send your CV for this role.

Candidates with experience of: Apprentice Engineer, Junior Engineering Technician, Junior Engineering Operative, Trainee Engineer, Apprentice Technician, Engineering Trainee, Mechanical Engineering Apprentice, may also be considered for this role.