2026 Aerospace Manufacturing Machinist Apprentice (Level 3) in Yeovil

Leonardo offers a range of Apprenticeships across a variety of STEM and business routes, offering paid training coupled with on-the-job learning that enables you to gain practical skills, experience and knowledge that set you up for a strong start to your career. We provide competitive entry salaries and fully support your academic learning through to qualifications, with salary increases as you progress. We support you settling into a new location, ensuring you are familiar with the team and receive a warm welcome from day 1. A member of our Apprentice team at each site helps you progress, protects your study time, provides access to digital learning and offers opportunities to get involved with the local community and STEM projects.

The manufacturing Machining Apprenticeship is suited for those interested in the practical (hands-on) elements of engineering. Over four years you will rotate across a number of placements, using different machines in each area, mainly CNC. You will learn to set up and operate each machine, with the ultimate aim of moving you into a final placement area based on the skills displayed during the apprenticeship. During the programme you will experience placements across the Transmissions Centre of Excellence. The apprenticeship begins with induction into Leonardo, followed by a Yeovil College induction to ensure apprenticeship requirements and expectations are fully established. Your time will be split between Yeovil College and work placements at Leonardo Helicopters, with increasing placement time through the years. Each apprentice on this route must complete an End-Point Assessment as defined in the Apprenticeship Standard, which takes place in the final months of the programme.

Departments you may work in include:

• Gear Shop – manufactures the internal gear components for aircraft gearboxes. Components travel through a number of different processes, each machine covering a different part of the manufacturing process.
• Machine shop – primarily focuses on the manufacture/finishing of gearbox housing and ancillary components for aircraft gearboxes (e.g. drive shafts, etc.). Work in these areas is completed on various lathes (CNC and conventional) and is highly tolerance critical.

Throughout the apprenticeship you will:

• Grow your knowledge of an engineering business.
• Develop practical skills in manufacturing and understand key processes and technologies.
• Support early-career activities – apprentices have the opportunity to work as STEM ambassadors in schools, colleges and universities.

The starting salary for this role is £17,850.

We require the following, as a minimum:

• 4 GCSE grades 3 – 9 or grades A* – D, including mandatory English, Maths and Science.
• For applicants without a minimum C/4 in Maths & English, a study plan to achieve a C/4 in both before the end of year 1.

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). Additional controls under National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, possibly requiring eligibility for the Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV).

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do, shaping innovation, advancing technology and enhancing global safety. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports your well-being, career development and work-life balance.

• Generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.
• Benefit from our award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Free access to mental health support, financial advice and employee-led networks championing inclusion and diversity.
• All employees are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Annual Employee Stock Ownership Plan gives you the opportunity to own shares in Leonardo.
• Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.

We are committed to building an inclusive, accessible and welcoming workplace. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.