Location: Crawley, United Kingdom
Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.
2027 Systems Engineering Apprentice - Level 6 Applied Professional Engineering Degree Apprenticeship
Start Date: 6 September 2027
Salary: £24,000 per annum
Employee type: Permanent
Location: Crawley
Working Schedule: Monday – Friday, 37 hours a week (8 hours Monday – Thursday, 5 hours Friday)
Turn your curiosity into a career. If you're passionate about engineering, eager to learn, and looking for a degree apprenticeship that combines academic study with exciting on-the-job experience, we'd love to hear from you.
Benefits of the programme
- Earn a salary while studying for your degree
- Gain hands‑on experience in a real engineering environment
- Receive job‑specific training and development
- Achieve a recognised engineering qualification
- Secure a permanent role from the start of your apprenticeship
- Have your university tuition fees fully paid
About the Role
As a Systems Engineering Apprentice, you will develop the technical knowledge, practical skills and professional behaviours needed to become a confident and capable engineer.
Working as part of our Systems Engineering team, you will support the delivery of systems and equipment solutions, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.
Your responsibilities may include:
- Supporting systems requirements and design activities
- Contributing to project reviews
- Participating in system testing and validation activities
- Assisting with engineering investigations and problem solving
- Visiting customer sites, platforms and installations to support surveys, trials and system deployment where required
- Working with experienced engineers on live projects
What You Will Learn
Throughout the apprenticeship, you will gain experience and knowledge in:
- Professional engineering behaviours and industry best practice
- Understanding and working with complex engineering systems
- Different engineering roles and activities across live projects
- The Systems Engineering Lifecycle and key engineering processes
- Requirements capture, requirements management and system design techniques
- Systems engineering tools and methods
- Testing, integration, verification, validation and qualification (IVVQ) activities
- Structured and methodical approaches to problem solving and investigation
Degree Apprenticeship Programme
You will study towards the BEng Applied Professional Engineering Degree Apprenticeship with The University of Warwick, following the Product Design and Development Engineer pathway.
The programme is delivered through a blended learning approach, combining:
- On-campus teaching (approximately 12 blocks of 3 days)
- Virtual coaching sessions
- Online learning resources
Programme structure
This is a broad programme, designed to provide a strong multi-disciplinary engineering foundation prior to moving onto a more specialist pathway.
Years 1 and 2
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Materials and Design
- Computational skills
Years 3 and 4
- Progress onto the Design and Development Engineer specialist pathway
- Work based project
Throughout the four-year programme, you will combine university study with practical workplace experience, developing both academic knowledge and professional engineering skills. Aligned to the IET accreditation requirements, this degree will support those looking to become a Chartered Engineer in future.
Entry Requirements
To apply, you will need:
A Levels
- A Levels
- Minimum 112 UCAS Tariff points at A Level, including a grade B in Maths and
2027 Systems Engineering Apprentice - - Level 6 Applied Professional Engineering Degree Apprenticeship: Thales Manor Royal Business District Crawley, UK Systems Engineering employer: Manor Royal Business District Limited
Virgin Atlantic Airways is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation. As a Strategic Procurement Lead, you will have the opportunity to develop your skills in a fast-paced environment while building trusted relationships across the business. With a strong commitment to employee growth and sustainability, Virgin Atlantic provides a rewarding career path for those looking to make a meaningful impact in the aviation industry.
Contact Details:
Manor Royal Business District Limited Recruitment Team
