Location: Templecombe, 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 Machine Learning Apprentice - Level 6 AI Engineer
Start Date: 06 September 2027
Salary: £24,000 per annum
Employee type: Permanent
Location: Templecombe
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 qualification
- 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 tuition fees fully paid
About the Role
As a Machine Learning 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 Specialist Underwater Systems Engineering team, you will support the rapid delivery of novel solutions, ensuring that our Royal Navy and export customers have the capability needed in today's fast paced environment to carry out their critical missions, keeping them and our nation safe and secure.
Your responsibilities may include:
- Working with Underwater Systems specialists and software developers to create novel solutions
- Developing solutions with our partners across the multinational Thales organisation, academia and industry
- Participating in 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
Apprenticeship Programme
You will study towards a Level 6 in AI Engineer Apprenticeship with QA. The AI Engineer programme gives you the skills to design, build, and deploy advanced AI systems - including generative AI and deep learning. You'll move from concept to real-world application. Creating solutions that scale and deliver impact.
The programme is 23 months in duration and is delivered via a virtual delivery model combining:
- Instructor led live workshops (28 days)
- Interactive labs and self-paced learning
Programme structure - You will complete learning in:
- AI System Development and Automation
- AI Solution Design and Testing
- Deep Learning and Transformers
- Business Process Optimisation with AI
- Security, Ethics and Explainable AI
- Leading AI and Future Innovation
On completion of the programme, you will have the opportunity to achieve the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI -102) in addition to the IfATE L6AIE Qualification.
Entry Requirements
- A Levels
- Three A Levels Grade B or above in Maths
- At least one other relevant subject (Physics, Computer Science, Software, ICT)
- Or Level 4/5 apprenticeship in a relevant discipline
GCSEs
- Minimum of five GCSEs at Grade 9-4 (A-C) English and Maths
Please note that Computer Science graduates are not eligible due to funding restrictions.
Benefits
- Competitive salary of £24,000 per annum
- Performance-related pay uplifts
- Holiday entitlement of 201 hours a year (plus a company day and bank holidays)
- Contributory Company Pension
- Health Care Cash Plan
- Hybrid/flexible working options
- Employee assistance programme
- Learning and development support
- Employee discounts and wellbeing initiatives
- Life Cover
- 80 Hours Volunteering per year (first two years)
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2027 Machine Learning Apprentice - Level 6 AI Engineer in Templecombe employer: Thales
Thales is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Glasgow where innovation meets collaboration. With a strong focus on employee development, competitive benefits including a performance-related bonus and generous leave policies, and a commitment to inclusivity, Thales empowers its employees to thrive while contributing to critical projects in the Sea sector. Join us to be part of a team that values your unique strengths and supports your professional growth.
