JourneyApprenticeshipsEngineering and manufacturing foundation apprenticeship

Engineering and manufacturing foundation apprenticeship

Level 2 · IntermediateEngineering and manufacturing 0.7 yr typical
About this apprenticeship

What it involves

The Engineering and Manufacturing Foundation Apprenticeship is a Level 2 programme that introduces young people to core engineering and manufacturing skills before they move into a specialist engineering apprenticeship at Level 3 or above. You will gain hands-on experience across a range of engineering processes - including machining, fabrication, electrical work, and engineering drawing - alongside workplace behaviours and health and safety awareness. It provides an ideal starting point for school leavers who want to enter the engineering sector.

On the job

What you’ll learn

Health, safety, and environmental awareness in engineering workplaces
Engineering drawing interpretation: reading and understanding technical drawings
Core machining principles: turning, milling, and grinding fundamentals
Basic fabrication and welding techniques
Electrical principles: voltage, current, circuit components, and measurement
Quality assurance: inspection, measurement, and understanding tolerances
Workplace behaviours: teamwork, communication, and professional standards
On the job

What you’ll do day to day

Complete practical tasks across different engineering workshops under supervision
Read and interpret engineering drawings to produce simple components
Use hand tools and basic machine tools in a safe and controlled manner
Carry out measurements and inspections to check work against tolerances
Follow health and safety rules and wear correct PPE at all times
Work as part of an engineering team on short practical projects
Record your work and reflect on what you have learned each week
The deal

How this apprenticeship works

You earn a wage from day one. You are a paid employee, not a student. There are no tuition fees - the training is funded by your employer and the government.
About 20% is “off-the-job” training. Roughly a day a week is spent learning away from your normal duties - at a college, training provider, or online - working towards a recognised qualification.
It ends with an end-point assessment (EPA). Near the end, an independent assessor checks you can do the job to the national standard - through tests, a project, a portfolio or an interview. Pass it and you are fully qualified.
How to get there

What you need to start

Level 2 (Intermediate) - roughly GCSE level. Often open with few or no formal qualifications - a strong first step. Some employers ask for a couple of GCSEs.
What’s next: Typically leads on to a Level 3 (Advanced) apprenticeship.

Entry requirements are set by each employer and can vary - always check the specific vacancy.

Hear from employers

What it’s really like

No employer videos yet for this apprenticeship. Employers offering it can add one to show young people what the role is really like.