About this apprenticeship
What it involves
The Clock Maker apprenticeship teaches you the craft skills to restore, repair, and make mechanical clocks and timepieces to a professional standard. You will work with traditional hand tools and precision instruments to service movements, fabricate components, and bring historic pieces back to working order. This specialist trade leads to careers in horological conservation, antique restoration, or running your own workshop.
On the job
What you’ll learn
Principles of mechanical horology and how clock movements work
How to strip, clean, inspect, and reassemble clock movements
Fabrication of replacement parts using hand tools and lathes
Fault diagnosis and adjustment of going rate, strike, and chiming trains
Care and handling of antique cases, dials, and decorative elements
Record-keeping and customer communication for restoration projects
On the job
What you’ll do day to day
Dismantle and clean clock movements using specialist equipment
Diagnose faults and plan appropriate repair or restoration work
Turn, file, and fit replacement components to the correct specification
Reassemble, regulate, and test clock movements for accurate timekeeping
Polish and repair wooden or metal cases under supervisor guidance
Document work carried out and advise customers on aftercare
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 3 (Advanced) - roughly A-level level. Employers usually look for some GCSEs (often English & maths around grade 4/C) or a Level 2 apprenticeship first. English & maths can sometimes be finished during training.
What’s next: Can lead to a Level 4/5 (Higher) apprenticeship, or straight into the role.
Entry requirements are set by each employer and can vary - always check the specific vacancy.
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What it’s really like
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