Electrical engineering apprenticeships (a guide for 2024)

What do you get when you put maths, physics and IT together? Well, add a sprinkle of electronics and you get electrical engineering.

If you’re a natural problem-solver and you love reading about innovative technology, this could be the perfect industry for you. In this article, we’ve found the best apprenticeships in electrical engineering and we’ll show just how you can get started.

Jobs in electrical engineering

Electrical engineer

Electrical engineers combine the disciplines of – you guessed it – an electrician and an engineer. You’ll design, build and test the electrical components, equipment and systems for pretty much every industry. For example, one day you might help build complex automated machinery for a factory. Or, you’ll design a lighting system for a big warehouse.

Aerospace engineer

Aerospace engineering is a specialist discipline within the wider field of electrical engineering. It involves all the day-to-day tasks that an electrical engineer would do, except you’ll know how to work with complex systems like aircraft, satellites and even spaceships. You’ll find plenty of aerospace engineering jobs in the defence industry (think: RAF, Royal Navy, British Army, etc.).

Electrician

You probably know someone who’s an electrician. It’s a super popular job that involves installing, inspecting and maintaining electrical equipment and systems. You might work in residential homes, commercial buildings or outdoor projects, and typical day-to-day activities include installing equipment and wiring. This job comes with a lot of responsibility – electrical circuits can be extremely dangerous, so you’re in charge of people’s safety!

Nuclear engineer

Nuclear power is a type of energy that uses a nuclear reactor to generate electricity. It’s a complex topic and the nuclear engineers who work in this industry are in charge of researching, designing and building new systems and power stations. There are a lot of risk assessments involved in this type of work, and you’ll analyse lots of data to ensure the nuclear power station is totally safe at all times.

Engineering physicist

Love the idea of atoms and energy? Light and motion? An engineering physicist creates engineering solutions according to the correct laws of physics. This role combines skills from all STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). For example, you might work on building a giant laser for an aerospace company or developing best practices for a university to build a lecture hall based on the way sound travels across the room.   

Apprenticeships in electrical engineering

BAE Systems

Choose between BAE Systems’ advanced Electrical Apprenticeship and higher Electrical Engineering Apprenticeship (equivalent to a degree). BAE Systems is a world leader in aerospace, defence and security technology with a comprehensive apprenticeship programme. You’ll learn high-quality real-world skills in various engineering and electrical disciplines, which will set you up for a successful career at BAE Systems afterwards.

BAE Systems apprenticeship scheme runs from November – February each year, but you can register for alerts to be contacted when this year’s roles go live.

SSE

Earn an HNC or HND in Electrical Engineering during this 3-year apprenticeship while gaining hands-on experience in the renewable energy industry with the industry leader, SSE. Oh, and did we mention you can earn an impressive £34,000 per year when you’re qualified?

EDF Energy

In EDF Energy’s 3-year Electrical Engineering Apprenticeship, you can earn a degree in electrical engineering while working in the EDF Renewables business to advance their net zero initiatives. The programmes open every autumn and they’re super competitive – so be ready!

Network Rail

This Level 3 Railway Engineering course by Network Rail offers a mix of online and in-person learning, and you’ll have an NVQ at the end. The salary is £19,838 in the first year and it increases throughout the 3-year course. The best part is that Network Rail’s apprenticeships happen all over the country, so you’ll probably find one near you.

RAF

Want to take care of RAF aircraft and powerful equipment? Become a world-class electrical engineer with the RAF’s 3-year apprenticeship. There are specialist electrical engineering opportunities available too, like the Aircraft Technician Apprenticeship.

Siemens

Technology giant Siemens does loads of things in healthcare, transport and manufacturing. They have electrical engineering apprenticeships in three different levels: advanced (NVQ Level 3), higher (NVQ Level 4) and degree (bachelor’s or master’s degree). Keep an eye on their website to see the available roles – they often get filled up quickly.

Transport for London

Check out Transport for London’s Level 3 Electrical Installation Apprenticeship, which is designed specifically to provide you with skills to advance, install and maintain the London Underground. You’ll learn how to read electrical and mechanical drawings, understand legislation and update wiring systems, amongst loads of other complex skills.

Entry requirements

You already know that most electrical engineering apprenticeships are interested in students who’ve studied STEM subjects. At the very least, you’ll need GCSEs in maths, English and science at grade 4 or above, but extras like IT are a great bonus.

Electrical engineering is all about precision. You’ve gotta figure out how things work and make them work safely and efficiently, which means you’ll do well in this industry if you have an analytical mindset and you love solving problems. There is a lot of collaboration involved with other teams, so you’ll need strong teamwork and communication skills too.

Extra tips

Why not start off by familiarising yourself with some electrical engineering basics before your apprenticeship begins? This stuff might seem really complex at first (and you’ll learn everything during your apprenticeship, anyway) but all it takes is a simple YouTube search to help you feel more comfortable. Here are a few fundamentals to pop into your search bar:

• Electrical engineering basics
  • Voltage
  • Current
  • Resistance
• Physics basics
  
  • ElectromagnetismOpticsMechanics
  • Thermodynamics
• Mathematics basics
  • Linear algebra
  • Probability and statistics
  • Trigonometry

Got your sights set on a career in engineering?

Don’t be phased by the complexity of electrical engineering – everything seems hard before you learn how it works, right? Aim high and believe in yourself. After all, you can build your own future when you set your mind to it.

Check out our ultimate guide to a career in engineering to learn more.