2027 Software Engineering Apprentice - Level 6 Digital and Technology Solutions Apprenticeship

Description

The company is a global technology business with over 83,000 employees on five continents, including over 7,500 in the UK. It works across defence, space, aerospace and digital security.

This is a Software Engineering apprenticeship starting 6 September 2027. It suits people who enjoy engineering, want to keep learning, and want a degree that mixes academic study with work.

You will build the technical knowledge, practical skills and professional habits needed to become a confident engineer. You will join the Software Engineering team and help deliver software solutions on time and within budget.

Across the apprenticeship you will learn professional engineering behaviours, industry best practice, and how to handle complex data securely, ethically and responsibly under regulatory standards. You will also cover the software engineering lifecycle, key processes, tools and methods, requirement management, design techniques, code implementation, testing, integration, verification, validation and qualification (IVVQ), and structured approaches to problem solving and investigation.

You will study for a Level 6 Digital and Technology Solutions Degree Apprenticeship with Manchester Metropolitan University. The course covers information systems, how software is built and tested, data and cyber security in business settings, business organisation, IT project management, and computer and network infrastructure.

Learning combines taught units with work-based projects, where possible based on live business scenarios, with support throughout. Over the four years you will combine study with workplace experience, building academic knowledge and engineering skills side by side. At the end you will work as a Software Engineer within the company's UK businesses.

Assessment centres for shortlisted candidates run from February to May 2027. Induction for graduates and apprentices runs from 6 to 10 September 2027.

Responsibilities

• You may support system requirement and design work.
• You may build software solutions that meet a real business need.
• You may take part in project reviews.
• You may help with engineering investigations and problem solving.
• You may explain technical recommendations to stakeholders.
• You may work alongside experienced engineers on live projects.

Requirements

• Hold 104 UCAS points (A Level BCC), or an equivalent such as a BTEC Extended Diploma (DDM), a T Level (Merit) or an apprenticeship.
• Hold 5 GCSEs at grade 9-4 or A-C, including Maths and English.
• Do not already hold a relevant degree. Software Engineering and Computer Science both count as relevant, and applicants who hold either are not eligible.

Conditions

Permanent contract starting 6 September 2027.

Monday to Friday, 37 hours a week: 8 hours Monday to Thursday and 5 hours on Friday.

You attend Manchester Metropolitan University one day a week during the academic year for face-to-face teaching, with online workshops and guided self-study alongside. The other four days are spent at the company's Cheadle site.

All roles are subject to security requirements. SC clearance typically requires you to have lived in the UK continuously for the last five years. Vetting asks for evidence of your identity, right to work in the UK, any time spent overseas in the last five years, and your employment and/or education history. Guidance on the evidence is published by the UK government.

This role supports a UK Eyes Only programme, so UK Government nationality restrictions apply: applicants must have been British citizens from birth and must not hold any other nationality. This is a condition of programme access set by the UK Government, not an employment preference, and it applies to meet the security clearance requirements for access to highly sensitive information.

Applications close at 11:59pm on Wednesday 17 February 2027, and this is the only application window this year. Roles may close earlier if the number of applications is high. You will hear about next steps by the end of February 2027.

The company is an equal opportunities employer and offers equal pay and working conditions to all.

Benefits

• Salary of £24,000 a year, with performance-related pay uplifts.
• Paid a salary throughout your studies.
• Your university tuition fees fully covered.
• Hands-on work in a real engineering environment.
• Job-specific training and development, plus learning and development support.
• A recognised engineering qualification on completion.
• A permanent role from the start of the apprenticeship.
• 201 hours of holiday a year, plus a company day and bank holidays.
• Contributory company pension and a health care cash plan.
• Hybrid or flexible working options.
• Employee assistance programme, employee discounts and wellbeing initiatives.
• Life cover.
• 80 hours of volunteering a year in the first two years.
• Depending on the role, other benefits may include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work, a paid volunteering day, a stocks and shares scheme, and an annual bonus.