Apprentice Estates Craftsperson - Mechanical

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust | Estates & Facilities

Want to build a hands‑on career in plumbing and heating while supporting vital NHS services? West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting an Apprentice Estates Craftsperson (Plumbing & Domestic Heating) to join our Estates team.

You’ll work towards a Level 3 Plumbing and Domestic Heating apprenticeship
, gaining practical experience maintaining and repairing essential mechanical and plumbing systems across Trust sites – helping to keep our hospitals safe, compliant and fully operational.

Apprentice Estates Craftsperson (Plumbing & Domestic Heating)

• Learn maintenance, fault finding and repair of plumbing and heating systems
• Support work on LPHW, steam systems, cold water services and domestic plumbing
• Assist with medical gas, decontamination equipment and HVAC systems (with training)
• Carry out planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and reactive repairs
• Support new installations and system improvements across Trust sites
• Work safely in line with HTMs, Trust policies and health & safety standards
• Use hand tools, power tools and workshop equipment correctly

• GCSE Maths A*‑C / 4‑9 (or equivalent Level
  2)
• Willingness to complete a Level 3 Plumbing & Domestic Heating apprenticeship
• Good communication and teamwork skills

• Earn while you learn with a nationally recognised qualification
• Hands‑on training in a complex healthcare environment

Apprentice Responsibilities

Attend all off‑the‑job training components of the apprenticeship as agreed with your manager and apprenticeship training provider.

Proactively engage in the on‑the‑job activities in the workplace to become competent in the apprenticeship standard and role.

Complete all apprenticeship course work, assessments and self‑directed study in a timely way as agreed with your workplace supervisor and the apprenticeship training provider.

Undertake all statutory and mandatory training required for the job role. This will be in addition to the apprenticeship training requirements.

#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community.

We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high‑quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across West Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.

The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children’s ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.

Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.

We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and teamwork guide how we work and behave as a team.

With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.

We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyone’s voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.

Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?

Please see the full job description and person specification attached for more details on the job role.

(Apprentice will be working towards these and it is expected that the competences and knowledge will be met by the end of the apprenticeship course)

• GCSE Maths grade A*‑C / 4‑9 or equivalent level 2 qualification in maths
• Willing to enrol and complete a Level 3 plumbing and domestic heating apprenticeship course

• GCSE English grade A*‑C / 4‑9 or equivalent level 2 qualification in English
• Ability to travel independently to all rural locations to carry out the post