Engineering Trades Apprenticeship - Welders and Fabricators

Programme title: Engineering Trades Apprenticeship – Welders and Fabricators

Level: SCQF Level 7

Salary: Year 1: £15,974
Year 2: £22,857
Year 3: £25,728
Year 4: £29,274

Post apprenticeship: £39,129

Location: Rosyth, Scotland

Final date to receive applications: 12th March 2026

Programme start date: August 2026

Ready to learn a skilled trade? On our 4-year Engineering Trades Apprenticeship, you’ll develop specialist skills in fabricating and welding and gain hands‑on experience maintaining the Royal Navy’s fleet.

This is no ordinary apprenticeship. Our engineering technicians are at the forefront of building and maintaining the Royal Navy’s fleet.

As part of our busy team, you'll contribute to the build, maintenance, and refit of UK Royal Navy and international naval vessels, including the Type 31 Frigate Programme and UK Submarine Dismantling Programme.

You will have the opportunity to work on a variety of projects such as new builds and upgrades to existing vessels, along with other commercial engineering projects.

This varied and exciting programme covers trades including fabricating and welding. You'll be assigned one of these trade routes to specialise in.

Find out more about each of the trades below. You’ll be asked to indicate your preference during the recruitment process.

You'll learn how to manufacture a wide range of components and construct both minor and major ship structures. You’ll fabricate metal structures, work with structural and sheet metal, and use cutting, bending, and assembling processes. On the job, you will learn how to operate handheld tools and CNC cutters, as well as manual or powered hamming tools and press brakes. Additionally, you’ll gain experience in welding, binding with adhesives, riveting, fastening, bending seams, and other fabrication tools and techniques.

You'll be trained in various welding processes and techniques while developing a comprehensive understanding of welding, including the operation of specialist welding tools and equipment. Your work will range from factory-based manufacturing to major structural welding on Royal Navy vessels. With such varied tasks, no two days will be the same, and you'll play a vital role in supporting the Royal Navy's operations.

Whatever route you take, the apprenticeship programme will equip you with valuable knowledge and practical skills in areas such as:

• Health and safety
• Planning and documentation
• Engineering mathematical and scientific principles
• Methods and techniques
• Structure, properties and characteristics of materials
• Diagnostic methods to overcome problems
• Interpreting engineering drawings and data
• Adhering to and refining processes and procedures

In addition to technical expertise, the programme also focuses on developing key soft skills, including — but not limited to — clear communication, effective teamwork, problem‑solving, attention to detail, and a commitment to ongoing personal development and reflective learning.

This structured apprenticeship combines college-based learning with practical, on-the-job experience. Upon successful completion, apprentices will earn the EAL SVQ Level 3 and the SDS Level 3 Modern Apprenticeship Certificate in Fabrication and Welding Engineering, both aligned to SCQF Level 7.

In your first year, you will be predominantly based ding and Fabrication Apprentices will attend Forth Valley College in Falkirk, focusing on achieving the National Certificate (NC) in Fabrication and Welding and Performance Engineering Operations Level
2. This foundational year equips you with essential knowledge and technical skills for the workplace.

From your second year onwards, you will transition to full-time training at Rosyth Dockyard with a block of attendance at Forth Valley College. This phase is designed to help you apply what you’ve learned in a practical setting, providing valuable real‑world experience. During this year, apprentices are also invited to apply for a Higher National Certificate (HNC) qualification. If successful, you’ll attend college one day per week throughout the third and fourth years of your…