Apprenticeships
Duration
12 – 24 Months
Salary
Variable
Location
UK wide
What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship puts you in a paid position whilst allowing you to study for professional accreditation. Once you complete your apprenticeship you will have all the relevant knowledge to progress in your chosen field.
Apprentices form an important part of workforce planning across a range of levels and professions and are integral to the structure and future of the Environment Agency.
The Environment Agency offer a range of apprenticeship opportunities. These opportunities include career entry programmes, including degree apprenticeships; via recruitment to core roles; and as an opportunity for upskilling our existing workforce.
Eligibility
To be considered for an apprenticeship programme in England, you need to:
- be 16 or over
- be living in England
- not be in full-time education
An apprenticeship is a real job and to complete an apprenticeship, your job role must cover the knowledge, skills and behaviours that are outlined by the occupational Standard. More details about each occupational standard can be found on the IFATE occupational maps website here Occupational Maps: Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education
Benefits
There are many benefits to undertaking your apprenticeship with the Environment Agency. A selection of these are outlined below:
- Choice – There are hundreds of apprenticeships now available, with opportunities to earn money as you learn in a diverse range of areas and job roles. The Environment Agency offers apprenticeships from levels 3 to 7, which is equivalent to A-Level all the way up to post-graduate degree level.
- Widening participation – Apprenticeships can create inclusive opportunities for you if you’re at the start of your career journey, opening up work-based learning pathways to careers that have traditionally been accessed through study at university with Environmental Practitioner or Civil Engineer Degree Apprenticeships offering an ‘earn and learn’ alternative to traditional university education.
- Earn and learn – The range of job roles at the Environment Agency open up learning and development opportunities that appeal to young people. These opportunities combine on-the-job training with structured learning and provide a salary for the apprentice as they learn.
- Career progression – At the Environment Agency we can support you to grow and develop your skills and talent as you progress your career with us.
- Support – You will be supported by managers, mentors and technical specialists that are experts in their field.
Types of programme
The Environment Agency offer opportunities at levels 2 to 7, each level corresponding to a different educational qualification:
- Level 2 – GCSEs
- Level 3 – A-Levels
- Levels 4 and 5 – Higher Education Certificate/Diploma or Foundation Degree
- Level 6 – Bachelor’s Degree
- Level 7 – Master’s Degree
Our most popular apprenticeship types are:
- Team Leader – Level 5
- Project Manager – Level 4 and level 6
- Environment Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship (more information below) – Level 6
- Business Administrator – Level 3
- Ecologist Degree – Level 7
- Water Environment Worker (more information below) – Level 3
- Data Analyst – Level 4
- Civil engineering – Level 3 and level 6
Water Environment Worker Apprenticeship
The Water Environment Worker (WEW) Apprenticeship is the Environment Agency’s mandatory upskilling provision for new starters in FCRM Field Operations.
The WEW Apprenticeship ensures our people have a solid training foundation and a wealth of skills needed to become asset maintainers and operators.
This apprenticeship benefits both the individual and their career development, as well as their team, by helping their team members become highly skilled colleagues that add significant value to their team’s capacity.
You can find out more about the Water Environment Worker Apprenticeship on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education’s (IFATE) website here Water environment worker / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. If you’re interested in applying for a role that would undertake the Water Environment Worker, look out for current opportunities here Current opportunities – Environment Agency (environmentagencycareers.co.uk)
Environmental Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship (EPDA)
An Environmental Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship will develop skills and capabilities while equipping the apprentice with the experience and opportunities to make a real difference.
The apprenticeship gives the employee the opportunity to move between teams in the organisation. There is a study aspect, which will vary based on the training provider. It is likely to be a mix of online study, block weeks and field trips. The apprentice will travel for training, and the host team will be expected to provide subsistence.
Recruitment for the EPDA – takes place on an annual basis with apprentices due to start in September.
More info – Environmental practitioner (Degree) / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
To read more testimonials and stories from apprentices, take a look at our page on Youth Employment UK Environment Agency Early Careers – Youth Employment UK
Specific recruitment information
Apprenticeship recruitment will take place throughout the year so it’s worth looking out for roles on our jobs board here Current opportunities – Environment Agency (environmentagencycareers.co.uk).
Depending on the apprenticeship, start dates can be monthly, quarterly, six monthly or annual.
If a role is not advertised with an apprenticeship, it is worth talking to the recruiting manager about potential opportunities. There are lots of great apprenticeships available and we want to ensure our staff have the skills and knowledge to do their roles, so support staff to take on opportunities where possible.
Explore top apprenticeships advice and find ones you’ll enjoy!