Apprentice Engineering CAD Design Technician.

Summary

Vac-Ex have an opportunity for a future aspiring Design Engineer due to growth of the company. Initially starting as an Apprentice Draftsperson, you will support and assist the Engineering team and Senior Design Engineer on existing and new projects. This is a permanent role and we want this person to grow with us as their skills progress.

Wage

£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course

Engineering design technician (level 3)

Hours

Monday to Friday, between 8am to 4:30pm.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

3 years 6 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you’ll do at work

Roles:

Measuring up and producing hand-drawn sketches from existing machine modifications (on the shop floor) so that you can model them later.
Creating and modifying 3D solid models using SolidWorks.
Producing Drawings for the shop floor and suppliers that meet quality and technical standards (BS8888).
Creating and updating Part Numbers in line with Company Procedures (ISO9001).
Opportunity to engage and contribute to design improvements on existing and new products.
Learning how to create BOMS, SOPs and instruction manuals and work with Legislation.
Assist with Testing.

Skills required:

Some experience with 3D CAD.
Basic computer literacy – Word, Excel and Outlook.
Record keeping.
Problem Solving.
Keen eye for detail.
Ability to change and make change.
Methodical approach.
Good organisational skills to work to deadlines.
Developing communication skills with other departments.
Ability to prioritise work based on changing workloads.
Ability to work alone, and in conjunction with other employees as required.
Enthusiastic and self-motivated and enjoy the challenge.
Ability to learn, analyse, and understand business and technical processes.
Ultimately, a willingness to learn new skills is required as full training will be given to suitable candidates.

Where you’ll work

COULMAN ROAD INDUSTRIAL ESTA
THORNE
DONCASTER
ENGLAND
DN8 5JU

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

DN COLLEGES GROUP

Your training course

Engineering design technician (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents

Apply health and safety procedures and safe systems of work in compliance with regulations and standards.
Work in accordance with the design process, company management systems, policies and procedures.
Review and interpret technical information and requirements from different sources such as specifications, engineering drawings, concepts, stakeholders.
Identify and assess factors that affect designs such as materials, application, location, risk and environment.
Select materials and parts.
Propose and evaluate ideas for sustainable engineering concepts to solve engineering challenges.
Develop solutions that can be manufactured or built, and proven, operated and maintained during their operational life and decommissioned or recycled at the end of their operational life.
Provide feedback on engineering designs.
Apply quality assurance procedures to engineering drawings or models, including own designs and those of peers.
Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
Produce written documents, schedules and reports.
Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
Identify inaccuracies or discrepancies in drawings and specifications and propose solutions.
Incorporate changes to an existing design as a result of any modifications made during the as-built implementation.
Create concepts for system layouts and associated components.
Read, interpret and establish design intent.
Determine the correct tolerances for components of the design.
Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
Perform simple calculations to use in design drawings.
Use measuring techniques for reverse engineering.
Option 1. Produce general arrangements of electrical power.
Option 1. Produce detailed drawings of electrical power components such as wires connection, voltage, capacity, main switches.
Option 1. Identify cable types and application.
Option 1. Use digital tools such as CAD and BIM to produce electrical power project deliverables such as output drawings and electrical designs.
Option 2. Produce general arrangements of control and instrumentation designs.
Option 2. Produce detailed drawings of control and instrumentation components such as cable numbers, wire colours, junction block numbers and panel identification.
Option 2. Identify different cable types and appropriate application.
Option 2. Use digital tools such as CAD to produce control and instrumentation project deliverables.
Option 3. Produce general arrangements of mechanical designs.
Option 3. Produce detailed drawings of mechanical components such as part dimensions, shape and manufacture.
Option 3. Use digital tools such as CAD to produce mechanical project deliverables.
Option 4. Produce general arrangements of piping design.
Option 4. Produce detailed drawings of piping components such as pipework, ducts and fittings and including supports and skids.
Option 4. Use digital tools such as CAD or Plant Design Management Systems to produce piping design project deliverables.
Option 5. Produce general arrangements of structures showing multiple materials such as steel, concrete, masonry, timber.
Option 5. Produce detailed drawings for multiple materials such as steel, concrete, timber or masonry.
Option 5. Use digital tools such as CAD and BIM to produce structural project deliverables.
Apply health and safety procedures and safe systems of work in compliance with regulations and standards.
Work in accordance with the design process, company management systems, policies and procedures.
Review and interpret technical information and requirements from different sources such as specifications, engineering drawings, concepts, stakeholders.
Identify and assess factors that affect designs such as materials, application, location, risk and environment.
Select materials and parts.
Propose and evaluate ideas for sustainable engineering concepts to solve engineering challenges.
Develop solutions that can be manufactured or built, and proven, operated and maintained during their operational life and decommissioned or recycled at the end of their operational life.
Provide feedback on engineering designs.
Apply quality assurance procedures to engineering drawings or models, including own designs and those of peers.
Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
Produce written documents, schedules and reports.
Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
Identify inaccuracies or discrepancies in drawings and specifications and propose solutions.
Incorporate changes to an existing design as a result of any modifications made during the as-built implementation.
Create concepts for system layouts and associated components.
Read, interpret and establish design intent.
Determine the correct tolerances for components of the design.
Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
Perform simple calculations to use in design drawings.
Use measuring techniques for reverse engineering.

Your training plan

Training will be at North Lindsey College where you will access a wide range of facilities on offer

Day release.  
You will undertake the Engineering Design Technician Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard (https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/st0164-v1-2).
You will undertake Functional Skills for English and/or Maths if needed.  
You will undertake both on and off-the-job training by a team of industry qualified professionals to give you the best skills, knowledge and experience that will help you become a CAD Designer/Operator of the future!

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade 5)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Presentation skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Initiative
Patience

Other requirements

You must be able to travel to and from work and college. Apprentices are paid for their normal working hours and training that's part of their apprenticeship (usually one day per week). The Apprenticeship National Minimum Wage guide is updated every April (ANMW): https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates

About this company

Vac-Ex Ltd produces equipment for the safe excavation in and around live buried utilities (electric, gas, water etc). We are a busy, expanding, market leading, UK-based, SME Design/Manufacture/Fabrication/Sales & Exports organisation.

https://www.vac-ex.com/about-us/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Holidays, Pension, Bright HR Discounts.

After this apprenticeship

Successful completion of the apprenticeship could lead to a higher-level apprenticeship or full-time employment for the right candidate.
Several opportunities for career progression on completion.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

DN COLLEGES GROUP

Jamie Herrington

jamie.herrington1@don.ac.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000313355.

Apply now

Closes in 7 days (Tuesday 29 April 2025 at 11:59pm)

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