OAS Level 3 Engineering Technician Apprenticeships

OAS offers three Level 3 Engineering Technician apprenticeships (Mechatronics Technician, Engineering and Manufacturing Support Technician, and Machining Technician) that combine paid workplace experience with formal qualifications. Apprentices learn practical and technical skills through a mix of on-the-job learning with an employer partner and training at the Oxfordshire Advanced Skills Centre, gaining competencies relevant to roles such as PLC programming, CAD design, quality control and maintenance.

The programme is structured over three years with block-release training and on-site employer placements. Year 1 focuses on foundation skills and the advanced manufacturing diploma via block release; Year 2 continues on-the-job learning with further diploma work; Year 3 completes the Level 3 work-based competency diploma and prepares apprentices for their End Point Assessment (EPA).

The training routes cover PLCs and robot programming (Mechatronics), engineering drawing and CAD (Support Technician), and advanced turning, milling and CNC (Machining Technician).

Entry requires five GCSEs (including Maths, Science and English). Programmes typically start from September to November each year, with some January intakes and rolling recruitment throughout the year.

Apprentices earn a salary while training and can progress to higher-level engineering qualifications on completion.