Engineering and manufacturing apprenticeship
Level 3 Engineering Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship – Single Discipline
The Level 3 Engineering Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship – Single Discipline prepares apprentices to maintain, repair, and improve industrial equipment and engineering systems across sectors such as manufacturing, energy, and utilities.
The programme combines workplace experience with technical training, helping learners progress into skilled engineering maintenance roles and future career development within the engineering sector.
Level
Level 3
Duration
42 months locally or 48 months nationally, plus 4 months EPA
Delivery
Local block release in Stockport or national in-company and online day release
Occupational Summary
Occupational Profile
Engineering Maintenance Technicians play a vital role in keeping industry moving. They are responsible for maintaining the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of plant, equipment, and systems across sectors such as manufacturing, energy, utilities, processing, and more.
Depending on their chosen pathway, apprentices will develop specialist skills in electrical, control and instrumentation, or mechanical engineering maintenance.
In their day-to-day role, maintenance technicians carry out planned preventative maintenance to avoid failures, as well as reactive maintenance when breakdowns occur. They prepare and complete jobs safely, record their work accurately, and ensure all tasks meet required quality and compliance standards.
They work closely with engineers, operators, managers, and other stakeholders, often as part of a team but sometimes independently. Safety is always the priority, alongside meeting business needs such as uptime, cost efficiency, and service delivery.
Specialist maintenance options
This is a core and options apprenticeship. An apprentice must be trained and assessed against the core and one option.
ELECTRICAL: working with motors, power supplies, and electrical distribution systems.
CONTROL & INSTRUMENTATION: working with PLCs, sensors, flow systems, and safety controls.
MECHANICAL: working with pumps, valves, gearboxes, pipework, and mechanical assemblies.
Typical job roles include:
Maintenance Technician
Engineering Maintenance Technician
Electrical Maintenance Technician
Mechanical Maintenance Technician
Control & Instrumentation Technician
Maintenance Engineering Technician
Engineering Technician
Electrical craftsperson
Mechanical craftsperson
Control and instrumentation maintenance technician
Skills England Standard
Engineering maintenance technician – single discipline ST1426 v1.0
Apprenticeship Standard
ST1426
Current Version
Version 1.0
Maximum Funding
£27,000
For the current occupational standard and end-point assessment information, visit Skills England.
Occupational Duties
Duties
Maintain site health, safety and environmental compliance, including risk assessment and emergency procedures.
Liaise with stakeholders, coordinate maintenance work and provide appropriate technical information.
Prepare for work by checking requirements, organising resources and obtaining consumables and replacement parts.
Review and accept job requirements and the applicable safe system of work or permit to work.
Carry out maintenance to the required regulatory, industry and company quality standards.
Complete post-job checks, sign off work and hand over plant and equipment safely.
Complete maintenance, fault-finding, stock control and other work records accurately.
Contribute to improvements in safety, reliability, sustainability and efficiency, and maintain professional development.
Electrical option: carry out planned, preventative and reactive electrical maintenance.
Electrical option: diagnose and resolve faults in electrical plant, equipment and systems.
Electrical option: remove and replace electrical components, plant and systems.
Electrical option: inspect, examine and test electrical equipment and systems.
Electrical option: check the availability and performance of electrical maintenance tools and equipment.
Control and instrumentation option: maintain control systems and equipment, including calibration.
Control and instrumentation option: diagnose and solve faults in control and instrumentation systems.
Control and instrumentation option: remove and replace instrumentation and control equipment.
Control and instrumentation option: inspect, examine and test instrumentation equipment and control systems.
Mechanical option: carry out planned, preventative and reactive maintenance of mechanical plant and systems.
Mechanical option: diagnose and resolve faults in mechanical plant and equipment.
Mechanical option: remove and replace mechanical plant, equipment and systems.
Mechanical option: inspect, examine and test mechanical plant.
Mechanical option: manufacture or assemble components when required, such as bespoke gaskets.
Mechanical option: maintain the availability and performance of mechanical maintenance tools and equipment.
Gateway
Gateway requirements
After completing the relevant workplace training, the apprentice, employer and training provider review readiness for independent end-point assessment. The apprentice must satisfy the gateway requirements for ST1426 Version 1.0 and the selected single-discipline option.
The employer and training provider confirm that the apprentice has achieved the required occupational competence and is ready for EPA.
The apprentice has completed the required programme and off-the-job training, and met the English and maths requirements that apply to their age and circumstances under the current apprenticeship funding rules.
An authentic portfolio of evidence is compiled and submitted to support the interview-based assessment.
The apprentice has met any mandatory qualification requirements applicable to the chosen specialist option, as specified by the official standard and assessment plan.
End-Point Assessment
ST1426, Engineering maintenance technician – single discipline Level 3
After the gateway, the independent end-point assessment normally takes place over a four-month period. Apprentices are assessed against the core requirements and their chosen electrical, mechanical, or control and instrumentation option.
- Observation with questions: the apprentice demonstrates maintenance competence in a practical work setting.
- Interview based on an EPA portfolio: an independent assessor examines the apprentice’s recorded work and technical understanding.
- Multiple-choice test: assesses knowledge relevant to the core standard and chosen maintenance discipline.
End-Point Assessment
ST1426 Version 1.0 uses three independent end-point assessment methods:
- Observation with questions
- Interview based on an EPA portfolio
- Multiple-choice test
The apprentice must meet the required standard in each assessment method. Successful completion leads to the Level 3 apprenticeship certificate. The published assessment plan determines the overall grade.
Portfolio of Evidence Requirement
Portfolio of evidence
The apprentice gathers and submits an EPA portfolio before the assessment period. It supports the independent interview, showing how the apprentice has carried out maintenance work against the core and selected specialist requirements.
Elevated also uses e-portfolio software during training, allowing candidates to upload evidence from site and participate in remote live video observations. This training and support arrangement is distinct from the independent EPA portfolio requirements.
Evidence may include
- Maintenance job reports and completed work records
- Fault-finding and diagnostic records
- Inspection, examination and testing evidence
- Risk assessments, permits and safe-work documentation
- Records of continuous improvement or reliability work
What’s Included
What’s Included
Local block-release practical training and face-to-face technical certificate option
National in-company training tasks, subject to a suitably qualified company mentor
Online day-release knowledge delivery for the national route
Engineering maintenance apprenticeships
