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Higher Apprenticeship CertHE Civil Engineering Senior Technician

Information for employers

Attract new staff or develop existing employees with our Civil Engineering Senior Technician Higher Apprenticeship: a cost-effective way to train professionally qualified engineers for your organisation.

Four civil engineers on-site in hard hats and hi viz looking at a paper plan together

Elevate your Civil Engineering workforce

Developed in collaboration with industry experts, the Civil Engineering Senior Technician Apprenticeship blends academic rigour with hands-on experience, cultivating well-rounded professionals ready to tackle the challenges of modern engineering. Apprentices undergo a comprehensive, expert-led curriculum to gain the skills, knowledge, and behaviours necessary to excel in their roles, ultimately contributing to the growth and success of your organisation.

Who is this apprenticeship for?

This apprenticeship is ideal for organisations seeking to develop skilled senior civil engineering professionals and designed to equip participants with essential technical and mathematical skills to adeptly address intricate engineering challenges.

Apprentices will gain insights into the societal and environmental impacts of civil engineering, along with essential data interpretation techniques vital for modern engineering practices. They will also learn how to drive innovation and excellence in civil engineering projects, ensuring lasting impact and success for your organisation.

On successful completion apprentices will have the option to apply to progress to our Civil Engineer Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship at Chelmsford or ARU Peterborough (from September 2025) with Recognised Prior Learning.

Capabilities to better your business

A cost-effective way to develop and retain talent

Degree apprenticeships are a smart investment. You can reinvest Apprenticeship Levy funds to cover the cost of the apprenticeship, or receive funding support from the government.

If you operate in England and your annual payroll is over £3 million, you pay a levy of 0.5% of your payroll into a levy account.

The cost of the Civil Engineering Senior Technician Apprenticeship programme for levy paying employers is £11,000 and this can be covered in full using the non-refundable funds in your levy account. If you exhaust the funds in your levy account, then the government will pay 95% of the outstanding fees and you will need to pay the remaining 5%.

If you are an SME, not required to pay the levy, you will pay only 5% of the cost of the apprenticeship programme while the government pays the remaining 95%. The cost of the of the Civil Engineering Senior Technician programme for non-levy paying employers is just £550 (5% of £11,000).

For more about the Apprenticeship Levy, and to find out about any additional incentive payments for hiring a new apprentice from the government, please visit the key information section on our Degree apprenticeships for employers page.

Our team of dedicated consultants can talk you through the detail.

Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) logo

Professional recognition

This standard aligns with the following professional recognition for Engineering Technician:

  • Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
  • Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT)
  • Institute of Highways Engineers (IHE)
  • Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)
  • Permanent Way Institution (PWI)

Because this apprenticeship is recognised by all of the professional institutions detailed above, once you have successfully completed it, you are able to use your qualification to support a separate application for EngTech status from the one that best suits your professional development pathway.

Delivered by experts through term-time day release

The Civil Engineering Senior Technician Higher Apprenticeship is delivered over two years, including EPA.

At least 20% of apprentices' contracted hours will be classed as ‘off the job’. This time will be dedicated to developing the knowledge and skills needed to meet the requirements of the apprenticeship, and therefore is not part of their usual work duties.

The off-the-job learning is gained through university-led learning sessions, activities, and practical learning experiences in the usual work setting.

Apprentices will attend term-time day release sessions at ARU Peterborough, led by sector specialists and practitioners.

What are the entry requirements? 

As an employer your business sets out the person specifications for the role, but the apprentice will need to meet our entry requirements to be accepted onto the course. You can view the full entry requirements on our apprentice course page.

Our team of dedicated consultants can talk you through the detail.

Visit the apprentice course page for full course details

Helping you find the right apprentice

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Recruitment support

Our dedicated apprenticeship team is on hand to help you attract the best candidates for your organisation. We can help with:

  • Crafting job advertisements
  • Promoting your vacancy to our registered and targeted candidate mailing list
  • Adding your vacancy to the National Apprenticeship Service ‘Find an Apprenticeship’ on your behalf
  • Sharing opportunities across our social media channels.

Our consultants will also be happy to support you in determining the suitability of the candidates you receive.

Next steps

If you'd like to know more about the apprenticeship, have a current employee in mind or are thinking of recruiting an apprentice for your business, our designated team of experts are here to support you at every step. Get in touch today.