Space Systems Engineering Degree Apprenticeship

Programme title: Space Systems Engineering Degree Apprenticeship
Level: 6
Salary: 
Year 1: £25,000
Year 2: £26,500
Year 3: £28,000
Year 4: £29,500
Location: Bordon and Corsham (Work Placements), Portsmouth (Day Release)
Application closing date: March 2025
Programme start date: September 2025
Role ID: 60421

If you’re excited by space technology, our 4-year apprenticeship will give you a stellar start to your career. You’ll earn while you learn, with your salary increasing each year as you work towards a BEng in Space Systems Engineering. This is your launchpad into one of the world’s highest growth, high-tech industries.

About the programme 

During your apprenticeship, you’ll be embedded in Babcock's Skynet Service Delivery Wrap (SDW) program. The Skynet system provides essential capabilities to UK and NATO armed forces, ensuring that service personnel can communicate anytime, in any environment, anywhere on Earth. This means you won’t just be gaining specialised engineering skills; you’ll also be supporting projects that are vital to protecting the UK.

You will be working 4 days per week at our locations in Corsham and Bordon, where our teams help to maintain and modernise the UK’s sovereign space communications capabilities. Where required, we will fund your accommodation away from your home base.

You will have the opportunity to rotate through the various Skynet SDW Engineering teams. 

You’ll learn what each team does and assist in tasks of increasing complexity as your apprenticeship progresses. Few other apprenticeships can offer such interesting and important responsibilities. Typical tasks include:

• Visiting dockyards to upgrade communications equipment on a Royal Navy warship.
• Designing subsystems to modernise technologies at satellite ground stations.
• Undertaking testing on cutting edge satellite devices in preparation for their use on the Skynet network.
• Redesigning Skynet systems to allow the integration of newly launched spacecraft.

Your education/training 

During your apprenticeship, you will study for a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours (BEng) in Space Systems Engineering through the University of Portsmouth. 

During term time, it is expected you will spend one day per week at university and four days embedded in Skynet engineering activities. During exam and university project periods, you will be granted additional time away from the workplace for study.

The course features a wide range of specialist modules to give you a solid theoretical grounding for your future real-world engineering. You'll also develop practical skills in systems engineering, hardware design, coding and the commercial application of your new abilities.

Future prospects  

The space industry is experiencing phenomenal growth and is expected to triple in its current value globally by 2035. Space Systems engineering skills will continue to be in very high demand. Today’s apprentices will fill this vital gap in the UK’s skills economy.

On successful completion of the apprenticeship programme, you will be invited to apply for one of a range of engineering opportunities within Babcock. You can expect a salary of over £35,000, dependent on the specific role.

What you’ll need  

• 104-112 points from 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, to include a STEM subject (A Levels: BBC-BCC / BTEC: DMM / T Level: Merit / IB: 28-29)
• A Level 2 qualification in English and Mathematics. (e.g. GCSE with grade C/4 or above and Functional Skills with Pass) 
• If you are unsure if you have a suitable qualification, please get in touch. If you do not have an acceptable qualification, you will be required to take an additional assessment during the application process.
• Many of our early careers roles are subject to Security Clearance and Trade Control restrictions which mean that your place of birth, nationality, citizenship, or residency you hold or have held may impact which roles you are eligible for. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). For our early careers roles, you must be able to achieve BPSS and many of them require you to be eligible for Security Clearance.

Please be aware that if you are working towards or have already achieved a modern apprenticeship at the same level and with the same or similar content to the one for which you are applying, we will not be able to consider your application. 

What you’ll get 

We’ll provide you with a supportive and engaging environment where you can grow your career. 

In addition, you’ll benefit from: 

• Fully funded qualification
• Personal development training and opportunities
• Minimum 28 days holiday allowance including bank holidays
• Competitive pension scheme 
• Employee share scheme
• Flexible benefits including cycle to work scheme and employee shopping savings portal

You’ll also have the chance to get involved in our STEM outreach activities and volunteering opportunities, which our apprentices find incredibly rewarding.

Your career development

It’s hard to beat the variety of fantastic opportunities and business experiences you’ll receive. You can expect real world encounters and exposure to exciting projects that will really help you navigate where you want to take your career.

Plus, when you join us, you’ll be automatically enrolled onto our Apprentice Development Programme. Through a series of digital and face to face sessions, presented by wellbeing and performance experts and our external partners, we will equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to thrive and perform at your very best on your programme and beyond.

Closing dates  

Please be aware that if there is a high level of interest in this programme, applications may close earlier than advertised. To give yourself the best chance of being considered for a place on this programme, please submit your application as early as possible.