FATP · an independent directoryApprenticeship data sourced from DfE, ESFA and IfATEUpdated daily · GB
L4Apprenticeship4741 approved provider
The Level 4 Automation And Controls Engineering Technician, and the 1 provider delivering it.
Installing and maintaining hardware and software for automation systems.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn to install, maintain, fault-find and optimise hardware and software across industrial automation systems. The programme covers PLC and robot programming, HMI and SCADA configuration, variable speed drives, and instrumentation for measuring flow, temperature and pressure. Apprentices also study industrial communication networks at supervisory, cell and field levels, including PROFINET, PROFIBUS and Ethernet. Electrical principles, single and three-phase circuits, engineering maths, safety legislation, and the production and interpretation of technical documentation all form part of the knowledge base.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Week to week, an apprentice might be diagnosing faults on a production line using diagnostic software such as PROFITrace, updating PLC programs to improve machine availability, calibrating field instruments, or supporting the commissioning of a new automated system. They will read electrical schematics, write fault reports, and work within permit-to-work and risk assessment procedures. Depending on the employer, they may work on-site within a control room or travel to customer sites as part of a service or systems integration team. Multi-meter use, panel building and site cabling are practical tasks they will carry out directly.
Career outlook
On completion, the typical title is Automation and Controls Engineering Technician, with progression routes into automation engineer, controls engineer, systems integration engineer, or field service engineer roles. With experience, some move into project engineering or engineering management. Employers span a wide range of industries, including food and drink manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, automotive, utilities and logistics. Both end-user manufacturers and service-side businesses, such as systems integrators and original equipment manufacturers, regularly recruit from this qualification.
1 approved provider
Sorted by achievement rate.
Cheshire College – South & West
Employer: 2.0
Cheshire College – South & West offers apprenticeship and further education opportunities across its...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completers typically step into an Automation and Controls Engineering Technician role, working on PLC programming, HMI and SCADA configuration, fault diagnosis, and industrial network support. In a manufacturing or utilities setting this means keeping automated production or process systems running; in a service provider or OEM environment it means commissioning and supporting systems at customer sites. Both routes involve working with real hardware, from control panels to robotic cells, and taking direct responsibility for system availability.
Progression paths
With three to five years of experience, technicians commonly move into senior automation technician or automation engineer positions, taking on more complex projects and greater site or customer responsibility. From there, two tracks tend to open up: a technical specialist route into roles such as Controls Engineer, Systems Integration Engineer, or Automation Project Engineer; and a leadership route toward Engineering Team Leader or Maintenance Manager. Those in service provision often progress toward Field Service Engineer or Technical Sales Engineer, where deep product knowledge becomes the core value.
Where these roles sit
Demand sits across a wide range of UK industries. Food and drink, pharmaceutical, automotive, oil and gas, and logistics operations all rely on these skills in-house. Systems integrators, OEMs, and specialist field service companies also hire at this level, typically as client-facing engineers. Employers range from large multinationals with centralised engineering functions to SMEs where technicians carry broader responsibility from early on. Both private sector manufacturing firms and regulated utilities recruit into this occupation.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Throughout the apprenticeship, the learner builds competence on the job, covering the technical knowledge and practical skills the role demands, from PLC and HMI programming to industrial network configuration, fault finding, and safe working in industrial environments. Before final assessment, both the employer and training provider must confirm the apprentice is ready, a stage commonly called the gateway. Passing this readiness check means the apprentice can demonstrate the full range of knowledge, skills, and behaviours expected of a competent automation and controls engineering technician. Assessment models for many standards are currently being updated, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Keeping detailed records throughout the programme makes a significant difference at assessment. Learners should capture real workplace evidence as it happens: documented fault-finding activities, commissioning records, risk assessments, network configuration work, and examples of how they have applied safety procedures. Waiting until close to the end to gather evidence creates unnecessary pressure. Regular reviews with the employer and training provider help track progress against the knowledge, skills, and behaviours, and give time to address any gaps before the gateway readiness check.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Look for providers who can demonstrate hands-on access to current automation hardware: physical PLC rigs, HMI panels, VSD equipment and industrial network infrastructure such as PROFINET or PROFIBUS. Achievement rates above 65% are a reasonable baseline for a technically demanding four-year programme; above 75% suggests consistent delivery. Employer satisfaction scores matter here because much of the practical competency (fault finding, commissioning, safe isolation) is developed on-site, so the provider needs to run meaningful employer engagement rather than leaving workplace learning to chance. Ask to see the specific PLC platforms and robot systems apprentices work with.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers whose training facilities lean heavily on simulation software without any physical control panel or wiring work. If a provider cannot name the PLC vendors, industrial network protocols or diagnostic tools their programme covers, that is a gap. Declining achievement rates on FATP profiles, combined with high cohort volumes, can indicate stretched delivery capacity. Vague answers about how off-the-job training integrates with employer site activities suggest the programme may not translate well to real commissioning or fault-finding environments. Check whether reviews mention practical lab time specifically.
Questions to ask before you commit
- Which PLC platforms (for example Siemens, Allen-Bradley, Mitsubishi) does the programme cover, and do apprentices work on physical hardware or primarily simulation software?
- How does the curriculum address industrial networking protocols such as PROFINET, PROFIBUS and Modbus, and what diagnostic tools do apprentices use in training?
- What does off-the-job training look like across the 48 months, and how is it structured around shift patterns or site availability?
- How do you support apprentices whose employer site covers only one sector (for example food manufacturing) to gain exposure to the wider range of automation environments referenced in the standard?
- Can you share your current achievement rate for this standard and explain any trend over the past two years?
- What experience do your trainers have working directly with industrial automation systems, and how recently have they held industry roles?
- How do you handle functional safety content, including SIL and Performance Level terminology, and is this covered in a practical context?
Common questions
What entry requirements does a candidate need to start this apprenticeship?
Employers set their own entry criteria, but most expect GCSEs at grade 4 or above in maths and English, or equivalent qualifications. Some employers accept relevant vocational qualifications or prior experience in an engineering or manufacturing environment instead. Apprentices must be employed in a role where they can genuinely practise automation and controls work throughout the programme. Candidates without GCSE maths and English at the required grade will need to achieve functional skills during the apprenticeship.
How much time does the apprenticeship take, and how does learning fit around the job?
The typical duration is 48 months. Apprentices remain employed throughout and apply their learning directly on the job, working on PLCs, HMIs, industrial networks and automation systems in real environments. The exact off-the-job training requirement is subject to ongoing reforms under Skills England; check the current standard on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) page on gov.uk for the latest specification before planning a programme.
How is the apprenticeship assessed and what is the gateway?
Before taking the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway: the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has met all knowledge, skills and behaviour requirements and is occupationally competent. Assessment models for many standards are being updated, so check the current assessment plan on gov.uk for the precise methods in use. Generally, assessment will require the apprentice to demonstrate practical competence across fault finding, PLC and HMI configuration, instrumentation, industrial networking and safe working.
How does an employer pay for this apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £14,000. Levy-paying employers draw on their Digital Apprenticeship Service account to cover training and assessment costs up to that cap. Smaller employers who do not pay the levy co-invest with government, typically contributing 5 percent of costs with government funding the rest. Employers with fewer than 50 staff who take on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing; government funds the full cost. Any costs above the funding band cap are met by the employer.
What does an apprentice in this role actually do day to day?
Day-to-day tasks depend on the employer type. In a manufacturing, logistics or utilities site, the apprentice installs, maintains and fault-finds automation hardware and software, including PLCs, variable speed drives, HMIs and industrial networks such as PROFIBUS and PROFINET. In a systems integrator or field service organisation, they work at customer sites on commissioning, fault diagnosis and support. Either way, they use software tools, multi-meters and technical documentation, and work as part of a multi-disciplinary engineering team while applying health and safety procedures throughout.
What can an apprentice do after completing this apprenticeship?
Completion leads to the job title of Automation and Controls Engineering Technician, with the technical grounding to progress into senior technician, engineering supervisor or specialist roles in areas such as robotics, SCADA systems or industrial networking. Many completers move into higher apprenticeships or part-time degree programmes in electrical or control engineering. Those in service provider environments often take on greater autonomy or move into technical consultancy. The breadth of sectors that use automation, including automotive, pharmaceutical, food and drink and utilities, means progression routes are available across industry.
Not sure which provider fits?
Tell us a bit about your team and we'll send a shortlist.
Need help choosing a provider?
Tell us your requirements and we'll match you with the right training providers.
Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 474.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Related standards
Engineering Technician L3Through life engineering services specialist (integrated degree) L7Compressed air and vacuum technician L3Food And Drink Engineer L5Mineral processing weighbridge operator L2Ordnance munitions and explosives specialist (integrated degree) L7Water process operative L2Systems engineer (degree) L7