The Level 3 Civil Engineering Technician, and the 24 providers delivering it.
Providing technical support to engineers and other construction professionals.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn to apply civil engineering principles to the design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure and buildings. The programme covers technical drawing and modelling using CAD and BIM software, data collection and analysis, and the production of engineering documentation. It also addresses health and safety legislation, CDM regulations, DMRB standards, environmental and sustainability requirements, and quality assurance processes. Apprentices develop an understanding of project management and professional ethics, and are expected to maintain their development through structured CPD throughout the programme.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Working under the supervision of a qualified engineer, an apprentice in this role is likely to produce and amend technical drawings using CAD or BIM software, gather and analyse site or design data, and support the preparation of technical reports and specifications. They may carry out document control, assist with risk assessments, and contribute to design reviews or site visits. Regular interaction with engineers, project managers, and contractors is typical, as is working to industry codes of practice such as CDM or DMRB depending on the employer's specialism.
Career outlook
Completion of this apprenticeship leads directly to roles such as civil engineering technician, highways technician, structural technician, or site technician. Many progress to higher-level study, including a Level 6 civil or structural engineering degree apprenticeship, with a route towards Incorporated or Chartered Engineer status through the ICE or IStructE. Employers span contractors, local authorities, highways agencies, rail infrastructure organisations, water utilities, and engineering consultancies, meaning qualified technicians are in demand across a wide range of public and private sector projects.
24 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
T3 Training & Development is a specialist training provider focused on the Architecture, Engineering...
Truro & Penwith College is a further and higher education college offering a broad apprenticeship an...
Weston College is an award‑winning further and higher education college in Weston‑super‑Mare that de...
Wigan & Leigh College is a further and higher education provider in Greater Manchester that position...
New College Durham is a further and higher education college that offers a broad apprenticeship and ...
Preston College is a further education provider based in Preston, Lancashire, offering a wide range ...
Gateshead College is a further education college offering a wide range of apprenticeship and vocatio...
Apprenticeships at Salford City College form part of the Salford City College Group and provide appr...
Vision West Nottinghamshire College, often referred to as West Notts College, provides education and...
South Thames Colleges Group (STCG) delivers apprenticeship training and wider further education acro...
London Design & Engineering UTC is a specialist technical college located in the Royal Docks, London...
Newham College is a further education college in London offering a wide range of vocational and acad...
The Sheffield College is a large further education provider offering a wide range of technical, voca...
Lincoln College is part of the Lincoln College Group, encompassing Lincoln and Newark colleges, and ...
The City of Liverpool College is a leading education provider for around 12,000 students aged 16 and...
Nottingham College is a general further and higher education college based in Nottingham, offering a...
New College Swindon is a further and higher education college offering a broad apprenticeship and pr...
Hull College is a further and higher education provider offering a broad range of technical and prof...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completers typically move into technician-level roles supporting the delivery of civil engineering projects. Common job titles include Civil Engineering Technician, Highways Technician, Structural Technician, Design Technician, and Junior Site Technician. Day-to-day responsibilities span producing CAD and BIM drawings, collecting and analysing site data, applying CDM and DMRB requirements, and contributing to technical reports across infrastructure, buildings, and highways projects.
Progression paths
With three to five years of post-completion experience, technicians commonly progress to Senior Technician or Lead Technician positions, taking ownership of design packages or site technical functions. From there, two tracks tend to open up. Those drawn to project delivery often move towards Assistant Project Manager or Project Engineer roles. Specialists who pursue further qualifications, such as EngTech or IEng registration with a relevant professional body, can advance into senior design or technical management positions.
Where these roles sit
Civil engineering technicians are hired across a wide range of UK employers. Large infrastructure contractors, specialist groundworks and highways firms, local authority highways departments, and Network Rail supply chain organisations all recruit at this level. Consulting engineering practices, from small regional firms to large multidisciplinary consultancies, also employ technicians to support design teams. The role spans both public and private sector work, including roads, rail, drainage, flood defence, and commercial development.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Throughout the apprenticeship, learning takes place alongside paid employment, with the apprentice building competence in civil engineering principles, technical methods, design tools such as CAD and BIM, health and safety compliance, and sustainable working practices. Before final assessment, the employer and training provider carry out a readiness check, commonly called the gateway, to confirm the apprentice has the required knowledge, skills and behaviours. Final assessment then determines whether the apprentice can perform the civil engineering technician role to the required standard. 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
Gathering workplace evidence from the start is far more manageable than trying to reconstruct it at the end. Apprentices should keep records of real project work, including technical drawings, data analysis tasks, risk assessments, and examples of applying relevant codes of practice or sustainability requirements. Working closely with both employer and training provider throughout, rather than treating preparation as a final-stage activity, makes the gateway process significantly more straightforward. Regular reviews of professional development, in line with the standard's CPD requirements, also form part of demonstrating readiness.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Look for providers with an achievement rate above 65% on their FATP profile, ideally above 75%, since a 36-month programme involves sustained technical and on-site learning that naturally creates drop-off risk. Strong providers will have direct experience delivering to infrastructure, highways, or structural employers, and should be able to show that apprentices are gaining hands-on exposure to CAD or BIM software used in current industry practice, not dated tools. Employer satisfaction scores above 80% are a useful indicator that the provider is engaging meaningfully with workplace supervisors throughout the programme.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious if a provider cannot specify which CAD or BIM platforms are covered, or if training is classroom-heavy without clear reference to real site environments or technical drawing practice. Declining achievement rates alongside large cohort numbers can indicate the programme is being scaled faster than quality controls allow. Vague answers about how the end-point assessment is prepared for, particularly around the technical report and professional discussion elements, are a concern. Providers unable to demonstrate alumni working in technician roles across infrastructure, highways, or structural disciplines are worth questioning.
Questions to ask before you commit
- Which CAD and BIM platforms are covered during the programme, and are these the versions current employers in our sector are using?
- How do you structure site-based learning, and how is that coordinated with the apprentice's day-to-day employer placement?
- What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how has it trended over the last two years?
- How do you prepare apprentices for the technical report and professional discussion required at end-point assessment?
- Can you give examples of the types of employers and civil engineering projects your apprentices have been involved with?
- Do you cover standards such as CDM regulations and DMRB as taught content, or is that left to employers to address?
- How do you support apprentices working towards ICTechCivE or equivalent professional registration as part of their initial professional development?
Common questions
What entry requirements does a candidate need to start a Civil Engineering Technician apprenticeship?
There are no nationally mandated entry requirements set in the standard itself, so employers and training providers set their own. Most will expect GCSEs in maths and English at grade 4 or above, and some ask for a science subject too. Candidates who don't yet meet those English and maths thresholds can still be accepted, but they'll need to achieve Level 2 functional skills before they can sit the end-point assessment. Check with individual providers for their specific criteria.
How does the apprentice balance work and learning across the programme?
The apprentice is employed throughout and applies their learning directly on live civil engineering projects. A portion of their contracted hours must be dedicated to off-the-job training, covering engineering principles, CAD and BIM software, health and safety regulations, and project management. The exact minimum duration and off-the-job training percentage are subject to ongoing reform under Skills England, so check the current specification on gov.uk before planning a start date.
How is the Civil Engineering Technician apprenticeship assessed?
Before the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, where the employer, training provider, and apprentice confirm that all knowledge, skills, and behaviour requirements have been met in the workplace. Assessment models for many standards are currently being updated, so the precise format of the end-point assessment may change. Refer to the current assessment plan on gov.uk for the definitive picture. The apprentice must demonstrate genuine occupational competence, not just classroom knowledge.
How does an employer pay for this apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £14,000, which is the maximum that can be drawn from the apprenticeship funding system. Levy-paying employers (those with a payroll above £3 million) use funds from their digital apprenticeship service account. Smaller employers co-invest with the government, typically contributing 5% of the training cost. Employers with fewer than 50 staff taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing toward training costs. Contact your training provider to confirm current co-investment rates.
What does a Civil Engineering Technician apprentice actually do during the working day?
Day-to-day work varies by employer but typically includes producing and amending technical drawings using CAD or BIM software, collecting and analysing site data, supporting the preparation of design documentation, and applying health and safety procedures on site or in an office environment. Apprentices also contribute to project quality checks, handle document control, and communicate technical information to colleagues and other stakeholders, all under the supervision of more senior engineers.
What can a Civil Engineering Technician apprentice do after completing the programme?
Completion supports registration with a professional engineering institution, such as the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors or the Institution of Civil Engineers, at the Engineering Technician (EngTech) level. From there, many progress into higher-level roles such as senior technician or site engineer, or move into a Level 6 Civil Engineer degree apprenticeship. Employers in consultancies, contractors, local authorities, and infrastructure organisations typically offer clear progression paths for qualified technicians.
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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: 199.
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.