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L6Apprenticeship6142 approved providers
The Level 6 Electro-mechanical engineer, and the 2 providers delivering it.
Solve real-world problems using a combination of mechanical and electrical engineering expertise.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices develop the technical depth to work across both electrical and mechanical engineering disciplines, treating the two as a single integrated system rather than separate specialisms. The programme covers structural analysis, thermodynamics, control systems, electronics, embedded systems, sensors and actuators, materials science, and CAD-based design. Alongside the technical content, apprentices learn to manage project elements to time and cost, carry out safety assessments, write technical reports, and provide advice on design solutions, including cost-benefit analysis.
Day-to-day responsibilities
On any given week, an apprentice might be producing mechanical or electrical drawings in CAD, writing structured code for a control system, running test plans to validate a prototype, or analysing data from sensors and instrumentation. They will attend project meetings and interact with technicians, specialist engineers, project managers, and occasionally customers or suppliers. Work splits between office and laboratory settings, with occasional off-site visits for trials, inspections, or demonstrations. Documenting designs, checking work against requirements, and contributing to safety and quality reviews are all routine parts of the role.
Career outlook
Completing this standard at Level 6 opens routes into roles such as design engineer, systems engineer, mechatronics engineer, test engineer, robotics engineer, and manufacturing engineer. Progression typically leads to senior or principal engineer positions, with some moving into technical management or project leadership. Employers span aerospace, defence, automotive, rail, marine, renewable energy, medical devices, and industrial manufacturing. The combination of electrical and mechanical competence makes graduates attractive to any organisation developing complex products or integrated systems, from small specialist firms to large prime contractors.
2 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
Anglia Ruskin University ARU
Employer: 3.0
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is an innovative UK university offering a wide portfolio of learning ...
Blackpool and The Fylde College
Employer: 4.0
Blackpool and The Fylde College (B&FC) offers a wide range of technical and professional education o...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completers typically step into chartered-level engineering positions such as Design Engineer, Systems Engineer, Mechatronics Engineer, Test Engineer or Robotics Engineer. Some move into discipline-specific roles, including Instrument Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer or Electrical Engineer, depending on where their project experience sits. Most enter at a level where they hold responsibility for defined project deliverables and may already be coordinating the work of technicians or junior engineers.
Progression paths
Within three to five years, many engineers move into Senior Design Engineer, Lead Systems Engineer or Senior Test Engineer roles, taking greater ownership of complex projects or product lines. Beyond that, two paths are common. Those drawn to technical depth tend to progress towards Principal Engineer or Chief Engineer positions, acting as the authoritative voice on a technology area. Those with broader leadership interests move into Engineering Manager or Technical Project Manager roles, overseeing multi-disciplinary teams and programme budgets.
Where these roles sit
Aerospace and defence contractors, rail systems integrators, automotive manufacturers, robotics firms and renewable energy developers are all active employers. The medical devices sector hires for instrumentation and control work, while the nuclear and marine industries recruit for remote handling and bespoke machinery roles. Employers range from large prime contractors and Tier 1 suppliers through to specialist SMEs. Both public sector bodies, including research establishments and defence agencies, and private manufacturers recruit at this level.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Learning takes place in the workplace alongside formal off-the-job study, allowing apprentices to build technical competence across electrical, mechanical and integrated systems in a real engineering context. Before final assessment, the apprentice and employer confirm readiness through a gateway review, checking that the required knowledge, skills and behaviours have been demonstrated to a sufficient standard. Final assessment then confirms whether the apprentice can perform at the level expected of a qualified electro-mechanical engineer. Assessment models for many Level 6 engineering standards are currently being updated under ongoing reforms, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Apprentices should treat evidence gathering as a continuous activity rather than something to organise near the end. Recording real project work as it happens, whether that is design decisions, test plans, CAD outputs, code documentation or technical reports, creates a much stronger body of evidence than trying to reconstruct it later. Regular review meetings with the training provider and line manager help keep progress on track and identify any gaps in knowledge or practical experience well before the gateway review.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
A strong provider for this standard will have an achievement rate above 65% on their FATP profile, ideally higher given the five-year duration and the technical depth required. Look for evidence that the provider can genuinely cover both disciplines: lab and workshop facilities for hands-on electrical and mechanical work, current CAD and simulation tools (SolidWorks, MATLAB, or equivalent), and embedded systems hardware apprentices can programme and test. Employer satisfaction scores matter here because integration with the workplace is central to the role. Check that tutors hold relevant engineering credentials, not just teaching qualifications.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious if a provider cannot show which CAD, simulation, or control system tools apprentices work with, or if the curriculum treats electrical and mechanical content as separate modules with no integration activity. A high volume of enrolments combined with a declining achievement rate on FATP deserves a direct question. Vague answers about how functional safety, cyber vulnerability, or embedded systems are assessed suggest those areas may be thin. If the provider cannot point to alumni working in sectors such as aerospace, robotics, defence, or renewable energy, ask why.
Questions to ask before you commit
- What CAD, simulation, and embedded systems tools do apprentices use during the programme, and are those tools current in your sector?
- How does the programme integrate electrical and mechanical content, rather than teaching them as separate tracks?
- What laboratory and workshop facilities are available, and will our apprentice have regular scheduled access to them?
- How does the provider handle functional safety and cyber security content, given both appear in the standard?
- What is your achievement rate for this standard on FATP, and what is the most common reason apprentices do not complete?
- Can you share examples of the kinds of roles apprentices have moved into after completing, and in which sectors?
- How do your tutors and assessors maintain current technical knowledge given how quickly embedded systems and automation tools develop?
Common questions
What qualifications or experience does someone need to start this apprenticeship?
There are no national entry requirements set in the standard, so employers set their own. In practice, most expect applicants to have A-levels or equivalent qualifications in maths and a science or engineering subject, or a relevant Level 3 apprenticeship. Strong maths is particularly important given the electrical and mechanical theory involved. Employers in sectors such as aerospace or defence may also require applicants to meet security clearance criteria before starting.
How long does the apprenticeship take and how does learning fit around the job?
The typical duration is 60 months. The apprentice is employed throughout and applies learning directly to real work, covering design, testing, systems integration and project delivery alongside formal study. Off-the-job training requirements are set by the government and subject to revision under current Skills England reforms. Check the latest specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education pages on gov.uk for the current requirement before planning a programme.
How is the apprentice assessed at the end?
Before taking the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, at which point the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has developed the required knowledge, skills and behaviours across both electrical and mechanical disciplines. Assessment models for many Level 6 standards are under review as part of ongoing reforms, so the exact methods, such as a project report, professional discussion or portfolio, may change. The current assessment plan is published on gov.uk and is the definitive reference.
How does an employer pay for this apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £27,000, which is the maximum government contribution. Levy-paying employers draw the cost from their Digital Apprenticeship Service account. Non-levy employers, typically SMEs, pay 5% of the training cost and the government funds the remaining 95%. Employers taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing if they have fewer than 50 employees. Costs above the funding band cap are met by the employer directly with the training provider.
What does an apprentice in this role actually do at work day to day?
Day-to-day work involves producing mechanical and electrical designs using CAD tools, writing and testing software code for electro-mechanical systems, running test plans to validate products, and contributing to systems integration. The apprentice liaises with project managers, technicians, quality teams and sometimes customers or suppliers. Depending on the employer, they might be working on a robotic assembly, a flight control component, a medical device or an industrial machine, often taking ownership of a defined project element with accountability for delivery to time, cost and quality.
What can an apprentice do after completing this apprenticeship?
Completion at Level 6 aligns with degree-level engineering and opens the route to Incorporated Engineer (IEng) registration with a relevant professional engineering institution. With further experience, Chartered Engineer (CEng) status becomes achievable. Typical job titles include design engineer, systems engineer, robotics engineer, test engineer and mechatronics engineer. Career progression often moves towards senior engineering, technical lead or engineering management roles. Some graduates go on to postgraduate study or specialist research roles, particularly in sectors such as defence, aerospace or renewable energy.
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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: 614.
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.
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