Designing and developing electronic circuits, devices and systems for a range of industries.
Apprentices learn to design, develop, and test embedded electronic systems across the full engineering lifecycle. The programme covers analogue and digital circuit design, microcontroller and microprocessor architectures, firmware and low-level software development, signal processing, and systems integration. Apprentices also gain grounding in hardware-software interfacing, electromagnetic compatibility, and functional safety standards relevant to their industry. Alongside technical skills, the programme develops engineering judgement, project management, and the ability to communicate designs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Working within an engineering team, apprentices contribute to real product development from early design stages through to testing and validation. A typical week might involve schematic capture using tools such as Altium or KiCad, writing and debugging firmware in C or C++, running hardware tests on bench equipment including oscilloscopes and logic analysers, and reviewing designs against specifications. Apprentices attend design reviews, raise and resolve technical issues, and document their work to engineering standards.
Completing this degree-level qualification opens routes into roles such as embedded systems engineer, electronics design engineer, firmware engineer, or hardware development engineer. With experience, progression typically leads to senior engineer, principal engineer, or technical lead positions. Employers span a wide range of sectors including aerospace, defence, automotive, medical devices, industrial automation, and consumer electronics. Many organisations also offer paths into systems architecture or engineering management for those who develop broader technical and leadership capabilities.
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Completing this degree apprenticeship typically leads to roles such as Embedded Systems Engineer, Electronics Design Engineer, Firmware Engineer, or Hardware Design Engineer. Some graduates move directly into Systems Integration Engineer positions, particularly in defence or aerospace. The role usually carries full engineering responsibility from day one, including circuit design, firmware development, and integration testing, rather than a junior support function.
Within three to five years, engineers commonly progress to Senior Embedded Systems Engineer or Lead Electronics Engineer, taking ownership of full product development cycles. From there, two distinct tracks open up. The leadership route leads toward Engineering Manager or Chief Engineer, overseeing teams and project delivery. The specialist route leads toward Principal Engineer or Fellow-level positions, with deep expertise in areas such as mixed-signal design, real-time operating systems, or safety-critical systems development.
Demand for this skill set spans a wide range of UK industries. Defence and aerospace prime contractors and their supply chains are significant hirers, as are automotive and motorsport engineering firms, particularly those working on electrification and control systems. Medical device manufacturers, industrial automation companies, and consumer electronics businesses also recruit heavily. Employers range from large multinationals with dedicated embedded engineering departments to small specialist consultancies delivering contract design work across multiple sectors. Both private and public sector organisations hire at this level.
Throughout the programme, the apprentice develops knowledge, skills and behaviours related to designing and developing embedded electronic systems, working on real engineering projects within their employer's environment. Before final assessment, there is a readiness check, commonly called the gateway, where the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has reached the required level of competence. Final assessment then verifies the apprentice can apply that competence independently in the role. Assessment models across degree apprenticeships are being updated as part of ongoing reforms, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
Building a record of workplace evidence from early in the programme is important. This means documenting real design and development work, technical decisions made, and problems solved on live projects, rather than trying to reconstruct this later. Working closely with both the employer and the training provider throughout ensures readiness is clear before the gateway. Keeping that evidence organised and up to date throughout the apprenticeship, rather than compiling it in a rush near the end, reduces pressure significantly when the time for final assessment approaches.
Look for providers with an achievement rate above 65% on their FATP profile, ideally higher given the relatively small cohorts typical of degree-level engineering apprenticeships. Strong providers will have direct relationships with employers who design embedded systems, not just general electronics manufacturers. Tutors and assessors should hold current industry experience, given how quickly processor architectures, RTOS platforms and low-level firmware toolchains evolve. Apprentice satisfaction scores and learner reviews are worth reading carefully here: comments about lab access, simulation tools and project complexity are more informative than general praise.
Be cautious of providers with high learner volumes but declining achievement rates, which can signal cohort management problems at degree level. Vague answers about which microcontroller families, HDL tools or development environments are covered in the curriculum should raise concern. Providers who cannot point to alumni working in embedded design roles, or who conflate this standard with broader electrical engineering programmes, may lack the specialist depth this work demands. Opaque information about employer liaison and work-based project supervision is another warning sign.
Most employers ask for A-levels or equivalent qualifications in relevant subjects such as maths, physics or electronics, though requirements vary by employer. Some will accept a strong HNC or HND background, or significant relevant work experience in place of formal qualifications. The apprentice must be employed throughout, so the hiring employer sets the final criteria. Check individual provider listings for any specific academic entry conditions they attach to their delivery.
The typical duration is 36 months, though this can vary depending on the apprentice's prior learning and the employer's programme design. Apprentices remain employed throughout and learn on the job alongside structured study. A portion of working hours must be dedicated to off-the-job learning, but the exact percentage is subject to current policy revisions. Check the latest specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education website for current requirements.
Before taking the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, a point at which the employer, training provider and apprentice confirm that the required knowledge, skills and behaviours have been developed to the necessary standard. Assessment models for many degree apprenticeships are being updated under ongoing reforms, so the specific methods, such as project reports, professional discussion or practical assessments, may change. The current assessment plan is published on gov.uk.
The funding band for this standard is £27,000, meaning that is the maximum that can be drawn down to cover training and assessment costs. Larger employers with an apprenticeship levy account use those funds directly. SMEs without sufficient levy funds pay 5% of eligible costs, with the government contributing the remaining 95%. Employers taking on a 16 to 18-year-old apprentice with fewer than 50 staff pay nothing toward training costs. Funding does not cover the apprentice's wage.
Day-to-day work centres on designing, testing and developing embedded electronic systems and circuits for products or industrial applications. This can include writing firmware, producing circuit schematics, carrying out simulation and physical testing, and debugging hardware and software. The specific sector shapes the work considerably: an apprentice in automotive electronics faces different daily tasks to one working in medical devices, aerospace systems or consumer electronics. Most will work alongside experienced engineers and contribute to real development projects.
Completing a Level 6 degree apprenticeship in this discipline gives the apprentice both an employer-recognised professional grounding and a degree-level qualification. From there, progression typically leads to senior or lead engineer roles, systems architecture positions, or specialist roles in areas such as signal integrity, power electronics or safety-critical systems. Some go on to chartered engineer status through a relevant professional engineering institution. Others move into technical project management or pursue further postgraduate study.
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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: 107.
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.