Developing software to support safety critical industries.
This apprenticeship trains engineers to develop software for safety-critical systems, where failures can have serious consequences for people or infrastructure. Apprentices learn formal methods and rigorous engineering practices used to verify and validate software behaviour. The curriculum covers software design, testing, quality assurance, and the standards and regulatory frameworks that govern high-integrity systems. Apprentices also develop an understanding of how software interacts with hardware and operational environments where reliability and correctness are not optional.
Working within a software engineering team, apprentices write and review code, produce technical documentation, and contribute to testing and verification activities. They are likely to work with formal specification tools, version control systems, and testing frameworks suited to safety-critical environments. Regular tasks include requirements analysis, fault analysis, and participating in design reviews. Much of the work involves close collaboration with systems engineers, quality assurance teams, and project leads to ensure software meets defined safety standards.
Completing this degree-level apprenticeship typically leads to roles such as software engineer, safety software engineer, embedded systems engineer, or verification and validation engineer. Common employers include defence contractors, aerospace manufacturers, nuclear operators, rail infrastructure organisations, and medical device companies. With experience, engineers progress to senior technical roles, principal engineer positions, or into safety assurance and systems architecture. The specialism is in demand across regulated industries where functional safety standards such as IEC 61508, DO-178C, or DEF STAN apply.
Sorted by achievement rate.
No training providers currently listed for this standard.
Completions typically move into roles such as Safety-Critical Software Engineer, Embedded Systems Engineer, or Software Assurance Engineer. Some step into Verification and Validation Engineer positions, particularly where formal testing against standards such as DO-178C, IEC 61508, or EN 50128 is required. The specific title depends on the sector, but the common thread is responsibility for software that must meet rigorous integrity levels, often with sign-off accountability from day one.
Within three to five years, engineers commonly progress to Senior Safety-Critical Software Engineer or Lead Verification Engineer, taking ownership of technical standards compliance across a project or product line. The two longer-term tracks tend to split between technical leadership, such as Principal Engineer or Chief Software Engineer, and specialist roles in functional safety, including Functional Safety Manager or Safety Case Manager. Chartered Engineer status through a relevant professional body is a recognised milestone on both tracks.
Defence contractors, aerospace manufacturers, railway signalling suppliers, nuclear operators, and medical device developers are the primary hirers. Automotive companies developing advanced driver-assistance systems also recruit into these roles. Employers range from large prime contractors and system integrators to specialist SMEs delivering safety-critical subsystems. The public sector, including government defence and transport agencies, hires at this level too, though most volume sits in the private sector supply chain.
Learning takes place entirely in the workplace alongside live engineering responsibilities, with off-the-job study supporting the technical depth the role demands. Before final assessment, the apprentice and employer must confirm readiness through a gateway review, which checks that the required knowledge, skills and behaviours have been demonstrated to the standard expected of a competent high integrity software engineer. Final assessment then confirms occupational competence independently of the training provider. Given active reforms to apprenticeship assessment across many level 6 standards, check the current specification on the standard's gov.uk page before committing to a programme.
Safety-critical software engineering demands clear, traceable evidence of decisions made under real working conditions. Learners should build a portfolio of workplace evidence from early in the programme rather than reconstructing it under pressure at the end. This means keeping records of design choices, testing activity, and how safety and integrity requirements were met on actual projects. Regular reviews with both the employer and training provider help ensure the evidence being gathered maps consistently to the knowledge, skills and behaviours the final assessment will examine.
Look for providers with an achievement rate above 65% on their FATP profile, though for a four-year degree-level programme, scrutinise whether completions are spread across recent cohorts rather than a single good year. Strong providers will have tutors with direct experience in safety-critical domains, such as aerospace, rail, defence, nuclear, or medical devices, not just generic software development backgrounds. Ask whether the curriculum covers recognised standards such as DO-178C, IEC 61508, or MISRA C. Apprentice satisfaction scores and learner reviews should reflect structured academic rigour alongside applied industry context.
Be cautious of providers who deliver high volumes of standard software development apprenticeships and have simply added this programme to their portfolio, with little evidence of safety-critical sector specialism. A declining achievement rate across two or more years is a warning sign at this level, given the investment involved. Providers who cannot point to alumni working in safety-critical engineering roles, or who give vague answers about the formal verification, testing, and regulatory content within their curriculum, should be pressed hard before you commit funding.
Entry requirements are set by individual training providers, but most expect applicants to have A-levels or equivalent qualifications in mathematics or a related STEM subject. Some providers accept relevant work experience or prior qualifications in lieu of formal academic grades. Employers should check with their chosen provider before recruiting, as requirements can vary. Apprentices must be employed throughout and genuinely working in a role where high integrity or safety-critical software development is part of the job.
The typical duration is 48 months. Apprentices remain employed full-time throughout and split their time between on-the-job learning and off-the-job training. The exact off-the-job training requirement is subject to ongoing reform under Skills England. Check the current funding rules on gov.uk for up-to-date figures. Employers need to ensure the apprentice has a substantive role that provides genuine exposure to high integrity software development across the duration.
Before taking end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, where the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has developed the required knowledge, skills and behaviours. Assessment models for many Level 6 standards are being reviewed as part of wider reforms, so the current assessment plan should be confirmed on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education page for standard ST0038. Typically, assessment includes a project report, professional discussion or similar components designed to demonstrate genuine workplace competence.
The funding band for this standard is £27,000, which is the maximum that can be drawn from the apprenticeship levy or government co-investment to cover training and assessment costs. Levy-paying employers use funds from their digital account. Non-levy employers co-invest, currently paying 5% of the training cost with the government contributing the remainder. Employers with fewer than 50 staff taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing, with the government covering the full training cost.
Day-to-day work centres on developing, testing and reviewing software for environments where failure could have serious consequences, such as aerospace, defence, nuclear, rail or medical devices. Apprentices typically write and verify code to industry safety standards, contribute to hazard analysis, carry out peer reviews, and work within rigorous change control processes. The exact tasks depend on the employer's sector and projects, but the role demands attention to process, documentation and the specific regulatory frameworks that govern safety-critical software.
Completing a Level 6 apprenticeship gives a foundation for progression into senior or principal engineer roles, technical lead positions, or specialisms such as safety assurance, systems engineering or software architecture. Some completers go on to chartered engineer status through professional bodies such as the IET or BCS. Others move into roles with greater responsibility for safety cases or regulatory compliance. The skills built are transferable across safety-critical sectors, so career options are not limited to the employer where the apprenticeship was completed.
Tell us a bit about your team and we'll send a shortlist.
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: 38.
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.