Joining Serco as an apprentice means investing in your future. Our apprenticeship programmes are practical, hands-on and enable you to earn while you learn.
In Defence, we offer entry-level apprentice roles from business administration to electrical engineering, property maintenance to plate welder, engineering technician to able seafarer.
Two thirds of our apprentices go on to gain a promotion and progress their career in our team.
Apprentice roles are advertised on our Careers pages. One of the established programmes we run is based in Cornwall. Read more about this award winning engineering apprenticeship programme below.
Find an apprenticeship in our Defence team
Serco's award-winning engineering apprenticeship programme
Our Defence team, who support Leonardo and the Royal Navy with aircraft engineering maintenance at RNAS Culdrose, offer an award-winning apprenticeship programme to train and qualify Aircraft Fitters.
We have been recognised by the Cornwall Council as a Platinum Provider for work placements, and ‘Large Apprenticeship Employer of the Year’. The Royal Navy previously awarded the programme a Commander-in-Chief Fleet's Commendation for outstanding support to flying training.
Starting with work experience days and culminating in an Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical) qualification (NVQ), the programme is targeted to young people in the local Cornwall area. Members of our team actively engage with local schools and colleges, inviting students to the station to show them exactly what to expect from the Aircraft Fitter role.
The Culdrose team then recruits 6-8 apprentices each year, enrolling them on an engineering apprenticeship programme which takes 3 years to complete. Once qualified as an Aircraft Fitter, apprentices have the option to progress to a Supervisor role three years after qualifying.
Serco employs 320 people at RNAS Culdrose and provides maintenance and support services for the Royal Navy’s Merlin helicopter fleet.
Rosie, one of our aeronautical apprentices shares her experience.
