Help design brand-new, highly secure premises. Learn what it takes to maintain historic embassies from the 18th Century. Have the kind of impact that’s rare to find anywhere else. It’s all in store for you as an Apprentice in Building Services Design Engineering at FCDO Services, where you’ll work towards a Level 6 Degree and becoming a fully qualified professional.

Whether you’re just starting out, returning to work after a career break, or looking to change careers, you’ll find our apprenticeships are packed full of real-world impact and unforgettable experiences. Put another way: your future just got bigger.

Let’s introduce ourselves

We are FCDO Services, and our work is as varied and vital as it gets. A trusted government partner for over 75 years, we provide a range of secure services to help support diplomacy, international development and defence for UK government departments at home and abroad. We operate in over 250 destinations, across 168 countries. We design and construct secure government buildings. We help earthquake-proof embassies. We courier diplomatic packages over land, sea and air. We keep complex projects on track, and on budget. We store visa applications securely in the Cloud. And a whole lot more besides.

So what will you do?
You’ll help us to keep people in government departments, based across the globe, safe and sound. How? By making sure the buildings they’re working in are fit for use, efficient and totally secure. That means you’ll enjoy a lot of unique and interesting projects, each one as vital as the next.

This is hands-on learning at its best. Balancing work with study, you’ll have real responsibility – there’s no sitting on the side lines here. You’ll dive right in, tackling challenges that will take you around the world, when coursework allows. With no end of support, you’ll experience every part of building services design engineering: things like technical drawing, work planning, design techniques, energy conservation and sustainable development. In other words, you’ll learn the theory, the law, the processes of building services design engineering, and you’ll use it to maintain and plan for government buildings across continents.
So you see, this is an apprenticeship that will nurture your talents, give you well-rounded experience, and help you grow. You’ll come away with a Level 6 Degree in Building Services Design Engineering and full membership of a professional body. It’s why we think it’s fair to say: join us, and your future will get a whole lot bigger.

What we look for
This apprenticeship is open to everyone, but you must:

• Be a British citizen who’s lived in the UK for the last three years before the first day of your apprenticeship (aiming to start September 2023), and for at least five of the last ten years
• Be at least 16 years old by 30 April 2023 so you can complete the Security Clearance (SC) process before your start date
• Have five GCSEs (or equivalent e.g. O levels) including Maths and English at grades 9-4 (A*- C)
• Plus a minimum of three A levels at grades BBC (or higher), including Maths and preferably Chemistry or Physics; or a BTEC National Diploma DDM; or Access to Engineering qualifications with 15 Distinctions and 30 Merits including Maths and Physical Science credit; or equivalent Level 3 qualifications worth 128 UCAS points. Level 3 qualification must include Maths and preferably Physics or Chemistry; or you have completed a Level 3 Apprenticeship as a Building Services Design Technician
• Have good communication skills, numeracy and IT literacy
• Have a genuine interest in CAD and building services design engineering
• Be willing to travel overseas as part of your apprenticeship
• Be proactive, reliable, responsive, easy to work with and able to build relationships

Please note: if you already have a qualification at the same (or a higher level) in a similar discipline, you may not be able to apply unless the apprenticeship qualification provides learning and skills that are materially different to what you’ve studied before. If your qualification is in a different field, then you are eligible to apply.

Vetting
Because of the secure nature of what we do for our government-level customers, all our employees have to be security cleared before joining us. That’s why, if you’re successful in your application, you’ll need to go through a vetting process. This role will require you to undergo Security Check (SC) clearance before joining, and Developed Vetting (DV) after joining. It’s important information so make sure you read the details before applying. You can find out more about vetting on our careers site or by visiting: www.gov.uk/guidance/united-kingdom-security-vetting-applicant


It takes a diverse team to protect a diverse world
The vital work we do takes an incredible community of colleagues, with different skills, backgrounds, cultures and identities. We support every individual, so that you always know you’re welcome and valued. It’s what makes us a Disability Confident employer. And Employers for Carers. And it’s how you know you’re joining an inspiring, inclusive organisation.

Step into our Virtual Embassy
Want to take a closer look at what we do? Our Virtual Embassy will give you lots of different insights about our world, and the impact you could have here. To get exploring, visit: https://virtual-embassy.fcdoservicescareers.co.uk

FCDO Services are regulated by the Civil Service Commission.

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