Launch your engineering career with this exciting hands-on apprenticeship combining technical support and design. Learn from industry experts and gain real responsibility, this fantastic opportunity has the potential to offer travel to UK and US sites.

Qualification Requirements
Minimum 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) - Grade 5 or above in Maths. Grade 4 or above in English and Science, and a further 2 GCSEs at Grade 4 or above.

A Level 2 Engineering Qualification will also be considered.

Salary - Minimum Apprenticeship Wage

Salary will rise in line with national minimum wage rates.

The earnings potential for a newly qualified Engineering and Manufacturing Support Technician is currently around £30k - £40k p.a.

Benefits

Holiday Allowance - 25 Days Holiday Allowance, plus Bank Holidays
Pension - Employee 5%, Employer 3%
Discount Schemes
Employee Assitance Programme
Onsite Parking
Employee Recognition / Awards

Location - Sponsor is Wraith Engineering Ltd. – apprentice will be based at Gerotor Design Studio Limited, Unit 8 Sumner Point, Lancashire Business Park, Enterprise Drive, Leyland, PR26 6TG

Working Hours
Monday to Friday

Year 1: 2 x 5-week blocks and 1 x 6-week block at Training 2000, and 1 day per week to complete the Technical Certificate – hours approx. 08:30 – 16:30. Hours at GDS as per years 2 – 4.

Years 2 – 4: 37.5 per week, 08:00 – 16:30

Duration - 48 months

Start Date - September 2026

Interview Date - Week commencing 17th August

Closing Date for Applications - 3rd August 2026

To Apply
To apply, please click the Apply Now button and complete the form. Once you submit, you will receive an email to verify your email address that will then submit your application to us. If you do not receive an email confirming your application, please check with us that this has been submitted.

If you are having difficulty in completing this, please contact recruitment on recruitment@cogentskills.com for assistance

Next Steps

Successful candidates will be progressed to a one way video interview, invites will be sent via email.

The video interview will be reviewed by the Hiring Manager

The successful candidate will be required to undertake, and pass, a half-day suitability assessment at Training 2000 in Blackburn prior to an offer being made. This will include:

Maths & English BKSB assessments (to check current levels they are working at)
Review certificates and get copies
Interview with our Engineering team
Skills Scan
Practical assessment

Job Description

This exciting apprenticeship is for training and knowledge transfer of the engineering expertise within the group, to allow for planned retirements of key technical members of staff. The apprenticeship will cover both a technician role and a design engineering role and so is ideally suited to someone with an interest in both technical engineering but with a practical / hands-on approach to work. Although it will eventually become a true engineer role, the grounding for this industry is based on a practical understanding of the core products.

Wraith Engineering Ltd., the sponsor company, is in Gloucestershire but the apprenticeship will be based at Gerotor Design Studio in Leyland, Lancashire. This is for both a strategic geographical reason (centrally placed between all UK based companies) and because there is daily engineering mentoring available. It is envisaged that the role will involve travel to the other UK sites as well as to the USA to learn about the products and the industry in general. In time this role will carry a lot of responsibility, and you will be a key member of the group of companies.

Initial Tasks / Duties for Year 1:

Familiarisation with the WCW Group products, how the business works and the various partners within the Group
A grounding in Engineering Design (apprentice course, engineering mentor and company technical experts)
Assistance in problem solving for design and manufacture related issues
Practical knowledge of the products produced and serviced by the Group

Duties / tasks later in apprenticeship, with more experience and help from line manager:

Developing new compressor products
Engaging with the whole supply chain to help create smooth and rapid workflows
Training at Group sites

In addition to the course content provided by Training 2000, you will be trained how to use CAD systems for creating models and drawings of existing and new components. Analysis techniques of components and systems will also be given.

This apprenticeship will provide you with a good all-round engineering knowledge and we are looking for someone with an enthusiastic and inquisitive nature, who has an interest in mechanical design and a pro-active, practical approach to work.

Please be aware that the apprenticeship location is Leyland and the college location is Blackburn. You will be expected to make your own travel arrangements to both site and college.

Candidate Requirements

We’re seeking motivated applicants who want to build a career in engineering and manufacturing. The ideal candidate will be:

A strong team player, with an open and clear communication style
Able to build positive relationships with colleagues and clients
Practical and hands-on, with a methodical and safety-conscious approach
Detail-oriented, with a strong focus on quality and accuracy
A logical problem-solver, who enjoys working with equipment and tools
Eager to learn and develop, with a flexible, can-do attitude

Training To Be Delivered

Qualification to be delivered: Engineering and Manufacturing Support Technician Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard

Pearson BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Engineering and Manufacturing Support Technologies

Apprenticeship Standard: Engineering & Manufacturing Support Technician Level 3

Training Provider: Training 2000

Delivery model: Year 1 – 2 x 5-week blocks and 1 x 6-week block at Training 2000, and 1 day per week to complete the Technical Certificate; Year 2 – 1 day per week to complete the Technical Certificate; Years 3-4 – assessment in the workplace

Future Prospects

This role is part of our talent planning for the future and, for the right person, we are looking to continue to develop the Apprentice upon successful completion of the apprenticeship.

Our business is growing and is evolving, so there is potential to gain permanent employment in the team, subject to performance, successful completion of the apprenticeship, and a role being available. At the end of the apprenticeship, it is envisaged that the newly qualified technician will be employed by Wraith Engineering Ltd. but would continue to work from the Gerotor premises in Leyland.

Things To Be Considered

Cogent Skills is managing the recruitment process in partnership with Wraith Engineering Ltd. and Gerotor Design Studio Limited. To ensure fairness and equality of opportunity all applications must be made by completing the application on the Cogent Skills Apprenticeship portal.

The successful candidate will be employed by Cogent Skills Services Ltd but will undertake all on-job learning with Gerotor Design Studio Ltd. at its manufacturing site in Leyland.

Please be aware that the business location is Leyland and the training location is Blackburn. You will be expected to make your own travel arrangements to site.

Please also note that this is a fully non-smoking site. If you do wish to smoke or vape, you will only be able to do so out of working hours, or in your designated lunch break, completely off site.

There is the potential to travel to other UK and US sites within the group, although this would be later in the apprenticeship. Due to the geographical locations, occasional overnight stays are likely. UK travel (train) will be accompanied initially; overseas travel would always be accompanied. Travel / accommodation would be organised on the apprentice’s behalf.

About Wraith Engineering Ltd – based at Gerotor Design Studio Limited

Wraith Engineering Ltd is part of an international group of companies, headed by WC Works Inc in Florida. The business is focussed on the compression industry, mostly with oil free air compression for the PET (Polyethylene) industry.

The group comprises four businesses each with distinct roles: WC Works Inc (Florida, USA), this is the main servicing and new machine business; Wraith Engineering Ltd (Gloucestershire, UK), who are the parts procurement and technical expertise within the group; Dynatherm (Bromsgrove, UK), who manufacture and supply intercoolers; and Steadvale Ltd (Glenrothes, UK), who carry out most of the component machining within the group.

Gerotor Design Studio, a family-run business, based in Leyland on Enterprise Drive, provides oil pump and other manufacturing services to WC Works (although they are not part of the group). GDS have design, development and manufacturing capabilities which complement the WCW group.

The facility in Leyland is in a new build 3000 sq ft industrial premises, equipped with modern CNC equipment, including 2x Haas CNC vertical mills, a Haas CNC lathe with live tooling, NC surface grinding, Makino Wire EDM and laser marking. The company has ISO 9001 accreditation and utilises Solidworks CAD systems with Fusion 360 and HyperMill for creating CAM programs for manufacturing. All design and manufacturing is carried out on site and so it is a true end-to-end engineering business.

The apprenticeship role offered is for training and knowledge transfer of the engineering expertise within the group, to allow for planned retirements of key technical members of staff.

Engineering Technical Support Technician Apprenticeship - Wraith Engineering Ltd