2027 Project Manager Apprentice - Level 4 Associate Project Manager Apprenticeship

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

2027 Project Manager Apprentice - Level 4 Associate Project Manager Apprenticeship

Start Date: 06 September 2027

Salary: £24,000 per annum

Employee type: Permanent

Location: Fareham

Working Schedule: Monday - Friday, 37 hours a week (8 hours Monday - Thursday, 5 hours Friday)

Turn your curiosity into a career. If you're passionate about engineering, eager to learn, and looking for a degree apprenticeship that combines academic study with exciting on-the-job experience, we'd love to hear from you.

Benefits of the programme:

• Earn a salary while studying
• Gain hands-on experience in a project manager role
• Receive job-specific training and development
• Achieve a recognised qualification
• Secure a permanent role from the start of your apprenticeship
• Have your tuition fees fully paid

About the Role

Thales Cyber Security Products, Digital Banking offers financial institutions and their customers secure access to banking & payment services.

• Supporting Tier1 customers primarily in the UK and northern Europe, providing cards, card readers, authentication tokens, Fido Security keys and software solutions.
• Scope and define projects based on customer work requests.
• Deliver the solution in compliance with customer requirements and Thales’ proposal.
• Drive the project ensuring customer satisfaction with clear communication of project planning, risks, resource level & quality.
• Manage project budget and Thales Digital Banking interests.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in the UK and overseas

What You Will Learn

• Project management methodologies
• Work package specification, definition and allocation
• Team management
• Stakeholder engagement and communication
• Governance and compliance

Apprenticeship Programme

Through our higher apprenticeship you’ll be making the most of your talents, getting to understand the Project Management Function from the ground up; and doing so with the help of one of the biggest and best names in the industry.

Throughout your apprenticeship, you’ll receive on-the-job training tailored to work alongside your studies, giving you the hands-on experience needed to develop practical skills and knowledge.

The programme will be delivered via a virtual delivery model combining:

• live virtual workshops
• 1-2-1 coaching calls
• Self-directed learning activities

This is a 2-year programme, working towards the Level 4 Project Manager Associate Apprenticeship standard, with our training provider, The Apprentice Academy. Upon successful completion of your End Point Assessment, you will roll off into the Thales UK Bid and Project Management job family.

We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who are motivated, committed and keen to learn. A self-starter who can manage their time, show initiative and have a genuine interest in project planning/controls and Thales. Successful candidates will show self-discipline and an aspiration to achieve the qualification.

To apply, you will need:

A Levels

• 2 A Levels grade C or above in any subject or equivalent L3 qualification such as BTEC Diploma (MM), T Level (Merit) or Level 3 apprenticeship.

GCSEs

• Minimum of five GCSEs at Grade 4/C or above
• Must include:
• English Language
• Mathematics

Please note that applicants who already hold a relevant degree will not be eligible for this programme.

Benefits

• Competitive salary of £24,000 per annum
• ·Performance-related pay uplifts·
• Holiday entitlement of 201 hours a year (plus a company day and bank holidays)·
• Contributory Company Pension·
• Health Care Cash Plan·
• Hybrid/flexible working options·
• Employee assistance programme·
• Learning and development support·
• Employee discounts and wellbeing initiatives·
• Life Cover·
• 80 Hours Volunteering per year (first two years)

Thales Apprentice Recruitment Process

1. Apply Online - submit your application online to register your interest. You only need to register for one role as you will have the opportunity to apply for additional roles at the full application stage.

2. Upload Your CV

3. Check your emails for the invitation to apply - this will come from [email protected]

4. Complete Your Application - follow the link provided in the email to complete your application. You can apply for one primary role and up to 3 additional roles.undefined

5. Complete Online Tests - undertake the online assessments designed to evaluate your suitability for the role.

6. Virtual Assessment Centre - candidates who progress from the online assessment stage will attend a virtual assessment centre, which will include group exercises, and competency-based interviews.

7. Job Offer - successful candidates who perform well throughout the recruitment process will receive a job offer from Thales.

For further information about our Future Talent recruitment process, including hints and tips, or to connect with a member of the Future Talent Team, a Graduate, or an Apprentice, please visit Thales Future Talent - Connectr.

Please note, assessment centres for shortlisted candidates will be held between February - May 2027. Induction week for all Graduate and Apprentices will take place from Monday 6 September - Friday 10 September 2027.

Closing date: Our applications will close at11.59pm on Wednesday 17 February 2027, this is the only time we will be accepting applications this year. Please note, we will be in contact by the end of February 2027 with details of next steps.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ROLES MAY CLOSE EARLIER THAN THE ADVERTISED DEADLINE IF WE RECEIVE A HIGH NUMER OF APPLICATIONS. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID MISSING OUT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY.

Because of the work we do at Thales, all roles are subject to security requirements.To be considered for this position, you must have the permanent right to work in the UK and be able to successfully complete and maintain UK Government security checks, including Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) screening and Security Clearance (SC), which is a government background check, before starting employment.

To be eligible for SC clearance, you will typically need to have lived in the UK continuously for the last five years. As part of the vetting process, you will be asked to provide evidence of your identity, right to work in the UK, any time spent overseas during the last five years, and your employment and/or education history.

In addition, this role supports a UK Eyes Only programme and is therefore subject to government-mandated nationality restrictions. To satisfy the security clearance requirements for access to highly sensitive information, applicants must have been British citizens from birth and must not hold any other nationality. This requirement is determined by the UK Government and is a condition of programme access rather than an employment preference.

For further details of the evidence required to apply for security clearance please follow this link -https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels. Thales is an equal opportunities employer and diversity, and inclusion are integral to the success of Thales.

At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.

If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community here.

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