Highways roles

Some examples of our apprenticeships include the following. Please check the current vacancies for details of our existing vacancies.

Highways Maintenance Skilled Operative Apprenticeship (Level 2)

What will I do in this job role? 

As a Highways Maintenance Skilled Operative apprentice you will work as a Highways Maintenance Operative and will be expected to effectively assist with a range of duties connected with road maintenance within the Highways Service Area. 

This will involve: 

  • Working on the public highway, repairing road/footway surfaces, laying drainage, placing street iron works, kerbs, pavements, installing vehicle safety fencing on highways, excavating and repairing. 
  • Carrying out a range of duties connected with the monitoring, repair, maintenance and new construction of the highways. 
  • Following instructions, planning and organising daily work, reading drawings, keeping records and following administrative procedures.
  • Communicating and maintaining the good reputation of the council with customers and members of the public. 
  • Contributing to the maintenance of health, safety & welfare of yourself, other employees and members of the public. 
  • Ensuring adherence to safe working practices and environmental procedures. 
  • Working to a high standard with all manner of works undertaken and maintaining a level of productivity commensurate with the role. 
  • Working within the requirements of the Roads and Street Works Act, Traffic Management Act 2004, CDM Regulations 2007 and Highway Maintenance Operational Plan

What will I achieve?

  • Level 2 Apprenticeship as a Highways Maintenance Operative. 
  • Function skills in Maths and English if required


Highways Electrical Maintenance and Installation Operative Apprenticeship (Level 2)

What will I do in this job role? 

Whilst the day-to-day tasks will be determined by the specific team that you are assigned to, examples of general duties and tasks of someone who is a competent Highway Electrical Maintenance and Installation Operative are to: 

  • Install & maintain highway electrical support structures, equipment and systems (e.g. excavating and installing streetlight posts in the ground, installing traffic signal or safety camera poles, fitting Street lighting lanterns or traffic signal heads, carrying out first line fault finding when items are reported as not working, carrying out routine replacement of lamps. 
  • Carry out first line (i.e. first on site) emergency attendance and emergency works (e.g. after a road traffic incident where a vehicle hits a streetlight ensuring the site is safe for traffic and pedestrians).
  • Carry out work efficiently, effectively and safely to keep costs within budget, ensure works are completed in accordance with drawings, specification of works and instructions given by an experienced worker or manager and within the specified time duration to avoid delays and accidents.
  • Maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, managers and members of the public whilst carrying out the works. 
  • Work on their own initiative and in small teams.

What will I achieve?

  • A Level 2 Certificate in Highway Electrical Work. 
  • A Level 2 NVQ Certificate or Diploma - in Highway Electrical

Civil Engineering Technician Apprenticeship (Level 3)

What will I do in this job role? As a Civil Engineering Technician apprentice within Cumbria County Council you will be expected to effectively assist with a range of duties connected with the various Highways Service Areas including Asset Management, Bridges and Structures, Traffic Management, Network Management, Streetworks and Operational Delivery. 

Examples of the type of duties you may be required to perform are as follows: 

  • Technical surveys, asset data collection and inventory, site inspections, records and reports. 
  • Analysis and application of survey results.
  • Accident investigations and road safety audits. 
  • Applications of standard computer packages including AutoCad and gis.
  • Correspondence/minutes/reports/ demonstrating application of expertise. 
  • Deal with enquiries and communicate professionally with customers and members of the public. 
  • Contribute to the maintenance of health, safety and welfare of self, other employees and members of the public. 
  • Supporting the team with asset data collection and inventory. 
  • Highways Scheme identification; detailed design and contract preparation. 
  • Project management, site supervision, preparation and construction management. 
  • Design and delivery of highways improvement and maintenance projects. 
  • Routine maintenance activities to given timescales, costs and specification.

What qualifications will I achieve? 

  • Civil Engineering Technician Level 3 Apprenticeship.


Heavy Vehicle Service and Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship (Level 3)

What will I do in this job role? 

This Apprenticeship is an excellent opportunity to provide an essential service through maintaining and repairing the Council's extensive fleet of vehicles. There are over 650 vehicles on our maintenance list. 50% are Highways, 30% Fire & Rescue and 20% other County Council. Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service vehicles range from small vans and Land Rover pumps to 18T Fire appliances, rescue units, High volume pumps and Aerial platforms (30m working height). Gritters are 7.5T, 18T and 26T with some being all-wheel drive. Two are also equipped with Snow Blowers for the high fell routes. 

Other Cumbria County Council vehicles include; Library vans, accessible minibuses, small vans and cars. A heavy vehicle service and maintenance technician will demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the following:

  • The fundamentals of HV technologies e.g. HV chassis design, engine, fuels, transmissions, electrical (12/24v), air-conditioning, hydraulic and air braking, air suspension systems etc. 
  • The types and associated characteristics of HV and their configurations and applications. 
  • Diagnosing principles and logical problem solving techniques related to HV. 
  • Sufficient H&S knowledge and environmental awareness to carry out the work safely. 
  • Operators "O" Licence requirements relating to HVs. 
  • How to service, inspect and maintain vehicles and trailers to the expected standards and the importance of safety inspection and maintenance schedules to meet Operator's (O) licence and legal obligations. 
  • Customer expectations and implications of work carried out. 
  • The need to be reliable, flexible, diligent and a good timekeeper. 
  • How the business works from an operational perspective and demonstrate commercial and financial awareness in the HV industry. 
  • Complex problem solving techniques. 
  • The requirements of providing roadside assistance.

What will I achieve? 

  • Heavy Vehicle Service and Maintenance Technician Level 3 Apprenticeship.

Civil Engineering Degree Level 6

The occupation covered by this standard is that of Civil Engineering Site Management. Typical job titles can include: Site Manager, Sub Agent, Assistant Site Manager or Section Engineer. They are associated with the management of civil engineering and infrastructure projects and are based on sites or in offices. 

Occupational profile

The main duties and tasks in Civil Engineering Site Management are:

  • To ensure that safe systems of work are in place on their site and that all staff adhere to them
  • To translate design information to construction teams so they can construct the project effectively and efficiently
  • To manage the productivity on the site so that the project is completed on time
  • To ensure that the project is completed to the specification and quality needed by the client
  • To manage the activity on site in a way that adheres to cost and contract constraints
  • To ensure that the site has minimal negative impact on the environment and community
  • To manage interfaces between stakeholders associated with the project

Duration

The typical duration for this apprenticeship is three to four years but this will depend on the previous experience of the apprentice and access to opportunities to gain the full range of competence.

Qualifications

The following qualifications will be gained:

  • BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering or equivalent Level 6 Civil Engineering Diploma, mapped to UK-Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC) for Incorporated Engineer
  • Industry certificates in Site Safety Plus Site Managers' Safety Training Scheme and Site Environmental Awareness Training Scheme which are required for safe operations in the workplace
  • English will be required to be demonstrated at Level 3 and Maths will be required to be demonstrated at Level 5 for Incorporated Engineer status. These may be demonstrated in the BEng(Hons) Civil

Link to professional registration

This Apprenticeship will include the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to achieve Incorporated Engineer status with the Institution of Civil Engineers and lead to the designatory letters IEng MICE. The professional review process for IEng MICE is included in the final assessment process for this Apprenticeship.

Level

This apprenticeship standard is at Level 6.