FAQs

An APTUS apprenticeship is a reliable route to a career in energy, equipping you with the knowledge and skills you'll need to pursue a rewarding and dynamic role in this rapidly evolving sector. You'll gain recognised qualifications in a trade, as well as practical training and hands-on experience with an employer, all while earning a salary.

You will learn and specialise in one of four disciplines:

• Electrical maintenance
• Mechanical maintenance
• Process operations
• Instrumentation and control maintenance

An APTUS apprenticeship lasts up to 48 months. Apprentices spend approximately 21 months studying at college followed by an on or offshore work placement. 

The APTUS programme is jointly managed by ECITB and OPITO. Apprentices on the ECITB route are employed by one of our partner employers, while apprentices on the OPITO route are employed by OPITO. Apprentices on both routes receive the same salary each year.

Towards the end of your college phase and once you have completed your qualifications, you'll undertake these training courses and assessments to make sure you're ready to start your workplace learning:

• OPITO Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET)
• OPITO Minimum Industry Safety Training (MIST)
• Integrated Safe System of Work (ISSOW)
• Authorised Gas Testing Level 3
• OEUK Medical

We value diversity. Our mission is to create a working environment which:

• is varied and welcomes all genders and ethnic groups to support the energy industry
• has an increasing understanding of different cultures
• allows for a broader approach to problem-solving encompassing new ideas
• enables people to be themselves, increasing the resilience of the energy industry

Being an apprentice gives you the opportunity to gain recognised qualifications, combined with practical, workplace training from some of the most innovative and forward thinking energy companies in the world.

As an apprentice you will:

• Study and become qualified in one of our four disciplines
• Gain job specific skills
• Work for an employer and earn while you learn

APTUS apprentices are stepping into a proven success story. Our partner companies are ready to train and support apprentices on an exciting journey that will lead to a rewarding career in energy.

If you're excited about a career in energy and want to be part of an innovative and rapidly changing industry, our apprenticeships are for you.

• Age: You must be 16 or older by May of the year you're applying. There is no upper age limit.
• Location and work eligibility:
  • You can apply for the programme no matter where you live in the UK.
  • You must have the right to work in the UK.
  • During the college phase (years 1 and 2), you will be based at a college in Scotland.
  • During the work placement phase (years 3 and 4), you may be assigned to a placement throughout the UK.
• Qualifications needed:
  • Essential: Four National 5s (grades A-C) in Maths and English or four GCSEs (A-B) in Maths and English
  • Helpful but not required: Physics, Chemistry, Engineering Science, or another subject

Year 1: £11,648

Year 2: £15,652

Year 3: £21,840

Year 4: £24,340

Please note these are approximate figures and not confirmed salaries.

*Apprentices placed offshore will also receive a non-benefit bearing allowance of £4,780.

 By the end of an APTUS apprenticeship apprentices will have gained the following qualifications:

• Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) SCQF Level 5 (Performing Engineering Operations)
• National Certificate (mixed discipline) SCQF level 6
• Higher National Certificate (discipline specific) SCQF Level 7
• OPITO Global Standards Oil and Gas Level 2
• Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) (discipline specific) SCQF Level 7

The APTUS apprenticeships cover a wide range of content across the field of Engineering, as well as practical skills such as welding, joining, cabling and wiring.

Our colleges are located across Scotland, in Aberdeen, Falkirk and Edinburgh. Your allocated discipline will dictate which college you attend. If you don't live within commuting distance of your college, you'll be provided accommodation free of charge in a hall of residence at your college.

You'll travel to work via helicopter, working 12 hour-shifts on a 3:4 rotation, working for 3 weeks then off for 4 weeks. This will be subject to each company's rota, and will be explained in detail well in advance of you going offshore. Once offshore, you'll spend downtime in your cabin, the lounge, the canteen, and maybe the gym or cinema.

Browse our apprentice stories to find out more about apprentice life offshore.

After completing an online questionnaire and application, shortlisted apprentices must take two aptitude tests and attend an interview.

In September of the year you apply.

APTUS employers provide on-the-job training placements for apprentices and appoint an individual to act as a company representative within the organisation.

Whether you're an operator, contractor or supply chain company, we will identify your training requirements and direct you to the most suitable apprenticeship programme.

An APTUS apprenticeship is a reliable route to a career in energy, equipping you with the knowledge and skills you'll need to pursue a rewarding and dynamic role in this rapidly evolving sector. You'll gain recognised qualifications in a trade, as well as practical training and hands-on experience with an employer, all while earning a salary.

You will learn and specialise in one of four disciplines:

• Electrical maintenance
• Mechanical maintenance
• Process operations
• Instrumentation and control maintenance

APTUS apprentices are stepping into a proven success story. Our partner companies are ready to train and support apprentices on an exciting journey that will lead to a rewarding career in energy.

Year 1: £11,648

Year 2: £15,652

Year 3: £21,840

Year 4: £24,340

Please note these are approximate figures and not confirmed salaries.

*Apprentices placed offshore will also receive a non-benefit bearing allowance of £4,780.

 By the end of an APTUS apprenticeship apprentices will have gained the following qualifications:

• Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) SCQF Level 5 (Performing Engineering Operations)
• National Certificate (mixed discipline) SCQF level 6
• Higher National Certificate (discipline specific) SCQF Level 7
• OPITO Global Standards Oil and Gas Level 2
• Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) (discipline specific) SCQF Level 7