Ready to kick-start your future in engineering?
Join as an Instrumentation, Control & Automation (ICA) Engineering Apprentice and gain hands-on experience supporting the UK’s largest water and wastewater provider. Work with skilled engineers to develop advanced skills in electrical engineering, control systems, and automation, while earning a Level 6 Control Systems BEng Applied Professional Engineering qualification.
What you’ll be doing as an ICA Apprentice:
Design, maintain, and optimise ICA systems, including sensors, actuators, and control loops for water and wastewater treatment
Work on electrical installations, fault diagnosis, and maintenance of control panels, PLCs, and SCADA systems
Use advanced control technologies to monitor plant performance, troubleshoot issues, and implement improvements
Contribute to engineering projects, including upgrades and new installations, ensuring compliance with safety and regulatory standards
Learn to integrate smart technologies and automation solutions to improve operational efficiency
Apply Thames Water’s safety protocols and champion best practices in electrical and ICA work
Where you’ll work:
Location: Clearwater Court, Reading RG1 8DB- Hybrid
Hours: 36-hour week over four working days plus one training day
Start date: September 2026
Training and qualification: You’ll study with Warwick University, a leading UK engineering training provider, through a mix of 2.5-day block-release sessions and online learning across each 12-week semester.
Qualification achieved: Level 6 Apprenticeship Standard in Control Systems- BEng Applied Professional Engineering
Duration: Permanent contract with a 48-54 month structured programme
What you should bring to the role
5 GCSEs including Maths and English (grade 9-4 / A-C)
112 UCAS points, including A-Level Maths with a minimum grade B
Travel required across Thames Water sites
Good time management and communication skills
Able to work well in a team and independently
What’s in it for you?
Excellent salary: £23,500 annum
Annual Leave: 24 days holiday per year, increasing to 28 with the length of service (plus bank holidays)
Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets
Generous Pension Scheme through AON
Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance. Find out more about our benefits and perks (Please note different T&Cs apply if on secondment)
Who are we?
We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.
Learn more about our purpose and values
Working at Thames Water
Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.
If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.
Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.
We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else, just let us know. We’re here to help and support.
When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.
Disclaimer: Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment