Location: Glasgow, United KingdomThales people architect solutions that are relied upon to deliver operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defensive systems for land, sea, and air. From early warning, to threat neutralisation, our platforms cover all levels from very short-range systems, to extended protection across the entire battle-space including Airspace Mobility Solutions, Vehicles and Tactical Systems and Missile Defence, Optronics, and Radar.Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.
2026 Business Apprentice - Graduate Level Apprenticeship in Business Management
Start Date: 07 September 2026
Salary: £24,000 per annum
Employee type: Permanent
Location: Glasgow
Working Schedule: 37 hours a week, University days are normally a Friday, where you would either attend University in person or virtually. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday are the Thales working days where you will be on site at Thales in Glasgow or working from home, where suitable
Are you an organised person and great with time management? Do you want to learn more about how a large business operates? Do you have a willingness to learn and develop new skills from leading experts in business areas? Are you looking for an employer who will sponsor you through a degree, whilst providing valuable and exciting on-the-job experience within a global, innovative and industry-leading organisation? If so, then please read on to see what Thales has to offer…
What the role has to offer:
1. Earn while you learn
2. Job specific training experience
3. Recognised qualifications
4. Tuition fees for university or approved training providers are fully covered
5. A support network of students currently on the programme
6. Various benefits and opportunities to grow your essential skills
7. Permanent role from day one
Over the course of the apprenticeship, you’ll gain hands-on experience, develop a broad skillset and build lasting professional networks. You’ll work alongside expert teams in each function, contributing to real projects and making a genuine impact on our business.
What you’ll be doing:
8. Supporting core business activities and learning how departments operate
9. Assisting with HR processes, recruitment activities and employee engagement
10. Contributing to service delivery improvements and customer support
11. Participating in bid development and project management tasks
12. Providing procurement support and liaising with suppliers
13. Assisting in legal document preparation and contract management
14. Supporting sales strategy, customer engagement and marketing activities
15. Working towards a recognised business qualification through structured training and mentoring
Areas of the business where you will have rotational placements are typically in Business Operations, Human Resources, Services, Bids and Project Management, Procurement, Legal and Contracts and Sales.
Apprentice Programme:
As a Business Apprentice you will be studying at University of Strathclyde towards a BA (Hons) in Business Management. For the duration of this 4 year programme you will combine university studies with practical application, embedding your learning from day one into a real-life environment. You will attend university for 1 day a week and you will be required to attend Thales in Glasgow for the other 4 days of the working week.
Delivered through a blended learning model of online and on-campus delivery, this degree has been designed in partnership with employers from across different industry sectors and will meet the criteria for the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). On successful completion of your apprenticeship you will move into a permanent position.
Requirements:
16. BBBB Highers, including English and Maths
Live and work in Scotland for the duration of the programme.
Benefits:
17. 201 hours annual leave (plus a company day and bank holidays)
18. Company Pension
19. Health Care Cash Plan
20. Life Insurance
21. Discount Portal
22. Performance-related pay uplifts
23. 80 Hours Volunteering (per year for the first two years)
Please note, assessment centres for shortlisted candidates will be held between February - May 2026. Induction week for all Graduates and Apprentices will take place from Monday 7 September - Friday 11 September 2026.
Closing date: Our applications will close at 11.59pm on Thursday 12 February 2026, this is the only time we will be accepting applications this year. Please note, we will be in contact by the end of February 2026 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.
Recruitment Process:
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.
Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, all of our roles are subject to security restrictions.
All successful candidates must possess the permanent right to work in the UK, and will be required to go through Government security clearance at BPSS Level and to obtain full Security Clearance (SC) in line with the United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) requirements below, prior to starting with us.
This role requires Security Clearance (SC). It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.
To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. As part of the vetting process you will be asked to provide evidence of your identity, eligibility to work in the UK, time spent abroad over the last 5 years, as well as employment and / or educational history.
For further details of the evidence required to apply for security clearance please follow this link - .
Thales is an equal opportunities employer and diversity and inclusion are integral to the success of Thales.
In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.
At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.
Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment,if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles.
Great journeys start here, apply now!