Manufacturing engineer (degree)

Degree apprenticeship (integrated degree) · Engineering and manufacturing route · Standard ST0025 v1.2

Level: 6
Typical duration: 42 months (about 3.5 years)
Max funding band: £27,000
End-point assessment: 6 months
Route: Engineering and manufacturing

Helping take products from design to manufacture, ensuring that they are launched on time, at cost and to the right quality.

About the role

This occupation is found in a range of sectors that involve manufacturing, for example automotive, maritime, aerospace, food and drink and in wider manufacturing sectors.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to turn materials, components, or other commodities into a final product often on an assembly, production or process flow line. Manufacturing engineers select the most effective and efficient technologies and processes to manufacture a product. For a new, modified facility or product they would be involved in the design of the optimal manufacturing process and the design and layout of the manufacturing facility including discrete work areas or cells. They would identify equipment and resource requirements and also develop an operational plan for production, which may include considering manpower planning, logistics, procurement and supply chain requirements. They would also be involved in the installation and commissioning of new plant or equipment. For existing manufacturing facilities, they are involved in the monitoring of equipment, ensuring it is maintained for optimal performance. They investigate and resolve production problems and identify opportunities for improvements to increase productivity and efficiency. They ensure the facility, and its people, are safe and explore ways to reduce the impact of production on the environment including taking into account any sustainability key performance indicators (KPIs) whilst maintaining product quality and adherence to relevant compliance or regulatory requirements.

In their daily work an employee in this occupation interacts with a range of other engineers, functions and managers both within their own organisation and their supply chain. They may spend their working day in a variety of locations such as in manufacturing work areas but with time also spent in an office environment.

An employee in this occupation will operate with a great deal of autonomy and will be responsible for ensuring that projects or programmes of work are launched, produced or delivered on time. They will be responsible for collecting, storing or supplying data in line with organisational requirements such as production volumes, quality, equipment efficiency, resource plans, health and safety and financial data. They will also be responsible for keeping up to date with current and developing trends in the manufacturing sector including developments in technology.

How it compares

At 42 months (about 3.5 years), it is about average length for a degree-level apprenticeship (the average across all 172 Level 6+ standards is 39 months).

The funding band — the maximum an employer's levy can contribute to training costs — is £27,000, at or above the £21,500 average for degree-level standards. Apprentices never pay tuition either way.

Typical job titles

Current manufacturing engineer
Industrial engineer
Integrated manufacturing engineer
Manufacturing engineer
Manufacturing excellence engineer
Manufacturing process engineer
Manufacturing programmes engineer
Process engineer
Production engineer

What you come out with

BEng or BSc Honours Manufacturing Engineer degree that fully aligns with the KSBs — Level 6 (integrated degree)
Professional recognition: Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) — Incorporated Engineer (IEng)

What you'll learn

The official standard defines 14 core duties, 28 knowledge areas, 23 skills, 7 behaviours. This is the actual assessed content of the apprenticeship — worth reading before an interview, because competency questions are usually written straight from these lists.

Core duties 14

Lead a safety culture in their defined work area at all times, ensuring their own safety and the safety of others.
Ensure that manufacturing engineering projects comply with legislation, compliance testing, regulatory requirements, and sustainability requirements.
Be proactive and take responsibility for identifying, developing and maintaining own personal and professional development.
Work independently or as part of a team to provide specialist manufacturing engineering leadership.
Determine the type and level of technical data analysis and information required to complete the manufacturing engineering project or task outcome.
Plan, organise and manage resources such as people, equipment, components and data to monitor progress, identify risks and any relevant mitigation to meet project or task outcomes.
Lead and deliver manufacturing projects or programmes of work to the agreed requirements, including schedule, quality and budget.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders.
Determine the appropriate problem solving and diagnostic tools and techniques to be used. Lead the problem-solving activity to enable development and modifications or updates to manufacturing facilities, systems or equipment.
Identify and lead improvement activities such as supporting automation, digital transformation and other technological developments.
Produce validated designs, developments, modifications or updates to manufacturing facilities, systems or components through computer aided design, modelling, “live” testing or using virtual simulation software to industry standards.
Ensure all project or work programme documentation has been completed correctly and accurately to ensure it meets organisational compliance, industry standards or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and traceability requirements.
Produce technical documentation with applicable supporting data or information, as required, to inform project outcomes and decision making.
Identify and share good practice and work collaboratively.

Knowledge 28

Safety and security legislation, regulations and standards associated with the manufacturing engineering environment. Cyber security and statutory safety standards.
Hazards, risks and safe systems of work in a manufacturing engineering environment.
Principles and applications of mechanics in a manufacturing environment: motion, energy and force to ensure that systems and components function safely, efficiently and reliably.
Factors that determine material, resource, equipment and component selection. For example, quality, efficiency, performance, workforce and layout.
Verbal communication techniques. Giving and receiving information. Matching style to audience. Barriers in communication and ways to overcome them.
Principles of mathematics and scientific methods including analytical techniques. Evaluating statistical data, complex numbers and matrices required in a manufacturing environment.
Principles of electrical, electronic systems, components, schematic and circuit diagrams, control and digital engineering relevant to manufacturing environments.
Data collection, storage, and presentation techniques.
Project commercials: delays, changes and impacts.
Techniques used for improving and enhancing manufactured products, commodities, systems or components: safety, reliability, quality, performance and sustainability.
Problem solving tools and techniques for establishing performance characteristics, for example: Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control (DMAIC), Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA), Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA), Fishbone diagrams.
Workplace training and development techniques: personal and professional development. Coaching and transfer of knowledge.
Processes and procedures used to optimise safety, efficiency, performance, productivity and sustainability.
Quality management and assurance processes.
Management of change (MOC) processes: requesting change, determining viability, planning, implementing and evaluating changes to a product, system or component. Use of data to support change. Adherence to MOC, risks and limitations of MOC approval.
Principles of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and the application in a manufacturing environment.
Principles and applications of simulation software in a manufacturing environment.
Project management techniques for project delivery: planning, cost and budget control, risk, and quality.
Current and emerging technology in a manufacturing environment: mechanical and electrical integration, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, manufacturing systems, robotics, 3D printing, awareness of cloud computing and cyber security.
Maintenance management strategies of plant machinery, systems and equipment. For example, planned and preventative maintenance.
Collaboration working methods with stakeholders: best practice, quality and performance measures, issue resolution.
Manufacturing processes and technologies, for example small or batch manufacturing, machining, casting, molding, automation, continuous flow, and high and low volume manufacturing.
Teamwork and leadership: negotiation techniques, conflict management and development techniques.
Written communication techniques. Plain English principles. Manufacturing engineering terminology. Report writing, presentations, data analysis documentation.
Equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace. Unconscious bias.
Environmental and sustainability legislation, regulations and standards associated with the manufacturing engineering environment. Carbon zero, recycling and reusability targets.
Project documentation: ownership, company procedures, selection and appropriate use.
Pre-operation checks required on plant and equipment.

Skills 23

Translate conceptual ideas or technical requirements into developmental outcomes, operational designs, or specifications for manufacturing projects or programmes of work.
Select, use and apply approved problem-solving methods to solve problems and determine solutions or actions.
Collate, store, use and present data and supporting documentation.
Interpret and produce technical documentation such as schematic and circuit diagrams, engineering drawings or 3D CAD models, simulation models, engineering reports, test reports, fault reports or data analytics.
Observe, record and draw accurate and auditable conclusions from data evidence.
Manage assigned projects or programmes of work, taking into account factors such as planning, safety, quality, cost, performance and sustainability.
Apply processes for project or programme management such as escalation, audit or risk management and risk mitigation.
Comply with statutory and organisational safety and security standards and requirements, supporting safety risk assessments and mitigate any risks identified within the design, manufacture, development or test activity.
Identify and use manufacturing processes, resources and technologies to turn the materials, components or other commodities into a finished product or system.
Apply quality management and assurance processes to identify and rectify faults, inaccuracies, discrepancies or unexpected results during the manufacturing engineering process.
Carry out pre operations checks of engineering manufacturing systems and equipment before use.
Manage continuous improvement activities using techniques such as Six Sigma, 5s, Kaizen, Lean, Kanban, Statistical Process Control or Value Stream Mapping.
Create, maintain and review project documentation. Record and action any non-conformities.
Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
Communicate in writing for example technical reports, documents and presentations.
Collaborate with colleagues and stakeholders. Manage differing and competing interests with stakeholders.
Identify and complete opportunities for personal and professional development including keeping up to date with current and emerging technology.
Apply and promote policies and practices to support equity, diversity and inclusion.
Consider management of change (MOC) requirements when undertaking manufacturing projects or programmes of work.
Comply with environmental and sustainability legislation, regulations and standards associated with the manufacturing engineering environment. Uses resources efficiently, for example waste minimisation.
Ensure equipment is managed and maintained.
Optimise processes and procedures, such as relating to safety, efficiency, performance, productivity and sustainability.
Ensure that all systems or equipment has been correctly configured, checked and tested for safe operation, efficiency and reliability.

Behaviours 7

Promotes a healthy and safe working environment.
Take responsibility for the compliance and quality of work in their area and enable others to meet these standards.
Agile and resilient in dealing with new and changing situations.
Supportive of the needs and concerns of others, especially where this relates to diversity and inclusion.
Committed to maintaining and enhancing competence of self and others through Continued Professional Development (CPD).
Acts in an ethical and professional manner.
Leads by example and promotes sustainable approaches.

Live vacancies

3 live vacancies for this course right now:

Apprentice Welding Engineer
United Infrastructure · Cheshire (WA5 3UZ) · £20,000 a year
Closes in 16 days (Sunday 9 August 2026) · starts 1 September 2026
Manufacturing Engineer Apprentice
Broanmain · Dorking (RH5 4EH) · Competitive
Closes in 11 days (Tuesday 4 August 2026 at 11:59pm) · starts 1 September 2026
Production Engineer Apprentice
Porvair Filtration Group · New Milton (BH25 5NN) · £23,000 a year
Closes in 14 days (Friday 7 August 2026 at 11:59pm) · starts 1 September 2026

Live adverts from the government's Find an apprenticeship service, checked 2026-07-24. Closing dates move fast — apply on the official service.

Universities registered to deliver it

21 universities are on the government provider register for this standard. Registration means they can deliver it — live vacancies depend on employer partnerships each recruitment cycle.

Featured programmes

Broanmain × Chichester — Manufacturing engineer (degree)

Dorking (RH5 4EH) · September 2026 intake

Broanmain is recruiting for this apprenticeship with training delivered by University of Chichester — advertised on the government's Find an apprenticeship service (checked 2026-07-24).

United Infrastructure × Greater Manchester — Manufacturing engineer (degree)

Cheshire (WA5 3UZ) · September 2026 intake

United Infrastructure is recruiting for this apprenticeship with training delivered by University of Greater Manchester — advertised on the government's Find an apprenticeship service (checked 2026-07-24).

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Official sources

Occupational summary, duties, knowledge, skills and behaviours reproduced from the ST0025 apprenticeship standard (last updated 2025-10-13) — contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Always check the official page before applying: standards get revised.