Non-destructive testing engineer (degree)
- Level
- 6
- Typical duration
- 48 months (about 4 years)
- Max funding band
- £27,000
- Route
- Engineering and manufacturing
Testing materials used in machinery and structures to find faults like corrosion, cracks, flaws and other imperfections.
About the role
NDT Engineers exist in large organisations, and very often in SMEs, and they are the lead authority for NDT competence within their organisation. The NDT Engineer works in specific industries, such as nuclear, aerospace, motorsport, power generation and distribution, manufacturing, railways, oil & gas (on- and offshore), marine and construction. Real-life examples could include inspecting airframes and engines, Formula 1 gearboxes and nuclear reactors or other safety-critical components. They are among the most senior NDT staff within an organisation and are often responsible for the oversight of all NDT operations, including the preparation of work plans and NDT procedures for other staff to work in accordance with. NDT Engineers use their acquired knowledge, skills and behaviours to enable NDT systems to operate safely, efficiently and in an environmentally-sustainable way, meeting the requirements set out by the employer and those of the professional body. NDT Engineers maintain and manage applications of current and developing technology and undertake engineering design and development within manufacturing, construction and operations. NDT Engineers demonstrate theoretical knowledge to solve problems in developed technologies using well-proven analytical techniques and successfully apply their knowledge to deliver engineering projects or services using established technologies and methods. NDT Engineers provide financial planning and management, together with taking some responsibility for leading and developing other professional staff. Their knowledge and skills will include cutting-edge NDT techniques, such as corrosion analysis, thermographic testing, vibration analysis and advanced inspection techniques.
How it compares
At 48 months (about 4 years), it is longer than average 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
- Quality Engineer
- Research and Development Engineer
- NDT Expert
- Project Manager
- Technologist
- Specialist Inspector
What you'll learn
The official standard defines 8 knowledge areas, 9 skills, 6 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.
Knowledge 8
- Material properties, electronic principles, mathematics and technical project management
- Advanced NDT, condition monitoring, structural health monitoring and quality management
- Commercial awareness and the economics of their industry sector, business improvement and project and business management techniques relevant to the engineering industry
- Regulatory and international standards requirements, technology, safety and the environment
- The interaction between NDT and other engineering functions, the consequences of failure and the contribution of NDT to asset management and life extension
- Applying design processes, including materials selection that meet NDT standards
- Root cause analysis and learning from experience (LFE) processes
- The advantages of collaboration with other industry sectors in order to apply best practice.
Skills 9
- Have advanced skills in NDT methods substantiating their lead competency role within their organisation and industry sector. Work in all industry sectors, such as nuclear or aerospace
- Critically apply knowledge of the concepts, principles and theories of developing engineering technology relevant to the interdisciplinary fields of NDT
- Work competently in a technical engineering environment, understanding and promoting personal responsibility for health, safety, radiation protection, environmental protection, quality, security, safeguards and principles of risk management
- Analyse engineering problems, selecting and using mathematical and theoretical data to provide suitable NDT solutions with consideration of the entire inspection cycle
- Apply their engineering knowledge to the development, operation, maintenance and progression of technologies used for NDT
- Observe, record and draw conclusions from data and experimental evidence, recognising inherent uncertainties and limitations
- Develop technical reports that meet the requirements of the prevailing verification process
- Apply the standards and procedures for NDT as required by the industry sector
- Develop and manage projects and contribute to financial planning, including some responsibility for the management and development of others.
Behaviours 6
- Communicate effectively and appropriately using a full range of skills: technical speaking to a scientific/engineering audience, active listening, professional writing and technical presentation
- Demonstrate reliability, integrity and respect for confidentiality on work and personal matters in accordance with professional codes of conduct and ethical principles
- Understand the impact of work on others, especially where related to diversity and equality
- Take responsibility for personal development, demonstrating commitment to learning and self-improvement and be open to feedback
- Demonstrate a strong commitment to personal safety behaviours and understanding of the consequences as set out in the industry sector requirements
- Demonstrate compliance by following rules, procedures and principles to ensure work completed is fit for purpose, pay attention to detail and carry out verification checks throughout work activities
Live vacancies
No live vacancies for this course as of 2026-07-24 — new adverts appear on Find an apprenticeship daily, and many degree apprenticeship employers recruit on their own careers sites instead.
Universities registered to deliver it
1 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.
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Official sources
- Official standard page (Skills England)
- Registered training providers (Find apprenticeship training)
Occupational summary, duties, knowledge, skills and behaviours reproduced from the ST0369 apprenticeship standard (last updated 2025-12-11) — contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Always check the official page before applying: standards get revised.