About this role
Job summary
Are you ready to launch a skilled engineering career with real purpose?
Join Cardiff and Vale University Health Board as a Trainee Maintenance Engineerand play a vital role in keeping our hospitals safe, operational, and fit for delivering outstanding patient care. This is a unique opportunity to earn, learn, and develop within a supportive NHS environment.
You will work across a wide range of systems--from water and ventilation to medical gas and specialist plant--gaining hands-on experience in maintenance, fault finding, and repair. Alongside this, you'll complete a structured training pathway including Level 2 and Level 3 engineering qualifications, delivered through day release at college.
This is more than a job--it's a progression pathway. With commitment and successful completion, you will be eligible to apply for a Band 5 role, supporting your long-term career in engineering.
We are looking for candidates who bring curiosity, resilience, and a genuine interest in engineering. You'll need 5 GCSEs (including English, Maths and Science) and a commitment to learning and working within a team that values compassion, integrity, and continuous improvement.
If you want to build a career that combines technical excellence with meaningful impact, apply today.
This is a fixed term role for 42 months.
Main duties of the job
The post combines practical experience with a structured apprenticeship programme. Trainees will follow an Individual Learning Plan and attend college on a day-release basis to achieve recognised engineering qualifications, including Level 2 and Level 3 awards and essential skills. The three-year programme gradually reduces college attendance while increasing workplace learning under the guidance of experienced staff.
Progress will be reviewed regularly with supervisors and assessors. Progression depends on achieving competency requirements, demonstrating commitment and meeting organisational values and behaviours. This is a developmental Band 4 role with a defined progression pathway, and successful completion will provide eligibility to apply for a Band 5 post.
Applicants must hold 5 GCSEs, including English, Maths and Science, and demonstrate a commitment to a career in Estates engineering. In line with Welsh Government apprenticeship funding criteria, candidates who already hold a degree or higher-level qualification are not eligible for this programme.
About us
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Boards in the UK, employing over 17,000 staff, providing over 100 specialist services. Working across 6 hospital sites, we have a diverse range of career opportunities to offer. Serving over 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services. Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone, delivering excellent care and support.
Our mission is "Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together", and our vision is that every person's chance of leading a healthy life should be equal. Our 10-year transformation and improvement strategy, Shaping Our Future Wellbeing, is our chance to work collaboratively with the public and our workforce to make our health board more sustainable for the future.
Job description Job responsibilities
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
ONC Mechanical Engineering / relevant engineering discipline or equivalent level of experience in the specialist areas of engineering through training, experience. Mechanical Engineering BTEC Level 3. NVQ Level 3 - Mechanical Engineering. City & Guilds 6189 - Plumbing & Domestic Heating. City & Guilds 3345 - Water Regulations. City & Guilds 7188 - Heating & Ventilation. 5 GCSEs at Grade C or above including English, Maths and 1 Science
Desirable
HNC Mechanical Engineering / relevant engineering discipline or equivalent level of experience in the specialist areas of engineering through training, experience
Experience Essential
Completion of an Approved Apprenticeship or Structured Training Program for a minimum of three years. Sufficient site experience. Knowledge of low pressure hot water systems, steam raising plant, ventilation systems, pneumatic/hydraulic systems, building energy management systems.
Desirable
Working in an Acute Hospital Environmental. Knowledge of current HTM's and HBN's
Skills Essential
Good Communication Skills. Ability to work without supervision. Adaptable to change. Capable of working in a demand driven service. Working to deadlines.
Personal Qualities Essential
If required in exceptional circumstances, undertake on call duties to fill any gap in the rota until such time that agreement of a full rota team has been established on a permanent basis by the teams and management
Desirable
Volunteer for overtime if required to meet urgent service needs.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Address Estates Department University Hospital of Wales (Multisite)
Heath Park
Cardiff
CF14 4XW
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://cavuhb.nhs.wales/ (Opens in a new tab)