Guidance

Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) apprenticeships

Explore opportunities at DE&S and find out how to apply for one of our apprenticeships in Bristol.

DE&S apprenticeships combine a unique blend of military and civilian expertise, skills and commitment to national defence, making our schemes some of the most sought-after apprenticeships in Bristol and the wider Ministry of Defence.

Why join us as an apprentice

Keen to learn and ready to grow? You’ll be in good company as an apprentice at DE&S. We believe in enabling your unique development - spotting your talents and nurturing you as an individual. Whatever you want to be, we’ll help you get there as you’ll get hands-on experience to launch a successful career in defence.

About our apprenticeships

Apprenticeships at DE&S combine on-the-job practical training with study and work-based placements. As an apprentice you’ll get:

  • expert training - you’ll learn from the best in the business, specialists who are experts in their field 
  • wraparound support - a dedicated scheme manager and support network throughout the programme
  • networking opportunities - access to professional networks to seek advice and support from your peers
  • qualifications - gain nationally recognised qualifications to aid your professional training and development
  • job opportunities - you’ll have the opportunity to move into a permanent position, if you’re successful in completing your apprenticeship

Our apprenticeships take between one and five years to complete and have a starting salary of £20,049-£25,270, with annual increments.

Current apprenticeships in Bristol

Application process

  1. Start your application - Complete an initial online application on our website.

  2. Submit your full application - Submit a full application and upload your CV (please note the specific CV requirements on the job advert).

  3. Assessment centre - Top scoring candidates will be invited to an assessment centre in Bristol, where you’ll undertake an interview and group exercises. This is your chance to shine.

  4. Provisional offer - Congratulations! We think you’d be a great fit for DE&S. We’ll offer you a place on your chosen apprenticeship subject to you obtaining satisfactory grades, your references, security and health checks.

  5. Security checks and formal offer - Before you can join us, we need to check a few things. All our roles require Security Check (SC) security clearance as a minimum. This could take some time, so don’t worry if you don’t hear from us for a while. Once you’ve passed all checks, we’ll be back in touch to arrange your start date and issue your formal paperwork.

Updates to this page

Published 23 January 2024

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