HR Apprenticeship – Level 3 Advanced
Location – Reading / Basingstoke area
About AWE
We are AWE. We're a team of remarkable people achieving an extraordinary mission: keeping the nation safe and secure.
Our work is critical. We are responsible for delivering the next warhead for the UK's nuclear deterrent; working at the forefront of nuclear technologies that keep the nation safe.
AWE’s support for the government’s strategy takes many facets: from supporting the weapon programme for the nuclear deterrent, supporting the UK’s counter terrorist programme, identifying where there may be nuclear tests taking place around the world, and building an expert group of individuals in order to give the UK real depth in nuclear science and technology.
Start an extraordinary career at AWE; grow your skills, learn from industry experts and become part of a community at one of the most unique companies in the UK.
About The Role
Human Resources (HR) is a function in AWE, that directly provides services and support to our Workforce, that enable people to carry out their jobs effectively and make the most of their time at AWE. On the HR Apprenticeship, you will gain skills and knowledge in several areas of the HR Function, by attending placements including:
Case management (investigations, disciplinaries absence management)
Reward and Recognition (Governance of reward processes, recognition of staff achievements)
Recruitment (supporting the internal and external recruitment of AWE)
Resourcing (supporting AWE working with Contingency workers and the process involved)
Business Partners (working with the business at a tactical and strategic level)
Learning and Development (supporting the learning and development of AWE employees)
HR Help Desk (dealing with general queries, forwarding onto appropriate depts)
As an apprentice you will attend various sessions to support your integration into the business, as well as starting placements on your apprenticeship journey, where you will develop your basic knowledge and core skills in a live working environment. You will see how we work closely with the business to create the strategies that find and retain the best people and develop the skills our business needs. You can expect to be doing a variety of activities such as inputting data, liaising with employees and managers by phone & email, attending meetings, updating documents, research to solve business problems and supporting the case management team with administration duties.
In addition to the vocational aspects of your training, we will further your knowledge of HR through coaching and hands on tasks to support you as you work through your HR Apprenticeship. You will also attend college to learn the theory side and be able to put your skills into practice in the workplace.
About You
PC literate
Good communication skills
Excellent team working skills
Health and safety aware
Effective at following instructions
Ability to concentrate for long periods
Passion for your chosen profession
This role may appeal to you if you enjoy
Working as part of a large team to support a common goal
Helping others
Working in an office environment
Planning and being organised
Understand how the business operates from an HR perspective
Entry Requirements
5 GCSEs at grade 4/C or above including Maths and English
Applicants must be aged 18 or over, as of 31st August 2025 due to security clearance requirements
You must be a British National to apply for a role with us
The Benefits
We offer our apprentices a starting salary of £16,750, increasing annually throughout your apprenticeship
Market leading contributory pension scheme
Generous holiday entitlement 270 hours a year (inclusive of Bank Holidays) plus every other Friday off
Access to employee discounts portal, everyday savings on retail, hospitality and leisure.
Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services
Alongside these benefits you will get the opportunity to learn from some of the top leaders in their field whilst helping us to continue to deliver national nuclear security, threat reduction and counter-terrorism solutions.
Start Date – August 2025.
Duration – 2 years
Recruitment Process
We recruit on a rolling basis which means as soon as our positions have been filled, the scheme will close to new applications. So, please apply as soon as possible to avoid missing out!
These roles are governed by Health and Safety at Work Regulations and require all candidates to have an Occupational Health pre-employment medical held at AWE which follows the initial selection process. All candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role and be willing and able to work in designated areas.
Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants.
Any inclusion information you provide us will be used to encourage and support you through the application process and will be held only for this purpose in accordance with GDPR.
