Highways maintenance skilled operative
Level 2 · IntermediateConstruction and the built environment 1.5 yr typical
About this apprenticeship
What it involves
The Highways Maintenance Skilled Operative apprenticeship at Level 2 trains you to carry out the day-to-day maintenance of roads, pavements, drainage systems, and road markings that keep the highway network safe for everyone. You will work in maintenance gangs on everything from pothole repairs and gulley cleaning to sign replacement and winter gritting operations. It is a practical outdoor career with local authorities, Highways England, and private maintenance contractors.
On the job
What you’ll learn
Highway drainage systems - gulley cleaning and channel maintenance
Pothole repair techniques using cold-lay and hot-mix materials
Road marking and stud installation and maintenance
Safe working on or near live traffic using traffic management
Use of hand tools, small plant, and highway maintenance vehicles
Health and safety including NRSWA operative requirements
Basic surveying of highway defects and condition recording
On the job
What you’ll do day to day
Repair potholes and surface defects in road and footway surfaces
Clean and rod highway drainage gulleys and channels
Replace damaged road signs, posts, and safety barriers
Set up and manage traffic management cones and signs
Apply road markings and replace cat's eyes and road studs
Carry out vegetation cutting and clearance along highway verges
Record defects and completed work on handhelds or job sheets
The deal
How this apprenticeship works
You earn a wage from day one. You are a paid employee, not a student. There are no tuition fees - the training is funded by your employer and the government.
About 20% is “off-the-job” training. Roughly a day a week is spent learning away from your normal duties - at a college, training provider, or online - working towards a recognised qualification.
It ends with an end-point assessment (EPA). Near the end, an independent assessor checks you can do the job to the national standard - through tests, a project, a portfolio or an interview. Pass it and you are fully qualified.
How to get there
What you need to start
Level 2 (Intermediate) - roughly GCSE level. Often open with few or no formal qualifications - a strong first step. Some employers ask for a couple of GCSEs.
What’s next: Typically leads on to a Level 3 (Advanced) apprenticeship.
Entry requirements are set by each employer and can vary - always check the specific vacancy.
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What it’s really like
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