Building Services Engineering Apprenticeship

Building Services Engineering makes buildings work. It is a specialist branch of engineering within the construction sector. Service and Maintenance Engineers play a key role in planning and completing a range of maintenance work encompassing industrial and commercial building services engineering systems such as ventilating, heating, water supply, waste and drainage. This includes related electrical isolation, disconnection, reconnection and reactivation. They also complete planned preventative maintenance and undertake any required remedial repairs. In addition, they monitor and manage the operation of plant and equipment through building and energy management systems.

The service and maintenance engineer’s job will vary and depend upon the type and range of work that the employing company carries out. However, they will all have a broad range of similar technical knowledge and practical skills to enable them to carry out their work safely and correctly.

Some of the things that a service and maintenance engineer may be expected to do are:

Carry out fault finding and fault diagnosis on industrial and commercial ventilating, heating, water supply, waste (effluent discharge), drainage, and related electrical systems
Provide the client or contract supervisor with options for repairs, replacements and improvements
Identify the likely impact, cost and timescales for any work required
Plan, organise and undertake activities in ways which use resources effectively and are within relevant legislative requirements, specifications, codes of practice and industry recognised practices
Carry out de-commissioning, component replacement, testing and re-commissioning of systems
Work indoors and outdoors and be prepared to work at height
Work with a high level of autonomy; relying on their own initiative
Develop good working relationships with people
Write reports
Qualification: This is an apprenticeship Standard. There is no mandatory qualification, JTL partner colleges have structured programmes of teaching to develop and achieve the skills, knowledge and behaviours required by the Standard.

Duration: 4 year apprenticeship.

Delivery: Delivered via day or block release over an academic calendar year.

Knowledge, skills and behaviours developed in college/JTL training centre:

Knowledge – Understand what is required to undertake building services engineering planned preventative maintenance and rectification activities within buildings by: working safely; working sustainably; planning and preparing; undertaking planned and preventative maintenance.

Skills – Undertake building services engineering planned preventative maintenance and rectification activities within buildings by planning, preparing and working sustainably; undertaking and finishing planned & reactive maintenance.

Behaviours – Undertake building services engineering planned preventative maintenance and rectification activities within buildings by: communicating effectively; working effectively and efficiently; taking responsibility; managing tasks; working with others; continuing personal development; working ethically.

Assessment of workplace/on site performance:

Undertake building services engineering planned preventative maintenance and rectification activities within buildings (JTL assessed portfolio).
Candidates also produce a Record of Achievement which is overseen by the employer with guidance from a JTL Training Officer.
End point assessment (EPA):

This is expected to take place in the final 3 months of the apprenticeship. Apprentices must pass this to complete their apprenticeship and become a fully qualified Service and Maintenance Engineer.
The EPA consists of a knowledge test, a written scenario-based project, a practical observation and a professional discussion based on the Apprentice’s record of achievement.
Grades of pass, merit and distinction are available.
JTL will fully support the apprentice to prepare for this.
Maths and English

To achieve this apprenticeship, apprentices must achieve level 2 functional skills in maths and English (unless equivalent GCSEs given below are already held)

English L2 – GCSE C/4
Maths L2 – GCSE C/4

Preparing for an apprenticeship
Some of the skills and attributes that you will require if your apprenticeship is to be successful include teamwork, problem-solving, using your own initiative, communication, creativity and reliability. You may require English and Maths GCSEs at 4 or Low 5 (C) or above, but you may be able to obtain them during your apprenticeship if you don’t already have them. As you will be dealing with the public during and after your apprenticeship, you will need outstanding customer service skills and a polite, friendly manner. You may not need a driving licence during your apprenticeship, but you may require this in the future due to the amount of travel involved in working within the Building Services Engineering industry.