Summary
Want to be part of building a greener, healthier & stronger North West? We’ll provide you with industry leading skills & the experience you’ll need to succeed in your career. Join us as a water network apprentice you'll learn to operate & look after all of the kit we use to produce, treat & deliver water to homes & businesses across the North West.
Wage
£19,000 a year
Annual increase
Training course
Water industry network technician (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday, shifts TBC.
37 hours a week
Possible start date
Wednesday 3 September
Duration
3 years
Positions available
2
Work
As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.
What you’ll do at work
As an Apprentice Water Network Technician, you’ll learn how to:
* Operate and look after all of the kit we use to produce, treat and deliver water to homes and businesses across the North West
* Resolve customer queries
* Respond to water quality complaints
* Support the business during incidents and events
* Look after all our pipes, mains and pumping stations
Where you’ll work
Gatewarth Street
Warrington
WA5 1DS
Training
An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.
College or training organisation
UNITED UTILITIES WATER LIMITED
Your training course
Water industry network technician (level 3)
Equal to A level
Course contents
* Comply with (water or wastewater) industry regulations and procedures.
* Complete risk assessments: identify and document risks and hazards in the workplace. Apply control measures.
* Comply with health and safety regulations, and safe working and security practices and procedures.
* Set out and remove signing, lighting, and guarding.
* Conduct vehicle checks.
* Conduct and assess impact of activity for example, environmental, cost, reputation, safety, and health. Apply control measures.
* Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations and requirements. For example, safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials, and efficient use of resources.
* Apply principles of sustainable development. For example, in choice of materials.
* Trace and locate network services.
* Collect mitigation data or evidence.
* Check technician tools and equipment. Conduct maintenance for example, calibration.
* Identify issues. Apply fault-finding and problem-solving techniques: identify root cause. Resolve faults.
* Consider, identify, and promote areas for improvement. For example, in relation to quality, cost, time, safety, and impact.
* Use information technology. Follow cyber security requirements. Comply with GDPR.
* Interpret digital mapping systems and update.
* Complete work documentation: enter and record data and information using digital technology for example, hand-held devices.
* Read and interpret written information. For example, work instructions, and service level agreements.
* Identify and organise resources to complete tasks. For example, equipment, traffic management, and personnel.
* Prioritise work activities.
* Communicate verbally and in writing. For example, with colleagues, customers, and stakeholders. Use water industry terminology where appropriate.
* Identify and escalate issues.
* Provide advice and guidance to customers.
* Liaise with, negotiate with, and handle conflict in individual or group environments.
* Apply and enforce water fittings regulations to customer installations for example, rainwater harvest systems and solar panels.
* Read and interpret technical data for example, flows and pressures.
* Install pressure gauges.
* Conduct flow and pressure measurements.
* Identify different valve types. Operate multiple valves, hydrants and washouts including isolation and recharging of mains.
* Follow hygiene practices for example, disinfect equipment.
* Select and use water quality testing equipment to test for water quality for example, chlorine, turbidity, taste, odour, and clarity.
* Sample for chemical and micro-biological analysis.
* Set up temporary loggers (flow and pressure).
* Carry out network optimisation activity. For example, PRV, PSV, and air valve maintenance.
* Select and use leakage detection tools and methods to identify source of leakage. For example, step testing, acoustic and electronic, data logging ground microphones, and correlators.
* Inspect and check network assets for example, air values, PRV, critical values, fire hydrant. Identify action.
* Select and use equipment to complete planned preventative maintenance. For example, conduct high velocity mains cleansing and low turnover flushing.
* Conduct step testing using valves.
* Set up temporary loggers (flow and pressure).
* Select and use initial leakage detection equipment and methods. For example, acoustic and electronic, data logging, ground microphones, and correlators.
* Use specific leakage detection equipment and methods to identify leakage pin-point for example, network or customer side.
* Conduct targeted DMA (district metered area) survey.
* Read and interpret technical data for example, flows and pressures.
* Access, download, and interpret data from pressure and flow loggers.
* Test and assess application of innovative leakage equipment.
* Apply maintenance practices to meters and loggers. Identify and arrange repairs.
* Trace or locate drain or sewer.
* Complete visual inspection to check assets for example, combined sewer overflow, non-return valves, flow control devices, and storage tanks. Identify action.
* Use dye testing to trace and investigate cross or illegal connections.
* Use digital inspection equipment for example, CCTV to check assets. Identify action.
* Use sonde equipment.
* Select and use blockage removal equipment for example, rods and jetting equipment.
* Select and use equipment to apply first line maintenance techniques for example, replace seals, lubricate, de-silt, and de-scale.
* Follow alarm response procedures.
* Comply with (water or wastewater) industry regulations and procedures.
* Complete risk assessments: identify and document risks and hazards in the workplace. Apply control measures.
* Comply with health and safety regulations, and safe working and security practices and procedures.
* Set out and remove signing, lighting, and guarding.
* Conduct vehicle checks.
* Conduct and assess impact of activity for example, environmental, cost, reputation, safety, and health. Apply control measures.
* Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations and requirements. For example, safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials, and efficient use of resources.
* Apply principles of sustainable development. For example, in choice of materials.
* Trace and locate network services.
* Collect mitigation data or evidence.
* Check technician tools and equipment. Conduct maintenance for example, calibration.
* Identify issues. Apply fault-finding and problem-solving techniques: identify root cause. Resolve faults.
* Consider, identify, and promote areas for improvement. For example, in relation to quality, cost, time, safety, and impact.
* Use information technology. Follow cyber security requirements. Comply with GDPR.
* Interpret digital mapping systems and update.
* Complete work documentation: enter and record data and information using digital technology for example, hand-held devices.
* Read and interpret written information. For example, work instructions, and service level agreements.
* Identify and organise resources to complete tasks. For example, equipment, traffic management, and personnel.
* Prioritise work activities.
* Communicate verbally and in writing. For example, with colleagues, customers, and stakeholders. Use water industry terminology where appropriate.
* Identify and escalate issues.
* Provide advice and guidance to customers.
* Liaise with, negotiate with, and handle conflict in individual or group environments.
Your training plan
Your apprenticeship will last 36 months, and successful apprentices will achieve a Water Industry Network Technician, Level: 3 standard, endorsed by the Institute for Apprenticeships.
For the first two years of your apprenticeship, you'll spend your time learning the ropes as a water network delivery apprentice. After this time, you'll be assigned to a specific water network role, as a water network technician or a water customer technician, enabling you to become an expert in your field.
More training information
We’re looking for someone keen to gain hands-on experience, develop practical skills, and achieve the standards needed to succeed in this role.
You'll be expected to:
* Manage a work/college balance.
* Work and communicate within multiple teams/work areas.
* Take responsibility for own learning and workload.
Once you’ve completed your apprenticeship, you’ll be asked to join part of a formal standby rota/shift pattern, which may require you to do some out of hours work. Don’t worry, your training will prepare you for this, but we do advise that you apply for a vacancy that’s relatively easy for you to get to, as we would need you to travel to the site easily.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE or equivalent in:
* Must include Maths, English and Science or Tech (grade 5 GCSEs, grades A-C or 9-4)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
* Communication skills
* IT skills
* Attention to detail
* Organisation skills
* Customer care skills
* Problem solving skills
* Number skills
* Logical
* Team working
* Initiative
* Non judgemental
* Patience
Other requirements
You will need to be mobile in this role, we’ll contribute up to £500 towards driving lessons and tests to help to get you on the road! *As long as you meet all necessary standards and behaviour criteria throughout the programme.