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Love all things architecture? Wondering how you can make a career of it? Then this is the apprenticeship for you. You’ll discover a rare kind of impact as part of a talented team that provides specialist advice and design solutions for our government clients at home and overseas. Whether it’s coming up with a new office space plan to help our government customers optimise their workplace environment or drawing up plans for the sensitive refurbishment of a listed embassy that’s part of a city’s heritage, you’ll learn how we embed security into all of our construction design projects. And you’ll get hands-on experience in a welcoming, supportive environment, where your ideas and input will be valued from day one. All while doing work with purpose and enjoying the benefits of working in Civil Service.

Whether you’re a school-leaver, returning to work after a career break or just looking for a career change, an Apprenticeship in Architecture at FCDO Services is the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s a chance to work on vital projects in locations across the world and contribute to the safety of the nation. Put simply, your future just got a whole lot bigger.

Let’s introduce ourselves
We are FCDO Services, and our work is as varied and vital as it gets. A trusted government partner for over 75 years, we provide a range of secure services to help support diplomacy, international development and defence for UK government departments at home and abroad. We operate in over 250 destinations, across 168 countries. We design and construct secure government buildings. We help earthquake-proof embassies. We courier diplomatic packages over land, sea and air. We keep complex projects on track, and on budget. We store visa applications securely in the Cloud. And a whole lot more besides.

So what will you do?
After settling in with an induction into all areas of FCDO Services, you’ll dive right into live, global projects. One day you might be producing drawings and specifications for an extension of a High Commission in a bustling city centre. The next, you’ll be completing measurement surveys and reports for an ambassador’s residence on a remote island. Everything you do will be to ensure our government-level clients can operate safely in secure buildings in the UK and beyond.

Over the course of your programme, you’ll spend one day a week studying towards your qualification and the rest of the time embedded in our design team applying what you’ve learnt to real-life projects. You’ll be fully immersed in a multi-disciplinary team, supported and trained by everyone from architects and architectural technologists to interior designers and structural engineers. Along the way, you’ll pick up skills in everything from computer-aided drawing and advanced digital design to stakeholder and customer engagement. Plus, you’ll learn what it takes to deliver a first-class service for our customers -– even with tight and moving deadlines and budgetary implications. One thing’s for certain, you’ll be gaining a unique experience while doing work you won’t find anywhere else.

It all adds up to an apprenticeship packed with variety and impact. And after 51 months, you’ll have gained a degree in architecture Part 1 and built up knowledge and skills that will broaden your horizons, whether that means you continue further training or apply for a permanent position with us.

What we look for
This apprenticeship is open to everyone, but you must:

• Be a British citizen who’s lived in the UK for the last three years before the first day of your apprenticeship (aiming to start September 2023), and for at least five of the last ten years
• Be at least 16 years old by 30 April 2023 so you can complete Security Check (SC) clearance before your start date
• Have a minimum of five GCSEs (or equivalent e.g. O levels) in Maths and English at grades 9-4 (A*-C)
• Have a Level 3 qualification worth a minimum of 128 UCAS points, which must include an art or design subject
• Have a genuine interest in architecture, design and construction
• Be passionate about collaboration
• Be willing to travel overseas as part of your apprenticeship
• Be reliable, responsive, easy to work with and able to build relationships

Please note: if you already have a qualification at the same (or a higher level) in a similar discipline, you may not be able to apply unless the apprenticeship qualification provides learning and skills that are materially different to what you’ve studied before. If your qualification is in a different field, then you are eligible to apply.

Vetting
Because of the secure nature of what we do for our government-level customers, all our employees have to be security cleared before joining us. That’s why, if you’re successful in your application, you’ll need to go through a vetting process. This role will require you to undergo Security Check (SC) clearance before joining. It’s important information to know, so make sure you read the details before applying. You can find out more about vetting on our careers site or by visiting: www.gov.uk/guidance/united-kingdom-security-vetting-applicant

It takes a diverse team to protect a diverse world
The vital work we do takes an incredible community of colleagues, with different skills, backgrounds, cultures and identities. We support every individual, so that you always know you’re welcome and valued. It’s what makes us a Disability Confident employer. And Employers for Carers. And it’s how you know you’re joining an inspiring, inclusive organisation.

Step into our Virtual Embassy
Want to take a closer look at what we do? Our Virtual Embassy will give you lots of different insights about our world, and the impact you could have here. To get exploring, visit: https://virtual-embassy.fcdoservicescareers.co.uk/

FCDO Services are regulated by the Civil Service Commission.

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