Modern Apprenticeship 2025 – Network Maintenance

Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.
Ready to own your future?
At Scottish Water, our Modern Apprenticeships aren't about just sitting in classrooms all day. They're designed to get you out there, hands-on, learning real skills from the start. You'll earn while you learn, gain industry-recognised qualifications, and build a career that actually matters.

Fresh out of school? Ready for a career switch? Whatever your story, we've got opportunities that challenge you, support you, and help you grow.

Join our Water Response team in Inverness from December 2025.

What does a Network Maintenance Modern Apprentice do?

As a Network Maintenance Modern Apprentice, you'll help keep Scotland's water flowing safely and reliably. You'll join our Water Response team, gaining hands-on experience as you support vital repair and maintenance work across the water network.

You'll learn how to identify and fix issues like burst pipes, faulty valves, and damaged stop taps. You'll also support lead pipe replacements and work with developers on meter repairs, new connections, and installations. Whether it's planned maintenance or urgent call-outs, you'll be part of the team making sure customers have access to clean, safe water every day.

Safety comes first. You'll be fully kitted out with PPE and trained to carry out risk assessments and follow strict health and safety procedures while working in public spaces. You'll also learn how to report on the work you do and keep disruption to a minimum.

This is your chance to learn, grow, and play a key role in protecting one of Scotland's most precious resources - all while earning a nationally recognised qualification and building a career you can be proud of.

Your Journey with Us

Modern Apprenticeships combine on-the-job learning, with the opportunity to complete professional qualifications. Supported by our in-house Skills Academy team, each apprentice has both a day-to-day line manager, and a personal assessor who supports them through their qualification and ensures their training is of the highest standard.

Skills
Over three years, you'll receive dedicated training to become a fully qualified
Network Maintenance Operator
, gaining the skills and confidence to make a real impact, including:

• How to identify and repair faults in the water network
• How to carry out planned maintenance on water mains and stop taps
• How to support meter installations, repairs and new water connections on development sites
• How to work safely around live water supplies in streets, public areas and homes
• How to use specialist tools, vehicles and equipment to carry out repairs
• How to carry out inspections and keep accurate records of work completed
• How to always work safely – protecting yourself, your team and the public

A lot of your time will be spent outdoors. But in Scotland we all know that there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. So, we'll make sure you're kitted out for whatever Mother Nature throws at us.

You'll be part of an expert, experienced team who will support you to develop your skills and knowledge while working towards a nationally recognised qualification. This is your chance to earn as you learn, working with industry-leading teams to help deliver services that are essential to the daily lives of the people of Scotland.

What's in it for you?

You'll challenge and stretch yourself. We're here to help you make the most of your skills and abilities with first-class training, support, and a big investment in your development.

You will qualify with a Water Industry SVQ at SCQF Level 6. From your 2nd year, you'll get the option to do an HNC in Water Operations and be supported through your qualification by trainers and assessors from our in-house Skills Academy.

Earn as you learn.
You'll start on
£24,352
, with clear, scheduled pay increases as you reach key milestones throughout your training. You'll also be eligible for an annual bonus and a great pension scheme.

Job security.
The vast majority of our apprentices choose to stay with us after completing their programmes. Many people even spend their entire careers with us Some go on to become team leaders or managers, while others focus on honing their technical expertise.

You'll be providing an essential service to Scotland and your local community, helping to protect our natural environment.

And the best bit? You'll be working as part of a friendly, close-knit team that genuinely wants to see you succeed - and who make coming into work fun.

What you'll need

• You need to be at least 17 years old by 1st December 2025.
• A responsible attitude to learning and work is essential. You'll be someone people can trust and rely on.
• Ideally, you'll have five National 4 or 5s (or similar). English, Maths and Science are particularly helpful, but they aren't a dealbreaker.
• A driving licence would be useful - especially in some of our more remote locations - but we know that lessons and tests are expensive. If you haven't had the chance to pass your test, we can provide support to help you get your licence during your first year with us.

A Note to Women Considering an Apprenticeship
We're proud to see more women joining our apprenticeship programmes every year - but we know there's still work to do. Women are underrepresented in some of these roles, and we're committed to changing that.

If you're reading this and wondering if an apprenticeship is right for you, here's the answer: it is. Don't let outdated ideas about who belongs in certain jobs hold you back.

Apprenticeships are for anyone with curiosity, drive, and a willingness to learn. If that sounds like you, we'd love to see you apply.

At Scottish Water, you'll find a supportive network of women and men who've got your back. Whether you're out in the field, in the lab, or in the office, you'll be part of a team that's here to help you grow, succeed, and feel like you belong - because you do.

The not-so-small print

We're accepting applications until
midnight
on
Tuesday, 4th November 2025.

There will be some fun (no, honestly) online assessment activity during mid-November. Interviews will happen end of November. And we're aiming to make an offer by mid-December.

For more information on our apprentice programmes and applications please visit our website:

Start your career in Scotland's Water Sector

Interested in learning more about career opportunities that make a real difference? Explore hands-on roles across leading employers in Scotland's water sector. Make an impact on communities, the environment, and public health while securing a sustainable future for Scotland. Visit today.

A few final things worth knowing…
Research shows that some people avoid applying for jobs unless they can meet every single criteria. If you're interested in this job, but don't tick all the boxes, apply anyway We hardly ever hire people who can do every part of a job from Day One. Everyone has a learning curve. So don't rule yourself out

Let us know if there are any changes we can make to our recruitment process to help you perform at your best. Lots of our people have disabilities or neurodiverse conditions (including some of our recruiters). We're also aware that some people might be experiencing temporary challenges because of life events, like menopause. We're very used to making adjustments, so please don't be afraid to ask.

As part of our commitment to developing a flourishing Scotland, it's important that all our employees are Scottish taxpayers. If you join us, your home address will need to be in Scotland. If you don't already live here, you'll need to commit to moving here within your first three months.

Please note, Scottish Water takes the safety, health and wellbeing of our employees, colleagues and customers very seriously and as such you may be subject to Drug & Alcohol testing in line with our policy.

Finally (finally), candidates who haven't submitted an application in the last 12 months will have their records removed from our recruitment database. You won't need to do anything. Your data will be automatically deleted.

We're here to help. Ask us anything