Engineering - level 3 apprenticeship framework
This framework sets out the standards and criteria you must meet to complete the apprenticeship programme and receive your apprenticeship certificate for level three engineering. This is the only level 3 training in this skill acceptable for apprenticeshipsni funding.
About this framework
This framework specifies the standards and the criteria for the delivery of a level 3 apprenticeship framework to achieve qualified status within the engineering industry. Successful completion of the framework will lead to the award of a level 3 qualification showing recognition as a qualified person within the industry.Mandatory outcomes
Achievement of a level 3 apprenticeship in engineering will be assessed by verification through the appropriate awarding body.
You must complete a combination of both a competence and a knowledge-based qualification from one of the pathways, along with the essential skills below.
Mandatory essential skills
- application of number – level 2
- communication – level 2
- information and communication technology (ICT) – level 2
The essential skills are mandatory and are to be completed as part of the apprenticeship.
However, any qualifications you already have are assessed against the framework requirements and may result in an exemption from the above.
Competency and knowledge qualifications – pathway options
Apprentices need to complete both a competency-based and a knowledge-based qualification in their chosen pathway, selected from the lists below.
The following knowledge-based qualifications are suitable to be chosen for any pathway unless otherwise indicated, or you can also choose one of those listed under each pathway.
If you are enrolling on a Level 3 framework with Level 2 en route (also referred to as Level 2/3) you must follow ‘Pathway 7 - Performing Engineering Operations’ at Level 2.
Sectoral advice is that this pathway provides the most suitable preparation for all pathways of the Level 3 Engineering ApprenticeshipsNI framework. Pathway 7 is also strongly recommended if you are undertaking a standalone Level 2 apprenticeship with the intention of progressing to Level 3.
Level 2/3 apprentices must achieve a knowledge-based qualification at both Level 2 and Level 3. If however the chosen Level 3 knowledge-based qualification has the potential to award 72 UCAS points or more, then a Level 2 knowledge-based qualification is not required.
- ETCAL level 3 diploma in engineering 601/6010/X
- EAL level 3 diploma in engineering technology 501/1130/9
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in engineering 601/7580/1
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in engineering 601/7588/6
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national foundation diploma in engineering 601/7591/6
- Pearson BTEC level 3 certificate in advanced manufacturing engineering (development technical Knowledge) 601/9049/8
- Pearson BTEC level 3 diploma in advanced manufacturing engineering (development technical knowledge) 601/9054/1
- Pearson BTEC level 3 extended diploma in advanced manufacturing engineering (development technical knowledge) 601/9060/7
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in manufacturing engineering 601/7582/5
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in mechanical engineering 601/7590/4
- City & Guilds level 3 diploma in engineering – 600/0882/9 (all pathways except aeronautical engineering)
Pathway one – aeronautical engineering
Competence-based qualification:
- ETCAL level 3 NVQ diploma in aeronautical engineering 600/1706/5
- City & Guilds level 3 NVQ extended diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/0080/1
- EAL level 3 NVQ diploma in aeronautical engineering 600/1037/X
- EAL level 3 NVQ extended diploma in aeronautical engineering 600/2083/0
Knowledge - based qualification:
- City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance (Civil Aircraft Mechanical) 600/1929/3
- EAL level 3 diploma in engineering technologies 601/5801/3
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/7579/5
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in mechanical engineering 601/7583/7
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7577/1
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7585/0
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in manufacturing engineering 601/7589/8
Pathway two – automotive engineering
Competence-based qualification:
- EAL level 3 NVQ diploma in automotive engineering 600/0750/3
- EAL level 3 extended NVQ diploma in automotive engineering 600/1784/3
Knowledge - based qualification:
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/7579/5
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in mechanical engineering 601/7583/7
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in manufacturing engineering 601/7589/8
Pathway three – electrical and electronic engineering
Competence-based qualification:
- ETCAL level 3 NVQ diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/1661/4
- EAL level 3 NVQ diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 600/9590/8
- EAL level 3 extended NVQ diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 600/9931/8
Knowledge - based qualification:
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/7579/5
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in mechanical engineering 601/7583/7
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7577/1
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/7587/4
Pathway 4 – engineering maintenance
Competence-based qualification:
- ETCAL level 3 NVQ diploma in engineering maintenance 600/2253/X
- City & Guilds level 3 NVQ diploma in engineering maintenance 501/0458/5
- EAL level 3 NVQ diploma in engineering maintenance 501/0544/9
- EAL level 3 extended NVQ diploma in engineering maintenance 600/2084/2
- City & Guilds level 3 NVQ extended diploma in engineering maintenance 601/0079/5
Knowledge - based qualification:
- EAL level 3 diploma in cycle maintenance 501/0988/1
- EAL level 3 diploma in engineering technologies 601/5801/3
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/7579/5
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in mechanical engineering 601/7583/7
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7577/1
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/7587/4
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7585/0
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in manufacturing engineering 601/7589/8
Pathway five– engineering technical support
Competence-based qualification:
Knowledge - based qualification:
- EAL level 3 diploma in engineering technologies 601/5801/3
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/7579/5
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in mechanical engineering 601/7583/7
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7577/1
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7585/0
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in manufacturing engineering 601/7589/8
Pathway 6 – engineering toolmaking
Competence-based qualification:
- EAL level 3 extended NVQ diploma in engineering toolmaking 600/1667/X
- ETCAL level 3 NVQ diploma in engineering toolmaking 600/3427/0
Knowledge - based qualification:
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/7579/5
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in mechanical engineering 601/7583/7
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7577/1
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in manufacturing engineering 601/7589/8
Pathway seven – fabrication and welding engineering
Competence-based qualification:
- ETCAL level 3 diploma in fabrication and welding engineering 601/1853/2
- EAL level 3 extended diploma in fabrication and welding 600/9932/X
Knowledge - based qualification:
- EAL level 3 diploma in engineering technologies 601/5801/3
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/7579/5
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in mechanical engineering 601/7583/7
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7577/1
Pathway eight – installation and commissioning
Competence-based qualification:
- ETCAL level 3 NVQ diploma in installation and commissioning 601/7649/0
- EAL level 3 NVQ diploma in installation and commissioning 501/0733/1
Knowledge - based qualification:
- EAL level 3 diploma in cycle maintenance 501/0988/1
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/7579/5
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in mechanical engineering 601/7583/7
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7577/1
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/7587/4
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in manufacturing engineering 601/7589/8
Pathway nine – materials processing and finishing
Competence-based qualification:
Knowledge - based qualification:
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/7579/5
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in mechanical engineering 601/7583/7
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7577/1
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7585/0
Pathway 10 – mechanical manufacturing engineering
Competence-based qualification:
- EAL level 3 NVQ diploma in mechanical manufacturing engineering 500/9852/4
- EAL level 3 extended NVQ diploma in mechanical manufacturing engineering 600/1701/6
- ETCAL level 3 NVQ diploma in mechanical manufacturing engineering 600/3428/2
Knowledge - based qualification:
- EAL level 3 diploma in engineering technologies 601/5801/3
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in electrical and electronic engineering 601/7579/5
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in mechanical engineering 601/7583/7
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7577/1
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in aeronautical engineering 601/7585/0
- Pearson BTEC level 3 national extended diploma in manufacturing engineering 601/7589/8
Eligibility and entry to the programme
You must be employed to take part in the programme.
Employment is at the discretion of the employer who may have specific expectations in terms of qualifications or other recruitment criteria.
Entry to the level 3 apprenticeship is by progression from the apprenticeshipsni level 2 engineering apprenticeship.
You may also enter the level 3 apprenticeship, subject to assessment by the training contractor and employer, if you:
- have already gained significant work experience in this occupational area, which could be considered as meeting the requirements of the level 2 engineering framework and also demonstrate the capacity to achieve a level 3 standard
- have previously achieved a relevant level 2 competence-based vocational qualification that is a mandatory requirement of the current apprenticeshipsni level 2 engineering framework
See also the DfE operational requirements for eligibility information.
Duration
Apprenticeship duration can vary and will be agreed between the apprentice, training contractor and employer
Related Knowledge
For this framework, you must complete a suitable employee rights and responsibilities (ERR) workbook. Framework certification is issued on confirmation from training contractors that the ERR has been completed.
Responsibilities
It's the responsibility of the training contractor/ college to make sure all components of this framework are delivered in accordance with apprenticeshipsni operational requirements.
The apprentice must be employed from day one.
Further Information
The content of this framework (Framework Number 327 Issue 20: 02/25) has been agreed by the Department for the Economy.
For further information, contact: