Providing a real-world alternative to university that can lead to well-paid, full-time employment, Gloucester-based global manufacturing equipment provider, TBS Engineering, has a range of apprenticeship opportunities available for September 2026.
From engineering, design and machining through to commercial and business training, its comprehensive programme – delivered in partnership with Gloucestershire Engineering Training (GET) – equips apprentices with a 'carousel' of skills through experience of all areas of the business, helping them identify the focus of their future careers.
Ahead of applications closing on Sunday 22 February 2026, SoGlos sits down with the firm's apprenticeships manager, Darren White, to discover what the company is looking for from its apprentices – and how the programme helps them take their first steps in becoming an expert in their chosen field.
Tell us a bit about TBS Engineering.
We are a world leader in manufacture of machinery for the energy-storage industry. Our equipment is sold around the world to some of the largest and most successful battery manufacturers, who when using our equipment, produce high quality product predominantly for the automotive industry, as well as for longer term storage of energy.
We are based in the UK at Gloucester Business Park, with around 210 employees in the UK and another 50 worldwide.
At TBS Brockworth, our main work areas include an engineering department with a dedicated design team; a small machine shop with CNC (computer numerical control) and manual machines; and a large stores area and paint spraying team. To assemble the equipment, we have electrical and mechanical fitters. We also have a team of traveling technicians who install and commission our equipment.
What apprenticeships do you offer – and what are the main benefits, for the company and for apprentices?
At TBS we offer apprenticeships in a range of areas, including engineering; design; machining; technical; commercial; and dual skilled (mechanical and electrical). For the first part of the apprenticeship, our apprentices attend Gloucestershire Engineering Training (GET), where they will gain a foundation in theory based and practical engineering.
Our apprentices learn the product line through a rotation of placements throughout their chosen pathway. They follow a training plan that's tailored to them and our workload, to ensure that by the end of the apprenticeship, they are competent, skilled individuals with the confidence to work in any of the departments they have spent time in, or apply for other roles within TBS.
We have a high retention rate with our apprentices, with many progressing to have successful careers, including as team leaders, supervisors and traveling technicians.
What skills, abilities and personal qualities are you looking for in potential apprentices?
We believe that an apprentice should have a passion for engineering, with the drive to progress their knowledge and skills, taking control of their own career opportunities as they arise.
Grades are important. However, we ensure an apprentice will be a good fit for our team and our company values, believing both to be equally important.
How are TBS apprentices supported to make the transition from education to employment?
Regular reviews of the apprentice’s progression are conducted at GET in the first year, reviews continue when they are in the company for the second and third year.
Apprentices are paired up with a mentor for the first three months in year two, to help them settle into the new environment and provide a primary point of contact.
What opportunities are there for apprentices once they graduate?
During the apprenticeship, there are many opportunities for extra training, from safety-based training such working at height and first aid, to crane and slinging practical courses and technical training on software including SolidWorks and Mastercam.
We take on apprentices with a view
to offering them full-time employment after their level three apprenticeship has been
completed. For apprentices that work hard and complete the training, there is a
well-paid job at the end of it. The former apprentice is straight on to a competitive
salary in their new position.
What would you say to a young person that’s unsure of whether to go to university or pursue an apprenticeship?
Staying in full time education is not for everybody, for many different reasons, whether it's the financial concerns of going to university, or just the need to move on into the real world and start the first step into your chosen career.
I am a firm believer in apprenticeships being the
best way to become an expert in a chosen subject such as engineering – they not only give you the knowledge required for success, but also the respect of those leading the way in the sector.
For more information about apprenticeships with TBS Engineering, check out SoGlos's overview of the programme; or for details on how to apply, visit tbseng.co.uk/contact/apprenticeships.
