Job description
Human Resources (HR) is a function in AWE, that directly provides services and support to our Workforce, that enable people to carry out their jobs effectively and make the most of their time at AWE. On the HR Apprenticeship, you will gain skills and knowledge in several areas of the HR Function, by attending placements including:
- Case management (investigations, disciplinaries absence management)
- Reward and Recognition (Governance of reward processes, recognition of staff achievements)
- Recruitment (supporting the internal and external recruitment of AWE)
- Business Partners (working with the business at a tactical and strategic level)
- Learning and Development (supporting the learning and development of AWE employees)
- HR Help Desk (dealing with general queries, forwarding onto appropriate depts)
This role may appeal to you if you enjoy:
- Working as part of a large team to support a common goal
- Helping others
- Working in an office environment
- Planning and being organised
- Understand how the business operates from an HR perspective
Entry Requirements:
- 5 GCSE’s at grade 4/C or above including Maths and English
- Applicants must be aged 18 or over, as of 31st August 2026 due to security clearance requirements
- You must be a British National to apply for a role with us.
The Benefits:
- A starting salary of £16,750 yearly, increasing to £23,500 in Year 2 and annually throughout your apprenticeship — subject to meeting key milestones and performance expectations.
- Market leading contributory pension scheme
- Generous holiday entitlement of 270 hours a year (inclusive of Bank Holidays) plus every other Friday off
- Access to employee discounts portal - everyday savings on retail, hospitality and leisure
- Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services
Alongside these benefits you will get the opportunity to learn from some of the top leaders in their field whilst helping us to continue to deliver national nuclear security, threat reduction and counter-terrorism solutions.
Start Date: Tuesday 1st September 2026
Annual leave will not be granted from 1st September until 2nd October 2026 due to mandatory inductions you are required to complete as part of your apprenticeship. Any leave approved after this point will depend on the training provider requirements for your apprenticeship and must be agreed in advance.
Duration:
18 months plus End Point Assessment
Additional job details
- Location
- Reading
- Salary
- £16,750
Increasing to £23,500 in Year 2 and annually throughout your apprenticeship — subject to meeting key milestones and performance expectations.
- Contract, dates and working times
Start Date 1 September 2026
How to apply
This vacancy will close on 7th December 2025, but we review applications as they come in—so we strongly encourage you to apply early.
We want you to shine in your application process which is designed to be fair and transparent. So we've kept it simple with a three step process.
- Online application: Apply for one apprenticeship; take your time to explore the options and choose the one that best matches your interests and goals.
- Online test: If successful, you will be invited to complete our online assessment stage. These include online testing against numerical, verbal, logical and cognitive reasoning tests. Don't be intimidated: practice assessments will be available so you will be fully equipped with the knowledge of what to expect.
- In person assessment: Those successful at testing will be invited to an in person assessment centre. Our Assessment Centres are scheduled for 23rd February 2026 and 2nd March 2026. Please note that these dates may be subject to change, but rest assured, we’ll keep all applicants informed throughout the process.
These roles are governed by Health and Safety at Work Regulations and require all candidates to have an Occupational Health pre-employment medical held at AWE which follows the initial selection process. All candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role and be willing and able to work in designated areas.
Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants.
Any inclusion information you provide us will be used to encourage and support you through the application process and will be held only for this purpose in accordance with GDPR.
If you have questions during the application process, please reach out to the Early Careers Team at EarlyCareers@awe.co.uk
Click Apply to start your application now. This job will be available on Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ»ÆÆ¬ until 7 December 2025
Don't forget to mention Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ»ÆÆ¬ to employers when you contact them.
Closing date: 7 December 2025