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Trainee, junior and graduate PLC, controls and maintenance jobs in the UK

Yes, there are UK trainee and junior PLC, controls and maintenance jobs, and some employers train you on the job. Most ask for an electrical, mechanical or maintenance background rather than PLC experience, and some want an ONC or HNC. The live jobs are below, with the free practice that helps you show an employer you can do the work.

116 jobs live right now. Free to browse and free to apply; we never charge candidates, and we never promise a job.

What employers ask for

What trainee and junior roles actually ask for

Trainee PLC and controls adverts usually ask for a background close to the work: electrical, mechanical or maintenance experience, an apprenticeship, and sometimes an ONC or HNC. A UK driving licence is often asked for because the work includes travel to sites. Employers rarely expect finished PLC experience, but they do want to see that you can read a drawing, work safely and learn.

Our guide Trainee PLC jobs in the UK: what employers want goes through the adverts in detail, and PLC apprenticeship vs short course vs degree compares the routes in.

116 jobs: trainee, junior, graduate and apprentice

9 of these are from a licensed visa sponsor or say sponsorship is offered. A licence does not mean a particular job is sponsored: ask the employer. How the tags work.

Search more trainee and junior jobs

Where the trainee and junior jobs are

Places named in today's adverts. A city link opens all automation and maintenance jobs within about 25 miles.

Employers hiring

  • MBDA UK (4)
  • MWH Treatment (4)
  • AB InBev UK & Ireland (3)
  • Ganymede Solutions (3)
  • HPC Jobs Service (3)
  • Pertemps North West and North Wales (3)
  • Thales (3)
  • Adsyst (2)

Employers with the most live jobs here, not counting recruitment agencies. 46 of the 116 adverts were placed by agencies.

Show you can do the job

Show employers you can do the work

No experience is not the same as no evidence. A finished project is something to talk about at interview.

A certificate is not a job

A certificate is not a regulated qualification and it does not promise an interview or a job. It gives you real work to describe.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Can I get a PLC job with no experience?

Some employers hire trainee and junior PLC and controls engineers and train them, but most ask for something close: an electrical, mechanical or maintenance background, or an apprenticeship, ONC or HNC. If you have none of those, start with a free course and a job simulation so you have something to show, and look at maintenance technician roles as a route in. Nothing on this page promises a job.

Do I need a degree to start in PLC and controls?

Not always. Many trainee and junior adverts ask for a qualification in electrical or mechanical engineering, or a trade background, rather than a degree. Graduate schemes do ask for a degree. Read each advert's requirements and check them with the employer.

What is the difference between a trainee PLC engineer and an apprentice?

An apprenticeship is a job combined with a formal training programme that leads to a recognised qualification, and it usually runs for a set length of time. A trainee role is a job where the employer trains you on the job in its own way, with no common standard. Ask the employer which one it is offering, what you will be paid and what qualification you finish with.

Will a certificate get me hired?

No. A certificate shows what you have studied or practised, and it is not a regulated qualification. Employers decide who to interview. A free course or a job simulation certificate can give you real work to talk about in an application, but it does not guarantee an interview or a job.

Can I get a trainee role on a visa?

It is harder. Trainee and junior roles are mostly below degree level and often pay less than the Skilled Worker rates, so few are sponsored, and some adverts say outright that they cannot sponsor. Graduate engineering roles at degree level are the more realistic route. Read our visa-sponsor page for the rules (checked 24 October 2026) and always ask the employer.

Next steps

The EDWartens job board is free for jobseekers and always will be: seeing jobs, applying and joining the talent pool never need a purchase, and we never charge candidates. Jobs read from other sites are written by other people. We do not promise any interview or job.