Build the parts that build Britain’s future
Isembard is a software-first precision manufacturing company on a mission to reshore advanced industry to the West. We make the high-precision metal components and assemblies that keep aerospace, defence and energy moving: the kind of parts where a few microns matter and “good enough” isn’t.
Our Southwark factory isn’t a dusty legacy machine shop. It’s a modern facility where skilled machinists work alongside engineers and software developers, powered by our own operating system, MasonOS, which handles the quoting, scheduling and paperwork so our people can focus on what they’re actually good at: making brilliant parts.
We’re looking for someone at the very start of their career to learn this trade properly, from the ground up. If you like making real, physical things, you’re curious about how stuff is built, and you want a skill that genuinely matters, this is a rare chance to get in early at a company that’s growing fast.
What you’ll be doing
As a CNC Machinist Apprentice, you’ll learn to turn raw metal into precision-engineered components. Day to day, with support from experienced machinists, you’ll progress towards being able to:
- Set up, operate and tend CNC milling machines and lathes
- Read and interpret engineering drawings, including GD&T (geometric dimensioning and tolerancing)
- Select tooling, set offsets, and load programs
- Measure and inspect finished parts using micrometres, callipers, CMMs and other metrology equipment
- Spot problems, make adjustments, and hold parts to tight tolerances
- Get hands-on with CAD/CAM software and our MasonOS platform
- Keep your work area, tooling and machines safe, organised and maintained
You’ll start by learning the fundamentals and shadowing the team, and steadily take on more responsibility as your skills grow.
Who we’re looking for
You don’t need any prior machining experience: we care far more about attitude and aptitude than what’s already on your CV. You might be a strong fit if you:
- Enjoy working with your hands and making physical things
- Have a curious, problem-solving mind and like understanding how things work
- Are careful, precise and take pride in getting the details right
- Are reliable, eager to learn, and happy to ask questions
- Have a genuine interest in engineering, manufacturing, or how products get made
- Hold a minimum of 4 GCSEs or equivalent at grade 4 or above, to include English and Maths
A real interest in maths, design technology, or anything you’ve built or tinkered with yourself is a big plus.
What you’ll get
- A nationally recognised apprenticeship qualification while you earn a wage, no student debt
- Proper, hands-on training from machinists at the top of their craft
- Exposure to cutting-edge software and automation, not just traditional machining
- Real responsibility and the chance to grow into a fully qualified machinist (and beyond)
- A front-row seat at a fast-growing company building something genuinely important
- A team that values getting stuck in, doing things the right way, and not taking itself too seriously
Why Isembard
Skilled British manufacturers have been disappearing for decades, and the people who can make precision parts are getting harder to find. We’re rebuilding that capability: and that means training the next generation of machinists ourselves. Joining as an apprentice isn’t just a job; it’s the start of a career in a trade the country urgently needs, at a company determined to make manufacturing faster, smarter and proudly homegrown.
If you want to learn a real skill, make things that matter, and grow with a company going places, we’d love to hear from you.
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Southwark, Greater London: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Work Location: In person
