Holcim Apprenticeships 2027: UK Roles Close 20 November

Holcim apprenticeships 2027 are open now: the building materials company is hiring apprentices at quarries, cement works and asphalt plants in England and Scotland, and two of the listings we read close on Friday 20 November 2026. You apply on Holcim UK's own early careers board, the programmes we checked begin in September 2027, and you are paid from the first day.

What has Holcim announced?

Trade site HUB-4 reported on 13 November that Holcim UK has started taking applications for next year's scheme. The firm has roughly 4,000 staff at about 200 UK sites and already employs more than 120 apprentices. It links the drive to an industry shortage: the Construction Industry Training Board estimates the sector needs an extra 41,200 workers every year from 2026 to 2030.

Which roles are open, and where?

Holcim names eight specialisms: electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, higher apprenticeships, materials lab technician, fixed plant operative, quantity surveying, estimating and HR data analyst.

When we opened Holcim's early careers board on 13 November, 20 apprenticeship adverts were showing. A sample:

What are the pay, hours and dates?

Holcim also posts its vacancies on the government's Find an apprenticeship service. Two listings we read in full:

The Mechanical Engineering listing covers Ashbourne, Bardon Hill, Shepton Mallet and Cheddar, and you pick your preferred sites in the form. Pay is described as competitive, with a bonus and 25 days of leave plus bank holidays; no exact figure is published. Other roles may have later deadlines, so read the date on your own advert.

How to apply — step by step

1. Open the official board: careers.holcim.co.uk/pages/early-careers.
2. Pick the advert nearest to you. These are on-site jobs at working quarries and plants, so check the postcode and how you would travel there.
3. Read the full advert, including entry requirements and the closing date. Holcim says eligibility, locations and start dates vary by role.
4. Submit the application on Holcim's site. If you find the role through GOV.UK instead, that listing sends you to the company's website after you sign in.
5. Prepare for an assessment. The Electrical Engineering advert mentions a practical skills test that lets you show problem-solving ability.
6. Wait for the outcome. Successful candidates join in September 2027 on the listings we checked.

Applying is free. Holcim recruits directly, so nobody can sell you a place, and you should ignore anyone who asks for a payment to "process" an apprenticeship form.

Tips that raise your chances

• Move fast. With some adverts shutting on 20 November, aim to submit several days early.
• Match the three skills Holcim lists: communication, organisation and problem solving. Give one short, real example of each.
• Show practical interest. Fixing bikes, a design and technology project, cadets or a weekend job with tools all count.
• Mention safety. Holcim's adverts stress safe working, so say you take rules and protective kit seriously.
• Avoid a common mistake: applying for a site you cannot reach every day. Many quarries are rural, so plan the journey before you send the form.

Quick checklist: your grades (achieved or predicted), a one-page CV, an email address you read every day, your nearest two or three sites and the advert's closing date.

What it means for job seekers

• These are paid routes into engineering and surveying without student debt, but places are limited and nothing is guaranteed.
• Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Somerset and Devon have the most adverts.
• Read each advert for right-to-work and any other conditions before you spend time on the form.

Looking at other schemes too? Compare Babcock's degree apprenticeships for 2027 and British Steel's apprenticeship and graduate intake.

More openings: all UK jobs