What is The Civil Engineering HLA?
The Higher-Level Apprenticeship (HLA) in Civil Engineering at Queen's University Belfast is a distinctive five-year programme that enables apprentices to achieve the equivalent of a full BEng degree.
Fully funded by the Department for the Economy, the course is cost-free for apprentices, making it a highly appealing option for those balancing work, study, and earning. Apprentices spend four days a week gaining practical experience with their employer and one day on campus for academic studies.
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About the Course
This programme provides a comprehensive foundation in civil engineering, covering essential areas such as structures, geotechnics, transportation, and modern construction methods. Throughout the programme, apprentices apply their academic learning directly to real-world projects, gaining valuable hands-on experience.
Civil engineering plays a vital role in shaping the infrastructure that supports modern society, from bridges and roads to water and energy systems. This HLA programme focuses on the planning, design, sustainability, and maintenance of infrastructure, with opportunities to specialise in fields like structural engineering, transportation, water engineering, and foundation design.
Finding an Employer for the Civil Engineering HLA
Most of our HLA students join straight from school or college and may not have an employer at the time of applying. However, by the time the course begins in September, you will need to have an employer lined up to support your apprenticeship. If you need assistance finding an employer, please explore the live apprenticeship vacancies within our industry network, below.
Queen's Network of Employers
At Queen's we're proud to have a fantastic industry network that we collaborate with frequently. For current apprenticeship vacancies within this network please see below.
Live Job Openings are updated frequently so please check back again
Eligibility Criteria
To take part in the Higher Level Apprenticeship programme you need, as a minimum, to:
- Be employed or be about to take up permanent paid employment as an apprentice, or be an existing employee moving to a new job role, with a Northern Ireland-based company.
- Work at least 21 hours per week (including time for ‘off-the-job’ training).
- Have achieved all necessary entry qualifications determined by Queen’s University Belfast.
- Be the minimum school leaving age in Northern Ireland.