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Cappagh and CTEC Fareham Launch Bespoke Water Industry Apprenticeship Programme
New Water Network Operative apprenticeship starts in January 2027, backed by a purpose-built mock road training facility
Cappagh has announced the launch of a bespoke Water Network Operative NVQ Level 2 Apprenticeship Programme, developed in partnership with CTEC Fareham College, with the first apprentices starting in January 2027.
Looking ahead to AMP8, AMP9 and beyond, the programme is a strategic investment in people, skills and operational resilience. It builds on a long-standing and successful relationship with CTEC Fareham, through which Cappagh has introduced a significant number of apprentices on to the Portsmouth Water framework over the last four years. The first of those, Ben Scott, is now an integral part of the team, working mainly on the repair and maintenance workstream.
The programme is based on the nationally recognised Water Network Operative NVQ Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard and has been tailored specifically for clean water. Apprentices will gain competence in health and safety, confined spaces, excavation safety, water hygiene, chlorination, clean water network operations, wastewater activities, pollution prevention, pumping operations and regulatory awareness. They will also complete SLG training and certification, along with utility avoidance CAT and Genny training and certification.
To keep the course aligned with real-world industry requirements, CTEC lecturers will visit Cappagh operational sites to gain a hands-on understanding of water network activities, with input from Portsmouth Water also welcomed. The result will be a richer learning experience for apprentices and a programme that reflects what really happens in the field.
Cappagh will look to deploy the apprentices across both Lot A and Lot B of the Portsmouth Water framework. Smart metering work under Lot B offers an ideal entry point, giving apprentices the skills and knowledge to progress on to more complex mains laying and repair and maintenance works as the industry moves into AMP9. Working collaboratively with Portsmouth Water and wider partners, the aim is to attract new talent, strengthen workforce resilience, deliver meaningful social value and future-proof the resources needed to support customers.
Alongside the programme, Cappagh has made a significant investment in a purpose-built mock road and footway training environment at CTEC Fareham, built in partnership with the college and its wider partners. Designed to replicate a real highway, the facility gives apprentices a safe, controlled and realistic setting in which to develop the practical skills, behaviours and safety culture needed to work confidently on live sites - from excavation and reinstatement through to site safety and operational delivery.
The facility marks another major milestone in the commitment by Cappagh to workforce development, and creates a legacy that will support apprenticeship training for many years to come.
A partnership sign will soon be installed at the site entrance. Once it is in place and the road has had its final sweep and wash-down, a small opening ceremony is planned with representatives from Cappagh, CTEC Fareham, Portsmouth Water and wider partners. The event will showcase the facility, celebrate the partnership behind it and promote the apprenticeship opportunities available within the water sector and the local community.
Alan Skipper, Water Framework Director at Cappagh Contractors, said: “This programme is not simply about recruiting apprentices - it is about creating the highly skilled workforce that will support our customers, communities and the water industry for decades to come. Through our partnership with CTEC Fareham, collaboration with Portsmouth Water and support from our wider partners, we have the opportunity to invest further in people, build resilience and create a sustainable talent pipeline that will help future-proof the delivery of water services throughout AMP8, AMP9 and beyond.”
