Engineering Fitter Apprentice

Bedford Pumps specialise in bespoke and engineered solutions. With a state of the art design studio and a specialist test bay, they also undertake complete project management and installation. They strongly believe that their responsibilities do not end at the point of pump installation and are committed to offering a complete support service for the life of their our products. They also service, repair and refurbish pumps from other manufacturers.

This role will involve carrying out a wide range of mechanical work associated with the assembly and manufacture of large, bespoke, heavily engineered pumps. These pumps are designed for multiple specialist applications across critical industries. In land drainage, the primary objective is to move extremely large volumes of water quickly, particularly during flood conditions, with some pumps capable of discharging up to 20,000 litres per second enough for a single unit to empty an Olympic-sized swimming pool in under two minutes.

Within storm water management, Bedford Pumps produce systems designed to provide protection against significant flood events, often up to a 1 in 50-year occurrence. These are frequently used alongside dry weather flow pumps and are particularly effective in high-flow conditions. For potable water applications, where water must meet strict quality standards for human consumption, all components involved in pumping must comply with the Water Supply Regulations 1999, ensuring safety throughout the supply chain.

The role also supports projects involving wastewater management, where high-capacity volute pumps are used to deliver efficient performance while allowing large solids to pass through, making them ideal for demanding wastewater environments. In river extraction, high-energy pumps are used to transfer raw river water at varying flow rates, while dock dewatering and impounding projects involve specialised pumping solutions for floating and dry docks used in shipping for loading, unloading, and repairs.

Additional applications include ballast sea water transfer, where pumps are used in maritime settings such as floating dry docks, as demonstrated in international projects like those in Azerbaijan. The apprenticeship also covers desalination systems, where robust and energy-efficient pumps play a critical role in seawater intake processes, as well as artificial water courses, including facilities designed for recreational activities such as white-water kayaking, one of the UK’s fastest-growing water sports.

Environmental considerations are also a key part of the work, with fish-friendly pump designs developed to meet EU legislation introduced in 2007 to protect declining eel populations, while also supporting wider fish conservation efforts. Furthermore, Bedford Pumps contributes to sustainable practices through green energy solutions, including the use of rotodynamic pumps operating in reverse as hydro-turbines, enabling efficient energy recovery from flowing water and often handling greater volumes than in standard pumping operation.