At Lanes Group, we know that great drainage engineers don’t all follow the same path into this role. You may be a school leaver, someone looking for a new career direction or an experienced hand looking to take on their next utilities role. That's why we've made sure there are several routes into a rewarding drainage engineer career.
This blog sets out the core drainage engineer qualifications, skills and training needed to succeed in these roles at Lanes. We will also outline how we support our staff with accredited courses, practical development and long-term career opportunities - in both field and office-based drainage industry positions.
Most drainage engineer positions at Lanes require a minimum of five GCSE grades, including maths and English. You may also benefit from two A-level grades in a related subject, such as geography or maths.
Courses at a college or specialist institution in construction, drainage systems or computeraided design (CAD) can help build relevant knowledge. Although some utilities industry roles require potential employees to have a foundation degree or higher national certificate in civil engineering or the built environment, Lanes looks to find people with the right attributes first and foremost. This is because we invest heavily in training our people. We can help you get accredited qualifications to support you in this role, such as:
These specialist training programmes are ideal for applicants who prefer a more hands-on approach and are regularly integrated into our internal development pathways. For those who come to us with qualifications in the built environment or construction operations, these courses provide a chance to top up their education with the latest knowledge in this field.
In drainage engineer roles, having the right attributes and soft skills is just as important as meeting the qualification requirements. We look for:
Health and safety is a vital part of every job role within the drainage industry. To keep you and your team safe, we invest in structured courses to help our engineers meet current safety standards:
These qualifications support compliance with drainage-specific safety challenges such as working in confined spaces, managing traffic systems and manual handling procedures.
Lanes Group is one of the largest providers of drainage apprenticeships in the UK. Whether you have just finished your GCSEs or are looking for a new career path, our apprenticeships offer a structured entry into drainage engineering, with support from experienced team leaders and access to in-house resources.
Our apprenticeships are suited to those who prefer a more hands-on approach, and help bridge the gap between education and the demands of live drainage engineering environments.
Once you join Lanes, your training doesn’t stop. We support drainage engineers through every stage of their development with specialist institution access and a strong focus on internal growth and movement into specialist areas of the business.
Highlights include:
Whatever your career goals, we can help you gain the confidence and qualifications to get there.
If you're ready to take the next step into the drainage industry, Lanes is a strong place to start. With depots all over the UK, and one of the most established specialist training programmes in the sector, we can help you start a career you'll be proud of. View our latest roles today.
Lanes Group Ltd,
17 Parkside Lane, Parkside Industrial Estate, Leeds, LS11 5TD
Lanes Group ltd
Customer Solutions Centre
9 Cambridge Avenue
Slough
SL1 4AY
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