Lift and escalator engineering

Apprenticeship summary

Occupation summary

This occupation is found in a range of organisations that provide lift and escalator engineering services to locations such as construction sites, transport hubs such as airports and railway stations, care facilities, leisure and hospitality facilities, commercial buildings over two storeys, communal areas in residential settings (including higher-risk buildings) and industrial facilities. Lifts are complex mechanical devices with typically traction or hydraulic drive systems and with sophisticated electrical and electronic controls.  They are used for moving people, or people and goods (from palleted foodstuffs to large vehicles) vertically from one level to another in a building and similar environment. Escalators are mechanical, inclined moving stairways to transport people from one level to another, using moving steps. Moving walks are similar to escalators but instead of steps they use pallets that run horizontal or on an incline. 

This is a core and options apprenticeship standard. Apprentices will be trained and assessed against the core and one option. 

There are four options:

1. Lift installation. Installing passenger or goods carrying lift systems in new or existing buildings.

2. Escalator or moving walk installation. Installing escalators or moving walks in commercial and domestic buildings in open and enclosed areas. 

3. Lift maintenance and repair. Maintenance and repair of existing passenger or goods carrying lifts.

4. Escalator or moving walk maintenance and repair. Maintenance and repair of existing escalators and moving walks.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to install new, high-technology equipment or to maintain and repair equipment of varied ages and technologies, depending on the option chosen. They may undertake modernisation of lifts and escalators, replacing the majority of mechanical, hydraulic, electric and electronic parts to leave an up to date, modern machine in place. Other duties include assembling, dismantling, adjusting, and aligning components and interpreting wiring and layout diagrams specific to lifts and escalators and following safe systems of work. The skills employed when conducting the work are of a complex nature and draw upon knowledge and experience of a wide range of equipment, mainly comprising mechanical traction or hydraulic systems operating at low, medium and high speeds, controlled by a digital or analogue control technology.  

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with other building trades, customers, members of the public, colleagues, and senior leaders. They work in varying environments including domestic, residential, retail, transport hubs, commercial and industrial buildings above and below ground. 

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for carrying out the installation or maintenance, repair and modernisation of lifts, escalators, or moving walks, dependent upon the chosen option. They ensure that the lift or escalator performs within established parameters in line with the applicable codes and standards, required by the UK Lift Regulations or the UK Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations. They are also responsible for complying with BSI Flex requirements. They ensure the lift or escalator is safe for use and free from defects. They may need to travel to customers premises to undertake their roles which may be spread over a large geographical area. Since the equipment on which they work may have specific features and operations for accessibility or for use in the event of fire, there is also a building safety and building regulations dimension to the occupation.

Typical job titles include: