Apprentice Engineer
H Weston & Sons Ltd
Herefordshire (HR8 2NQ)
Closes in 13 days (Thursday 15 May 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 1 May 2025
Contents
Summary
As an apprentice, you’ll gain hands-on experience in a fast-paced production environment. You’ll assist with mechanical and electrical breakdowns, support planned preventative maintenance, complete essential paperwork, and contribute to daily checks on key systems like the Steam Boiler, Chillers, Compressors, and Effluent Plants.
- Wage
-
£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Mechatronics maintenance technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Shifts to be confirmed.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 8 September 2025
- Duration
-
3 years 9 months
- Positions available
-
2
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you’ll do at work
Based in the Herefordshire village of Much Marcle, Westons Cider is an independent cider-making company, making premium award-winning ciders since 1880.
What You'll Be Doing:
As an apprentice, you’ll have the opportunity to dive into a wide range of exciting, hands-on tasks, helping you build a solid foundation for your future career. You’ll gain valuable experience while being a part of our dedicated team. Some of the key areas you’ll be involved in include:
- Learn from our experienced team and acquire the skills needed to thrive in a fast-paced production environment.
- Assist with mechanical breakdowns and troubleshoot problems, learning on the job and gaining practical experience.
- Be involved in supporting electrical breakdowns.
Supporting planned preventative maintenance. - Completing essential paperwork accurately and efficiently.
- Contributing to daily checks - assist in the inspection and monitoring of key systems like the Steam Boiler, Chillers, Compressors, and Effluent Plants.
If you're looking for a dynamic, hands-on role where you can develop your skills, this is the perfect place to start your career!
Where you’ll work
The Bounds
Much Marcle
Ledbury
Herefordshire
HR8 2NQ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
HEREFORDSHIRE AND WORCESTERSHIRE GROUP TRAINING ASSOCIATION LIMITED
Your training course
Mechatronics maintenance technician (level 3)
Equal to A level
Course contents
- Use information technology, for example to create documentation, communication and information management.
- Obtain, read and interpret task related documentation, such as work instructions, quality control documents, drawings, operation manuals, specifications and service manuals.
- Record information for example job sheets, risk assessments, equipment service records, test results, handover documents and manufacturers' documentation, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records and any legal reporting requirements.
- Conduct initial assessment of equipment that requires maintenance.
- Formulate plans setting out the methodology of the maintenance activity including timescales and resources.
- Select, prepare and use material, consumables, tools and equipment.
- Comply with health and safety regulations and organisational requirements applicable in the workplace. For example, COSHH, PUWER, LOLER, PPE and applying safe systems of work.
- Apply dynamic risk assessment, hazard identification and risk mitigation principles and techniques.
- Apply isolation principles and techniques to equipment undergoing maintenance, including dissipation of stored energies as required.
- Manufacture, repair and refurbish components using hand and machine tools.
- Restore the workplace on completion of the maintenance activity. Handover resources, consumables and equipment to process owner.
- Apply the techniques and processes used in reactive maintenance and repair activities on complex engineered systems such as electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems.
- Produce, maintain, update, record and store documentation including electronic items such as PLC and robot programmes.
- Apply techniques and processes used in planned and preventative maintenance activities on engineered systems such as electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems.
- Apply functional testing and checking techniques and processes after maintenance interventions, and handover to the operational team.
- Apply techniques and processes used in condition monitoring, non-destructive or sensory testing. Record findings and take necessary actions.
- Apply calculation techniques such as, feeds, speeds, tolerances, electrical calculations using Ohms law, power calculations and cable sizing calculations.
- Select, use and confirm calibration of electrical and mechanical testing and measuring equipment.
- Produce sketches or drawings to support maintenance activities.
- Communicate in writing. Prepare communications, documents and reports on technical matters.
- Segregate, separate and dispose of waste streams and by-products.
- Apply 4S or 5S principles of housekeeping to the work environment.
- Identify opportunities and make recommendations to improve operational performance.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques.
- Communicate with others verbally. Negotiate with colleagues or stakeholders. For example, to access equipment or arrange access to equipment.
- Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
- Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
- Apply fault finding techniques used in reactive maintenance on complex integrated systems including half split, input output, six point technique, function or performance testing, unit or component substitution and equipment diagnostics.
- Use information technology, for example to create documentation, communication and information management.
- Obtain, read and interpret task related documentation, such as work instructions, quality control documents, drawings, operation manuals, specifications and service manuals.
- Record information for example job sheets, risk assessments, equipment service records, test results, handover documents and manufacturers' documentation, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records and any legal reporting requirements.
- Conduct initial assessment of equipment that requires maintenance.
- Formulate plans setting out the methodology of the maintenance activity including timescales and resources.
- Select, prepare and use material, consumables, tools and equipment.
- Comply with health and safety regulations and organisational requirements applicable in the workplace. For example, COSHH, PUWER, LOLER, PPE and applying safe systems of work.
- Apply dynamic risk assessment, hazard identification and risk mitigation principles and techniques.
- Apply isolation principles and techniques to equipment undergoing maintenance, including dissipation of stored energies as required.
- Manufacture, repair and refurbish components using hand and machine tools.
- Restore the workplace on completion of the maintenance activity. Handover resources, consumables and equipment to process owner.
- Apply the techniques and processes used in reactive maintenance and repair activities on complex engineered systems such as electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems.
- Produce, maintain, update, record and store documentation including electronic items such as PLC and robot programmes.
- Apply techniques and processes used in planned and preventative maintenance activities on engineered systems such as electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems.
- Apply functional testing and checking techniques and processes after maintenance interventions, and handover to the operational team.
- Apply techniques and processes used in condition monitoring, non-destructive or sensory testing. Record findings and take necessary actions.
- Apply calculation techniques such as, feeds, speeds, tolerances, electrical calculations using Ohms law, power calculations and cable sizing calculations.
- Select, use and confirm calibration of electrical and mechanical testing and measuring equipment.
- Produce sketches or drawings to support maintenance activities.
- Communicate in writing. Prepare communications, documents and reports on technical matters.
- Segregate, separate and dispose of waste streams and by-products.
- Apply 4S or 5S principles of housekeeping to the work environment.
- Identify opportunities and make recommendations to improve operational performance.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques.
- Communicate with others verbally. Negotiate with colleagues or stakeholders. For example, to access equipment or arrange access to equipment.
- Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
- Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
- Apply fault finding techniques used in reactive maintenance on complex integrated systems including half split, input output, six point technique, function or performance testing, unit or component substitution and equipment diagnostics.
Your training plan
Formal training is delivered at HWGTA, located in Hereford (HR4 9SX):
Level 3 comprises of:
Duration approximately 40-45 months.
Years 1/2 is a combination of off the job training at HWGTA Training Centre as well as training on site with your employer. This includes 29-42 weeks within the training Centre plus 1 day per week in a classroom setting to cover practical and theory aspects and complete EAL Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering - Development Knowledge
Years 3/4 based full time in company developing skills in preparation for the end point assessment to gain your Mechatronics Maintenance Technician Level 3 qualification.
More training information
Additional training for functional skills in English and Maths will be undertaken if needed.
There is also a five-day teambuilding residential trip that is held in the spring of each year offered to all apprentices on programme.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- Any other subject (grade C or 4 or above)
- Any other subject (grade C or 4 or above)
- English (grade C or 4 or above)
- Maths (grade C or 4 or above)
- Science (grade C or 4 or above)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Desire to learn and develop
- Adaptability
- Positive attitude
Other requirements
Rural location. Eventual shift patterns when trained and meet age bracket: Site Services Engineer: Two consecutive shifts of 06.00-18.00 followed by two consecutive shifts of 18.00 – 06.00, followed by four consecutive shifts off. Plus any other hours necessary to fulfil the job function satisfactorily, including weekends. This includes 2 x 30-minute paid lunch breaks. Production Engineer: 6.00 – 14.30, 14.00 – 22.30 Monday – Friday, 22.00 – 06.30 Sunday – Thursday, rotating. Plus any other hours necessary to fulfil the job function satisfactorily, including weekends. This includes 2 x 30-minute paid lunch breaks.
About this company
Based in the Herefordshire village of Much Marcle, Westons Cider is an independent cider-making company, making premium award-winning ciders since 1880.
After this apprenticeship
On succesful completion of your apprenticeship, career prospects will be discussed.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
HEREFORDSHIRE AND WORCESTERSHIRE GROUP TRAINING ASSOCIATION LIMITED
Lisa Wilkinson
lisa.wilkinson@hwgta.org
01432377002
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000312300.
Apply now
Closes in 13 days (Thursday 15 May 2025 at 11:59pm)
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