Apprentice Engineer

Summary

Apprentice multi skilled engineer within the maintenance department executing improvement and preventative activities including responding to breakdowns in a fast moving 24/7 environment. You will work towards a Level 3 Food and Drink Maintenance Engineer apprenticeship standard.

Wage

£14,918.80 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

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Training course

Food and drink maintenance engineer (level 3)

Hours

Days and shifts to be confirmed.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 11 August 2025

Duration

3 years 6 months

Positions available

3

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

The Level 3 Food and Drink Engineering Maintenance apprenticeship programme lasts four years, and combines block release at Kirklees College (Huddersfield), with on the job work experience within the engineering department at Grupo Bim bo UK Ltd (New York Bakery) in Swinton, Mexborough. Grupo Bim bo is the largest Bakery product manufacturer in the world.

If successful at the end of the program you will have the following knowledge, skills and understanding to be a Food and Drink Maintenance Engineer:

Food processing/manufacturing and product knowledge (to meet company requirements e.g., dairy/confectionary/meat processing)
Legislation and regulations in the food and drink industry, including understanding of food safety, health and safety, hazard analysis critical control Point (HACCP), Threat Assessment Critical Control Point (TACCP) and Vulnerability Assessment Critical Control Point (VACCP)
Basic principles of sustainability and environmental legislation
The impact of customer requirements and demands on the food chain
The key principles of cleaning and hygiene processes cover both Cleaning in Place (CIP) and cleaning out of place systems
The key principles of quality management systems and processes
The key principles of Continuous Improvement (CI) Management
Materials science, including the key features of raw materials, their own uses in foods production and types of equipment used to process them
Types of best practice maintenance approaches and techniques in the food and drink industry
The principles of fault finding
The operation of mechanical equipment in the food and drink industry
How to produce replacement components
The function of fluid power systems
The operation of heat exchange equipment
The principles of cutting and welding in the food and drink industry
Principles of electrical systems, including their uses, safety, and legislation
Services and utilities knowledge, including the importance and importance of energy management and pollution control in food production

Where you'll work

GRUPO BIMBO UK
Swinton Meadows Industrial Estate
Meadow Way
S64 8AB

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

KIRKLEES COLLEGE

Your training course

Food and drink maintenance engineer (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Read and interpret task related information and data. For example, work instructions, SOPs, quality control documentation, Service Level Agreements, specifications, engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information, work instructions, and operation manuals.
Plan work. Identify and organise resources to complete tasks.
Identify hazards and control measures to mitigate risks.
Comply with food safety regulations and procedures.
Comply with health and safety regulations and procedures.
Comply with environment and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
Select, check the condition, and safely use maintenance tools and equipment. Store tools and equipment. Complete or arrange maintenance of tools and equipment including calibration where required.
Follow standard operating procedures and quality procedures.
Follow site isolation and lock off procedures (lockout, tagout) and re-instatement of equipment with system checks and handover.
Apply mechanical and fluid power system maintenance practices and techniques. For example, check levels, parts wear, pressure, and sensors, grease and lubricate parts, replace, fit components, and calibrate equipment.
Apply electrical and control maintenance practices and techniques including use of electrical testing equipment and instruments. For example, panel risk assessment, fixed wire installation testing, fault finding, thermographic surveys, and checking protection settings.
Apply reliability engineering techniques to prevent or reduce the likelihood or frequency of failures. For example, condition monitoring, oil sampling, thermography, vibration analysis, and ultrasound.
Install and configure instrumentation or process control systems.
Install and configure electrical systems. For example, add distribution boards to circuits, single and three phase motors (AC and DC).
Assemble, position and fix equipment or components. Complete commissioning checks.
Disconnect and remove equipment or components. Complete storage measures to prevent deterioration.
Read and interpret equipment performance data.
Fabricate, drill, and join to produce basic parts, spares or components to measurement and tolerance specification.
Apply down-hand (flat) TIG welding techniques: butt and tee.
Apply mathematical techniques to solve engineering problems.
Produce and amend electrical and mechanical engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information. For example, for new component parts or change in circuit diagram or panel.
Apply fault-finding and problem-solving techniques for example, using PLC data to diagnose issues and locate faults on industrial network.
Apply continuous improvement techniques to understand current performance; collect and record data. Devise suggestions for improvement.
Restore the work area on completion of activity.
Resolve or escalate issues.
Use information technology. For example, for document creation, communication, and information management. Comply with GDPR. Comply with cyber security.
Record work activity. For example, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records, and any business or legal reporting requirements.
Communicate verbal and written. For example, with colleagues and stakeholders. Use engineering terminology where appropriate.
Produce reports for example, equipment performance reports.
Provide guidance or training to colleagues or stakeholders.
Read and interpret task related information and data. For example, work instructions, SOPs, quality control documentation, Service Level Agreements, specifications, engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information, work instructions, and operation manuals.
Plan work. Identify and organise resources to complete tasks.
Identify hazards and control measures to mitigate risks.
Comply with food safety regulations and procedures.
Comply with health and safety regulations and procedures.
Comply with environment and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
Select, check the condition, and safely use maintenance tools and equipment. Store tools and equipment. Complete or arrange maintenance of tools and equipment including calibration where required.
Follow standard operating procedures and quality procedures.
Follow site isolation and lock off procedures (lockout, tagout) and re-instatement of equipment with system checks and handover.
Apply mechanical and fluid power system maintenance practices and techniques. For example, check levels, parts wear, pressure, and sensors, grease and lubricate parts, replace, fit components, and calibrate equipment.
Apply electrical and control maintenance practices and techniques including use of electrical testing equipment and instruments. For example, panel risk assessment, fixed wire installation testing, fault finding, thermographic surveys, and checking protection settings.
Apply reliability engineering techniques to prevent or reduce the likelihood or frequency of failures. For example, condition monitoring, oil sampling, thermography, vibration analysis, and ultrasound.
Install and configure instrumentation or process control systems.
Install and configure electrical systems. For example, add distribution boards to circuits, single and three phase motors (AC and DC).
Assemble, position and fix equipment or components. Complete commissioning checks.
Disconnect and remove equipment or components. Complete storage measures to prevent deterioration.
Read and interpret equipment performance data.
Fabricate, drill, and join to produce basic parts, spares or components to measurement and tolerance specification.
Apply down-hand (flat) TIG welding techniques: butt and tee.
Apply mathematical techniques to solve engineering problems.
Produce and amend electrical and mechanical engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information. For example, for new component parts or change in circuit diagram or panel.
Apply fault-finding and problem-solving techniques for example, using PLC data to diagnose issues and locate faults on industrial network.
Apply continuous improvement techniques to understand current performance; collect and record data. Devise suggestions for improvement.
Restore the work area on completion of activity.
Resolve or escalate issues.
Use information technology. For example, for document creation, communication, and information management. Comply with GDPR. Comply with cyber security.
Record work activity. For example, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records, and any business or legal reporting requirements.
Communicate verbal and written. For example, with colleagues and stakeholders. Use engineering terminology where appropriate.
Produce reports for example, equipment performance reports.
Provide guidance or training to colleagues or stakeholders.

Your training plan

You will study towards a Level 3 Food and Drink Maintenance Engineer Apprenticeship Standard at Kirklees College.

You will achieve a Diploma in Food and Drink Engineering Maintenance.

The college element of this apprenticeship has typically been on “block release”, so there has been the expectation to work and study away from home.

When required, accommodation and travel will be organised, but we need you to have a mature outlook, be mobile, and be “up” for the challenge of managing yourself and your studies when you are away from home at college, and when working at site.

Typical College attendance:

The typical duration of college attendance in previous years is shown below-

Year 1 = 17 weeks, Year 2 = 10 weeks, Year 3 = 16 weeks, Year 4 = 0 weeks

This is a 4-year programme.

The final year will involve completion of a portfolio and preparation for End Point Assessment (EPA). This measures the skills, knowledge and behaviours outlined in the standard and is carried out by ESFA approved organisations independent from the college.

More training information

This apprenticeship would ideally suit someone recently completing (and passing) their T Level Engineering qualifications as a build on that knowledge and experience.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

English, maths and science (grade 4 or above)

Desirable qualifications

A Level or equivalent in:

science/technical subject area (grade pass)

T Level in:

Engineering (grade Pass)

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
Team working
Resilient
Can do attitude
Practical aptitude
Practical approach
Confident self-starter
Ability to work accurately
Safe worker
Accepts responsibility
Proactive
Pride in work
Integrity
Time management

Other requirements

Throughout the apprenticeship the following shift patterns will be worked: Mondays to Fridays 37.5 hrs / Continentals - 12 hrs. two days two nights four off Good level of health, physically fit. Role may involve working at height & confined space activity. Applicants must be 18 or above because of time spent living away from home whilst on college placement. Accommodation is arranged and funded.

About this company

Ambient food manufacture and largest Bakery product manufacturer in the world.

After this apprenticeship

Following successful completion of the apprenticeship the applicant will be given the opportunity to apply for a shift based, multi skilled engineer
Following further development, possibilities exist in various maintenance supervision and management positions, manufacturing and project management

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is: