Machining Technician Apprentice

Summary

Apprentices will spend the 1st year full time at GET. 2nd year the apprentices will learn manual lathes and milling, spending time in Assembly & Test and Inspection to learn about the business. 3rd/4th year the apprentices will develop their skills in CNC milling and turning machines, also spending time in other areas of the business.

Wage

£14,232.40 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

This will rise incrementally every year dependent on successful completion of that year of study, until the completion of your apprenticeship.

Training course

Machining technician (level 3)

Hours

Monday - Thursday, 07:00 - 15:45 and Friday, 07:00 - 12:45.

35 hours a week

Start date

Monday 15 September 2025

Duration

3 years

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

Training on manual lathe and milling machines to make simple parts and develop skills
Progressing onto make jigs and fixtures
Learn to understand detailed drawings and the application of geometric tolerance symbols
Learn to accurately measure parts and the machine shop paperwork system
Learn about other departments in the business
Develop product, business and industry knowledge
Training on CNC machines with a mentor, learning techniques in turning, milling and programming
Continue to learn advanced measurement techniques, CMM and surface finish requirements

Where you'll work

LB Bentley Ltd
Unit C, Kingfisher Business Park
London Road
Stroud
GL5 2BY

Training

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

College or training organisation

GLOUCESTERSHIRE ENGINEERING TRAINING LIMITED

Your training course

Machining technician (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Comply with statutory health and safety regulations and procedures.
Comply with environmental, ethical and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
Prepare and set up conventional or CNC machines.
Operate and adjust conventional or CNC machines.
Apply risk assessment and hazard identification processes and procedures in the work area.
Monitor, obtain and check stock and supplies, and complete stock returns.
Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, 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.
Read and interpret information. For example, data and documentation used to produce machined components.
Apply engineering, mathematical and scientific principles.
Plan and organise own work and resources.
Follow and apply inspection, quality assurance procedures and processes.
Select machining process.
Select and setup tooling and work holding devices.
Set and adjust machine operating parameters. For example, setting feeds and speeds for roughing and finishing operations, loading, proving and validating programs when using a CNC machine tool.
Apply machining operations and techniques to produce complex components with features. For example, parallel; stepped; angular diameters and faces; grooves; slots; recesses and undercuts; radii and chamfers; internal and external forms and profiles; reamed; bored; drilled and electro eroded holes; internal and external screw threads.
Measure and check components.
Select and check condition of tools and equipment. Identify issues, resolve and take action as needed.
Identify and action issues in the manufacturing process.
Apply fault-finding and diagnostic testing procedures to identify faults. Diagnose and resolve issues. Escalate issues.
Maintain the work area and return any resources and consumables.
Communicate with others verbally. For example, colleagues and stakeholders.
Follow machine shut down, safe isolation, handover, start up or warm up procedures. Escalate issues.
Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
Apply ethical principles.
Apply team working principles.
Comply with statutory health and safety regulations and procedures.
Comply with environmental, ethical and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
Prepare and set up conventional or CNC machines.
Operate and adjust conventional or CNC machines.
Apply risk assessment and hazard identification processes and procedures in the work area.
Monitor, obtain and check stock and supplies, and complete stock returns.
Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, 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.
Read and interpret information. For example, data and documentation used to produce machined components.
Apply engineering, mathematical and scientific principles.
Plan and organise own work and resources.
Follow and apply inspection, quality assurance procedures and processes.
Select machining process.
Select and setup tooling and work holding devices.
Set and adjust machine operating parameters. For example, setting feeds and speeds for roughing and finishing operations, loading, proving and validating programs when using a CNC machine tool.
Apply machining operations and techniques to produce complex components with features. For example, parallel; stepped; angular diameters and faces; grooves; slots; recesses and undercuts; radii and chamfers; internal and external forms and profiles; reamed; bored; drilled and electro eroded holes; internal and external screw threads.
Measure and check components.
Select and check condition of tools and equipment. Identify issues, resolve and take action as needed.
Identify and action issues in the manufacturing process.
Apply fault-finding and diagnostic testing procedures to identify faults. Diagnose and resolve issues. Escalate issues.
Maintain the work area and return any resources and consumables.
Communicate with others verbally. For example, colleagues and stakeholders.
Follow machine shut down, safe isolation, handover, start up or warm up procedures. Escalate issues.
Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
Apply ethical principles.
Apply team working principles.

Your training plan

Machining technician Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard:

Level 3 Apprenticeship certificate over 3 years including:

Level 2 competence qualification
Level 3 competence qualification
Level 3 knowledge qualification

See ( https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/machining-technician-v1-4 ) for detailed outline

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

English (grade 4-9 or C and above)
Maths (grade 4-9 or C and 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
Attention to detail
Problem solving skills
Number skills
Team working
Initiative

Other requirements

This Apprenticeship Scheme is a four year programme. It is a great opportunity, but will require a lot of hard work and dedication. Learners will be expected to be flexible and learn various skills in different areas of the business. The products we design and manufacture are bespoke, highly engineered and high quality, so our manufacturing process requires high precision and attention to detail, whilst very interesting it can be a challenge. From the second year you will work towards achieving your qualification both practically and theoretically, and also contribute towards production work. Failure to complete the programme may also result in failure to remain in employment.

About this company

Established in 1972, LB Bentley is a global leader in a range of products that deliver creative and innovative engineered solutions. As part of the Severn Group we have the flexibility to develop our product range, further enabling our engineered solutions to be deployed in the world’s most extreme environments. We are a mechanical engineering company specialising in the design and manufacture of a range of specialised bespoke products - small bore subsea valves for the oil & gas industry, and filtration & drying solutions for industries such as the MOD, oil & gas, power, manufacturing.

https://www.lb-bentley.com/careers/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

LB Bentley's apprenticeship forms part of our succession planning strategy
We expect Apprentices to complete their training as a qualified and fully trained Machining Technician, however, there are opportunities in many areas of the business that require the same level of product, business and industry understanding

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