Multi Skilled Food Factory Apprentice
Sofina Foods Europe
North Yorkshire (YO17 9HG)
Closes on Thursday 30 October 2025
Posted on 15 September 2025
Contents
Summary
Sofina Foods isn’t just a food company—it’s a place to build your future. With a team of over 13,000 people across 40 sites in Canada and Europe, we’re passionate about delivering quality meat and seafood products to consumers around the world. Join a company where innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction drive everything we do.
- Wage
-
£22,500 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
£22,500 represents the the starting rate for this role.
- Training course
- Mechatronics maintenance technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 16:00.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Friday 31 October 2025
- Duration
-
3 years 6 months
- Positions available
-
1
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
- Observe breakdown responses and learn how problems are diagnosed and resolved to maintain production flow.
- Observe daily maintenance of: Slicing machines, Packaging machines, Retail machines, including labellers, pneumatics, nitrogen equipment, air blasts, and steam cookers, Vacuum packing machines, vacuum pumps, and film over-wrapping machines.
- Support the hygienic dismantling and supervised rebuild of machinery.
- Learn the basics of maintaining and servicing temperature control equipment.
Where you'll work
Hugden Way, Norton Grove Industrial Estate
Norton
Malton
North Yorkshire
YO17 9HG
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
DERWENT TRAINING ASSOCIATION
Training course
Mechatronics maintenance technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
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.
Training schedule
The successful apprentice will attend Derwent Training in Malton one day per week for the 20% off-the-job training element of the apprenticeship.
The Apprenticeship Standard you will work towards is a Level 3 Mechatronics Maintenance Technician Standard which will provide learners with the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours they need to undertake their role in the workplace.
The qualification you will achieve is an EAL Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- Any Subject (grade 4 or above)
- Any Subject (grade 4 or above)
- English (grade 4 or above)
- Maths (grade 4 or above)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
- Flexible and Adaptable
- Commitment and Passion
Other requirements
The Malton factory is a fully operational abattoir and processing facility, where pigs are slaughtered, butchered, and further processed into a range of finished products. Working Environment • The site operates under varying environmental conditions, with both hot and cold working areas, depending on the stage of production. • The facility utilises a wide range of heavy machinery, requiring care, attention, and adherence to safety protocols at all times. • Heavy lifting is an essential part of the role, and appropriate manual handling training and equipment will be provided to support safe working practices.
About this employer
Sofina Foods isn’t just a food company—it’s a place to build your future. With a team of over 13,000 people across 40 sites in Canada and Europe, we’re passionate about delivering quality meat and seafood products to consumers around the world. Join a company where innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction drive everything we do. At Sofina, you’ll grow your skills, make a real impact, and work with responsibly sourced products from more than 50 protein sources across five continents. Our vision is bold: to be the most successful food company in the world. If you’re looking for a rewarding career in the food industry, there’s a place for you at Sofina Foods.
After this apprenticeship
At Sofina, there is no limit to what you can achieve. Our
apprenticeship programme is just the beginning of a journey
that can take you as far as your ambition, commitment, and
passion will allow. Many of our leaders began their careers
as apprentices—and the path to senior roles, including
Director level, is open to those who continually learn, grow,
and contribute to our success.
With the right mindset and support, your apprenticeship is
not just a job—it's the foundation for a long, rewarding, and
dynamic career.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
DERWENT TRAINING ASSOCIATION
info@derwenttraining.co.uk
01653697698
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000342030.
Apply now
Closes on Thursday 30 October 2025
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