Apprentice Machinist
HORIZON INSTRUMENTS LTD
HEATHFIELD (TN21 8AW)
Closes in 8 days (Thursday 25 December 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 17 December 2025
Contents
Summary
You'll work with two Senior Machinists in a busy workshop making parts from engineering drawings, speaking with the design team if drawings are unclear. Parts are made using CNC mills, a CNC lathe and standard tools. You may help with assembly, problem-solving and support other areas to learn our systems. You'll gain strong machinist skills.
- Wage
-
£14,918.80 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Where authorised overtime is worked, this will be paid at standard rates or provided as time off in lieu.
- Training course
- Machining technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
You'll be contracted 7.5 hours a day 5 days a week, Monday - Friday, 08:00 - 16:00, 30 minute break. In college term time one of your working days will be at college.
Paid bank holidays & 24 days annual leave. Annual leave mustn't be taken on college days
38 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 5 January 2026
- 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
You will be:
- Sorting stock
- Preparing stock for machining
- Manufacturing parts for our current machines
- Supporting R&D jig manufacture
- Maintaining a tidy workshop
- Assisting in mechanical fault finding
- Assisting in assembly
- Preparing parts for anodising
- Distributing parts to machine build areas
Where you'll work
UNIT 12
GHYLL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
HEATHFIELD
TN21 8AW
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
EAST SUSSEX COLLEGE GROUP
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.
Training schedule
- East Sussex College you will be completing the Level 3 Engineering Machining Apprenticeship
- This apprenticeship will include Knowledge, Skills, Behaviour, Diploma (if included), Functional Skills (if required)
- You will have an assessor who will support you alongside your apprenticeship setting you assignments, completing observations and progress reviews every 10 - 12 weeks
- You will also be required to come into college one day per week for your college day release lesson
- At East Sussex College you will study further topics including Health & Safety, and Equality & Diversity and professional development
More training information
We will provide training on the CNC equipment, and general workshop standards as well as providing un understanding of how an ISO9001 and ISO14001 company operates
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Team working
- Enthusiastic
- Reliable
- Good work ethic
Other requirements
Nearly all activities in the workshop will be standing at a machine or bench.
About this employer
We are a special purpose machine builder designing and manufacturing bespoke machines to automate assembly and test tasks Our clients are Life Sciences, Electronics and Automotive manufacturers.
Our mission is to “Provide high quality automation solutions to complex requirements, utilising leading edge technologies. Engineered by a motivated team, invested in the future of the business."
After this apprenticeship
- Potential permanent full-time employment on successful completion of the apprenticeship
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
EAST SUSSEX COLLEGE GROUP
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000004925.
Apply now
Closes in 8 days (Thursday 25 December 2025 at 11:59pm)
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