Chocolate Research & Development, Engineering Degree Apprenticeship 2026
MONDELEZ UK LIMITED
Birmingham (B30 2LU)
Closes on Monday 9 March 2026
Posted on 23 January 2026
Contents
Summary
The apprentice role is a 4-5 Year training position and will require balancing work with learning. Your day to day work and training will be supported by studying towards a Bachelors Engineering Degree with Aston University. This will be delivered as a mixture of block release and distance learning.
- Wage
-
£23,000 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Pay increases & Bonuses (based on university grades & business performance)
- Training course
- Food and drink advanced engineer (integrated degree) (level 6)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.
36 hours a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
-
4 years
- 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
During your time you will:
- Build expertise in a wide range of equipment and technologies, utilising programs such as CAD and supporting our drive for modelling and simulation.
- Support the implementation of breakthrough technologies, commissioning new equipment, supporting factory acceptance testing and process validation, solving real world engineering challenges.
- Identify opportunities for continuous improvement within the Pilot Plant and R&D.
- Build project management skills though on the job learning and block release to university.
Apprenticeship:
The Apprentice role is a 4-5 Year training position and will require balancing work with learning. Your day to day work and training will be supported by studying towards a Bachelors Engineering Degree with Aston University. This will be delivered as a mixture of block release and distance learning.
Year 1 & 2- Pilot Plant
- You will initially be based within the Pilot Plant & Facilities Team as part of the Global Process Technology and Productivity team.
- Training in cocoa, chocolate making and depositing technologies.
- Work in advance of trials with product/process developers to assist in trial planning.
- Support sourcing, installation, commissioning and training for new equipment.
- Build technical knowledge and equipment expertise executing trials with product/process developers.
Year 3 & 4- Projects
- Support category growth and CAPEX projects.
- Build project management experience.
- In year 4 you will take on a placement role where you will have full responsibility for delivery of your own project, including scoping, trial planning, execution, and reporting.
Where you'll work
Bournville
Birmingham
B30 2LU
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
ASTON UNIVERSITY
Training course
Food and drink advanced engineer (integrated degree) (level 6)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Demonstrate the ability to evaluate new techniques or technologies, and to recognise if these have value within their own food and drink environment
- Apply appropriate theoretical and practical methods to design, develop and commission engineering solutions within a food and drink environment
- Align engineering developments with wider business considerations including finance, commercial management, product innovation and sustainability
- Define, articulate and justify the business case for food and drink engineering investment
- Implement preventative and condition based maintenance procedures using a range of reliability strategies across engineering, use technical risk assessments to improve reliability, maintainability and availability
- Use problem solving techniques and Continuous Improvement techniques to deliver change and improvement programmes in a food and drink process designed to advance business performance
- Drive business environmental objectives through engineering solutions which advance and protect the business and industry reputation
- Effectively research a number of different approaches to identify the right solution
- Network across factories and suppliers to identify best practice
- Lead, motivate and influence people within a project management matrix; articulating organisational purpose and values to create an inclusive, high performance work culture
- Exchange information and provide advice to technical and non-technical colleagues
- Design mechanical systems, analyse the performance of components, mechanisms and systems
- Conduct failure risk investigations and apply Reliability engineering techniques to prevent or reduce the likelihood or frequency of failures
- Control the operation of measuring instruments that are used in design and configuration of automated systems
- Model a diverse range of dynamic systems and design controllers for these systems
- Design key elements of a production line
- Apply continuous improvement, problem solving and trouble shooting skills to increase efficiency in food production
Training schedule
Your day to day work and training will be supported by studying towards a Bachelors Engineering Degree with Aston University. This will be delivered as a mixture of block release and distance learning.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
A Level 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
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
About this employer
As an organization we are committed to developing the next generation of Makers and Bakers. Joining us at an early career stage in our fast paced and ever changing environment will enable you to do more, learn more and grow more. You will be encouraged to step outside your comfort zone– you may even surprise yourself! We will ensure you are given the support you need to be at your best and enable you to be yourself and bring passion and personality. Here you can lean in and speak up and bring your own flavour.
These days, some of the best and brightest people in the country are choosing to join the world of work instead of going to university.
https://www.mondelezinternational.com/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Access to MDLZ Benefits platform.
- 27 days holiday.
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
Towards the end of your apprenticeship the business will support you to apply for any suitable vacant roles in order to progress your career within Mondelez International.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
ASTON UNIVERSITY
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000010298.
Apply now
Closes on Monday 9 March 2026
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.