Science Manufacturing Technician Apprentice
KIMBERLY - CLARK LIMITED
Gravesend (DA11 9AD)
Closes in 15 days (Saturday 28 February 2026)
Posted on 23 January 2026
Contents
Summary
Learn by doing: Observe, learn and understand a wide range of production skills and processes under the guidance of Technicians and Engineers.
- Wage
-
£18,500 a year
- Training course
- Process industry manufacturing technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Full time. Days and shifts TBC.
38 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 7 September 2026
- Duration
-
3 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
- Learn by doing: Observe, learn and understand a wide range of production skills and processes under the guidance of Technicians and Engineers.
- Level up fast: Attend workshops and problem-solving sessions; seize as many learning opportunities as possible.
- Make a difference: As you develop your skills, take on real production tasks both independently and collaboratively with your team.
- Put safety first: Embrace health & safety, quality control and good housekeeping.
- Operate with pride: Follow safe operating procedures and company policies; maintain a smart, professional appearance on and off site.
- Own your progress: Complete tests and evaluations, attend meetings, and offer ideas to improve how we work.
- Master papermaking: Build competence on production lines and gain essential papermaking experience.
- Develop digital manufacturing capability: Engage with digital tools and systems used in modern manufacturing, such as data analytics, automation, and connected worker platforms.
- Participate in training and hands-on activities designed to build your digital skills, preparing you to operate and innovate in a highly digitised production environment. This includes learning about Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), digital visual management, and continuous improvement technologies, supporting the mill’s journey toward the Factory of the Future.
- Shape your future: Progress through structured career development pathways designed to help you advance from apprentice to skilled Technician or Engineer, supported by mentorship, continuous training, and real-world experience.
Where you'll work
Northfleet Mill
Crete Hall Road
Northfleet
Gravesend
DA11 9AD
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
HCF CATCH LIMITED
Training course
Process industry manufacturing technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Review instructions or information to understand the task.
- Plan tasks. Identify and organise resources with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace and personal safety and mitigation measures.
- Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Follow environment emergency procedures. For example, make area safe, evacuate.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
- Apply standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Check equipment.
- Select, check, and prepare raw materials for process for example, weighing, measuring, control and blending, conditioning, dissolving, and sanitisation.
- Set and adjust processing parameters such as temperature, pressure, speed or time, distance.
- Monitor process for example, take readings and conduct walk-arounds.
- Conduct the control of product streams to maintain specifics.
- Apply quality assurance procedures. For example, density checks, contaminant check, and take samples for laboratory testing.
- Apply intermediate or post-manufacturing procedure for example, labelling, packing, storage, visual inspection, discharge.
- Manage waste streams.
- Clean equipment for example, boil-outs, steam-outs, bake-outs, steam in place SIP, clean in place (CIP).
- Conduct calculations for example, conversations, tare weight, charge weights, yield calculations.
- Store tools and equipment.
- Identify equipment for handover.
- Apply signage and access restriction measures.
- Shut down the process and equipment.
- Isolate process and systems.
- Complete isolation checks.
- Empty equipment for example, drain, purge, vent, and de-pressure.
- Purge, fill, pressurise and leak test.
- Complete post maintenance equipment checks.
- Line-up equipment.
- Connect service connections such as water, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic for chemical or petrochemical processing.
- De-isolate process, mechanical and electrical systems.
- Complete pre-start up checks.
- Start-up plant and equipment.
- Re-start process.
- Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
- Interpret data for example, process data, quality control and test procedure data.
- Interpret drawings and graphs.
- Identify issues for example, defects, deviations, process variance, and maintenance requirements.
- Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Apply problem solving and fault-finding techniques.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Make a suggestion for improvement.
- Use information and digital technology for example, management information systems, human machine interfaces, word processing, spreadsheet, email, virtual learning platforms, document sharing platforms. Comply with cyber security requirements.
- Produce written documents for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Apply team working principles.
- Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development (CPD) activities.
- Review instructions or information to understand the task.
- Plan tasks. Identify and organise resources with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
- Identify hazards and risks in the workplace and personal safety and mitigation measures.
- Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Follow environment emergency procedures. For example, make area safe, evacuate.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
- Apply standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Check equipment.
- Select, check, and prepare raw materials for process for example, weighing, measuring, control and blending, conditioning, dissolving, and sanitisation.
- Set and adjust processing parameters such as temperature, pressure, speed or time, distance.
- Monitor process for example, take readings and conduct walk-arounds.
- Conduct the control of product streams to maintain specifics.
- Apply quality assurance procedures. For example, density checks, contaminant check, and take samples for laboratory testing.
- Apply intermediate or post-manufacturing procedure for example, labelling, packing, storage, visual inspection, discharge.
- Manage waste streams.
- Clean equipment for example, boil-outs, steam-outs, bake-outs, steam in place SIP, clean in place (CIP).
- Conduct calculations for example, conversations, tare weight, charge weights, yield calculations.
- Store tools and equipment.
- Identify equipment for handover.
- Apply signage and access restriction measures.
- Shut down the process and equipment.
- Isolate process and systems.
- Complete isolation checks.
- Empty equipment for example, drain, purge, vent, and de-pressure.
- Purge, fill, pressurise and leak test.
- Complete post maintenance equipment checks.
- Line-up equipment.
- Connect service connections such as water, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic for chemical or petrochemical processing.
- De-isolate process, mechanical and electrical systems.
- Complete pre-start up checks.
- Start-up plant and equipment.
- Re-start process.
- Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
- Interpret data for example, process data, quality control and test procedure data.
- Interpret drawings and graphs.
- Identify issues for example, defects, deviations, process variance, and maintenance requirements.
- Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
- Apply problem solving and fault-finding techniques.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Make a suggestion for improvement.
- Use information and digital technology for example, management information systems, human machine interfaces, word processing, spreadsheet, email, virtual learning platforms, document sharing platforms. Comply with cyber security requirements.
- Produce written documents for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Apply team working principles.
- Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development (CPD) activities.
Training schedule
The apprenticeship follows a 3-year programme and is delivered through a blended approach of face-to-face blocks of training CATCH in Stallingborough and online learning sessions throughout each year. The remainder of the apprenticeship is completed on-site with the employer.
More training information
Location: Whilst you will be predominately based at our Northfleet Mill, you will have block-release training at the CATCH Training Centre in Stallingborough, Grimsby. Travel and overnight stays will therefore be required during your apprenticeship.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- Maths & English (grade A*-C (9-4))
- One Other Subject (grade A*-C (9-4))
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- IT skills
- Organisation skills
- Initiative
- Safety Aware
About this employer
At Kimberly-Clark, our purpose is Better Care for a Better World. Join a brilliant, successful and fun team at Northfleet Mill that produces one of the UK’s most recognisable brands, ANDREX®, and kickstart a career that blends hands-on manufacturing with world-class training in the technicalities of process and papermaking.
After this apprenticeship
Successful completion of the apprenticeship could lead to a higher-level apprenticeship or full-time employment for the right candidate.
You will have developed a variety of interchangeable skills and have an in-depth understanding of manufacturing and processes.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
HCF CATCH LIMITED
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000010409.
Apply now
Closes in 15 days (Saturday 28 February 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.