Food & Drink Maintenance Engineer Apprenticeship
SAMWORTH BROTHERS LIMITED
Cornwall (PL17 7TA)
Closes on Thursday 23 April 2026
Posted on 11 February 2026
Contents
Summary
We are looking for 4 apprentices at our Callington site to start in September 2026.You’ll be guided through your qualification by Truro & Penwith College, while putting your new skills into practice on site. Throughout your apprenticeship, you’ll also have a dedicated workplace mentor to help you every step of the way.
- Wage
-
£25,584 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
• Competitive salary, increasing each year
• Fully funded qualification - Training course
- Food and drink maintenance engineer (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday - 8.30am - 5pm - usually
38 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 7 September 2026
- Duration
-
3 years 9 months
- Positions available
-
4
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
In their daily work, food and drink maintenance technicians interact with other technicians/engineers. They also interact with operational and site teams, this may include quality.
Where you'll work
The Cornwall Bakery
81 - 83 Tavistock Road
Callington
Cornwall
PL17 7TA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
TRURO AND PENWITH COLLEGE
Training course
Food and drink maintenance engineer (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Read and interpret task related information and data. For example, work instructions, SOPs, quality control documentation, Service Level Agreements, specifications, engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information, work instructions, and operation manuals.
- Plan work. Identify and organise resources to complete tasks.
- Identify hazards and control measures to mitigate risks.
- Comply with food safety regulations and procedures.
- Comply with health and safety regulations and procedures.
- Comply with environment and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
- Select, check the condition, and safely use maintenance tools and equipment. Store tools and equipment. Complete or arrange maintenance of tools and equipment including calibration where required.
- Follow standard operating procedures and quality procedures.
- Follow site isolation and lock off procedures (lockout, tagout) and re-instatement of equipment with system checks and handover.
- Apply mechanical and fluid power system maintenance practices and techniques. For example, check levels, parts wear, pressure, and sensors, grease and lubricate parts, replace, fit components, and calibrate equipment.
- Apply electrical and control maintenance practices and techniques including use of electrical testing equipment and instruments. For example, panel risk assessment, fixed wire installation testing, fault finding, thermographic surveys, and checking protection settings.
- Apply reliability engineering techniques to prevent or reduce the likelihood or frequency of failures. For example, condition monitoring, oil sampling, thermography, vibration analysis, and ultrasound.
- Install and configure instrumentation or process control systems.
- Install and configure electrical systems. For example, add distribution boards to circuits, single and three phase motors (AC and DC).
- Assemble, position and fix equipment or components. Complete commissioning checks.
- Disconnect and remove equipment or components. Complete storage measures to prevent deterioration.
- Read and interpret equipment performance data.
- Fabricate, drill, and join to produce basic parts, spares or components to measurement and tolerance specification.
- Apply down-hand (flat) TIG welding techniques: butt and tee.
- Apply mathematical techniques to solve engineering problems.
- Produce and amend electrical and mechanical engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information. For example, for new component parts or change in circuit diagram or panel.
- Apply fault-finding and problem-solving techniques for example, using PLC data to diagnose issues and locate faults on industrial network.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques to understand current performance; collect and record data. Devise suggestions for improvement.
- Restore the work area on completion of activity.
- Resolve or escalate issues.
- Use information technology. For example, for document creation, communication, and information management. Comply with GDPR. Comply with cyber security.
- Record work activity. For example, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records, and any business or legal reporting requirements.
- Communicate verbal and written. For example, with colleagues and stakeholders. Use engineering terminology where appropriate.
- Produce reports for example, equipment performance reports.
- Provide guidance or training to colleagues or stakeholders.
- Read and interpret task related information and data. For example, work instructions, SOPs, quality control documentation, Service Level Agreements, specifications, engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information, work instructions, and operation manuals.
- Plan work. Identify and organise resources to complete tasks.
- Identify hazards and control measures to mitigate risks.
- Comply with food safety regulations and procedures.
- Comply with health and safety regulations and procedures.
- Comply with environment and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
- Select, check the condition, and safely use maintenance tools and equipment. Store tools and equipment. Complete or arrange maintenance of tools and equipment including calibration where required.
- Follow standard operating procedures and quality procedures.
- Follow site isolation and lock off procedures (lockout, tagout) and re-instatement of equipment with system checks and handover.
- Apply mechanical and fluid power system maintenance practices and techniques. For example, check levels, parts wear, pressure, and sensors, grease and lubricate parts, replace, fit components, and calibrate equipment.
- Apply electrical and control maintenance practices and techniques including use of electrical testing equipment and instruments. For example, panel risk assessment, fixed wire installation testing, fault finding, thermographic surveys, and checking protection settings.
- Apply reliability engineering techniques to prevent or reduce the likelihood or frequency of failures. For example, condition monitoring, oil sampling, thermography, vibration analysis, and ultrasound.
- Install and configure instrumentation or process control systems.
- Install and configure electrical systems. For example, add distribution boards to circuits, single and three phase motors (AC and DC).
- Assemble, position and fix equipment or components. Complete commissioning checks.
- Disconnect and remove equipment or components. Complete storage measures to prevent deterioration.
- Read and interpret equipment performance data.
- Fabricate, drill, and join to produce basic parts, spares or components to measurement and tolerance specification.
- Apply down-hand (flat) TIG welding techniques: butt and tee.
- Apply mathematical techniques to solve engineering problems.
- Produce and amend electrical and mechanical engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information. For example, for new component parts or change in circuit diagram or panel.
- Apply fault-finding and problem-solving techniques for example, using PLC data to diagnose issues and locate faults on industrial network.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques to understand current performance; collect and record data. Devise suggestions for improvement.
- Restore the work area on completion of activity.
- Resolve or escalate issues.
- Use information technology. For example, for document creation, communication, and information management. Comply with GDPR. Comply with cyber security.
- Record work activity. For example, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records, and any business or legal reporting requirements.
- Communicate verbal and written. For example, with colleagues and stakeholders. Use engineering terminology where appropriate.
- Produce reports for example, equipment performance reports.
- Provide guidance or training to colleagues or stakeholders.
Training schedule
Training will take place at our Ottery Campus one day a week and is term time only.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 5-9 (A* to C))
- maths (grade 5-9 (A* to C))
- other related qualification (grade 5-9 (A* to C))
- Science (grade 5-9 (A* to C))
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
- literacy skills
Other requirements
• Have the right to work in the UK
• Meet the funding requirements for apprenticeships
• T Level, A Level or Level 3 BTEC or equivalent in a relevant subject would be an advantage
About this employer
We’re not just any food business. We’ve been proudly family-owned since 1896 and now employ over 10,000 people across the UK. We make top-quality products for major retailers and own iconic brands you’ll know and love, like Ginsters, Soreen, Urban Eat, West Cornwall Pasty Company, and Dickinson & Morris. We’re constantly innovating and have big plans for the future and you could be part of it!
After this apprenticeship
- On completion of a successful apprenticeship, there may be an opportunity for a full-time position.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
TRURO AND PENWITH COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000014503.
Apply now
Closes on Thursday 23 April 2026
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.