Manufacturing Higher Apprentice (Bourne)
BAKKAVOR GROUP PLC
Bourne (PE10 0AT)
Closes in 20 days (Monday 9 March 2026)
Posted on 16 February 2026
Contents
Summary
Our Higher Apprenticeship in Manufacturing is an ideal opportunity if you are interested in the different stages involved in efficient food production. It will give you a clear understanding of the key manufacturing processes including planning, safe machinery operation and resource management.
- Wage
-
£20,670 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Increasing to £23,670 in Year 2
- Training course
- Process leader (level 4)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday, 8.30am - 5.00pm, however in future there will be an element of shift working. Days and shifts are to be confirmed, but may require an element of evening and weekend working, depending on which team you join.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
-
2 years 6 months
- Positions available
-
3
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 play a crucial role in the day to day production and distribution of our quality products.
- You will gain a clear understanding of the key manufacturing processes including planning, safe machinery operation and resource and people management.
- You will forge close links with other functions within the business such as Food Technical, Development, Finance and Human Resources so you will require good communication skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
- You will learn how to set up and manage projects using relevant tools and techniques and understand process management.
- You will gain an understanding of business development tools (e.g., SWOT) and approaches to continuous improvement.
Where you'll work
Bakkavor Salads
33 Spalding Road
Bourne
PE10 0AT
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN
Training course
Process leader (level 4)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Undertake and direct production activities and operations.
- Propose, undertake, manage and coordinate changes to the product, production operations, processes and equipment, to improve productivity, efficiency, quality and sustainability.
- Solve problems - predict and prevent failures through the analysis of data and information.
- Manage resources effectively to ensure their availability and the efficient running of department in line with organisational procedures.
- Deliver cost achievements against budget targets.
- Plan resources to support variations in production schedules.
- Use KPIs as the basis of the continuous improvement cycle for quality, cost and volume achievement using lean operational and product improvement techniques.
- Undertake and manage quality resolutions as well as volume problem resolution.
- Manage health, safety and the environment within area of responsibility, ensuring staff are compliant with all requirements and driving improvements.
- Conduct workplace risk assessments, manage near-miss or similar processes, conduct investigations as necessary.
- Use project management tools to plan, organise and manage resources, to monitor progress, identify risks and mitigation.
- Recruit the right people into the right job.
- Develop, build and motivate teams by identifying strengths and enabling training and development within the workplace.
- Recognise excellence, effectively manage performance, discipline, attendance, grievance.
- Manage industrial relations and equality and diversity.
- Support development through coaching and mentoring.
- Leading and communicating the management of change.
- Provide clear direction and leadership, giving open and honest feedback. Apply and adapt own leadership style to different production situations and people.
- Delegate and enable delivery though others.
- Build and maintain strong relationships across different disciplines. Negotiate and influence. Manages conflict.
- Identify and share good practice, work collaboratively.
- Utilise specialist advice and support to deliver plans.
- Communicate effectively (verbal, non-verbal, written, digital) in manner relevant to the target audience.
- Chair meetings and present (formally and informally) using a range of media. Listen actively, challenge, give feedback.
- Analyse data/information to compellingly and succinctly present information to drive management decisions.
- Undertake and direct production activities and operations.
- Propose, undertake, manage and coordinate changes to the product, production operations, processes and equipment, to improve productivity, efficiency, quality and sustainability.
- Solve problems - predict and prevent failures through the analysis of data and information.
- Manage resources effectively to ensure their availability and the efficient running of department in line with organisational procedures.
- Deliver cost achievements against budget targets.
- Plan resources to support variations in production schedules.
- Use KPIs as the basis of the continuous improvement cycle for quality, cost and volume achievement using lean operational and product improvement techniques.
- Undertake and manage quality resolutions as well as volume problem resolution.
- Manage health, safety and the environment within area of responsibility, ensuring staff are compliant with all requirements and driving improvements.
- Conduct workplace risk assessments, manage near-miss or similar processes, conduct investigations as necessary.
- Use project management tools to plan, organise and manage resources, to monitor progress, identify risks and mitigation.
- Recruit the right people into the right job.
- Develop, build and motivate teams by identifying strengths and enabling training and development within the workplace.
- Recognise excellence, effectively manage performance, discipline, attendance, grievance.
- Manage industrial relations and equality and diversity.
- Support development through coaching and mentoring.
- Leading and communicating the management of change.
- Provide clear direction and leadership, giving open and honest feedback. Apply and adapt own leadership style to different production situations and people.
- Delegate and enable delivery though others.
- Build and maintain strong relationships across different disciplines. Negotiate and influence. Manages conflict.
- Identify and share good practice, work collaboratively.
- Utilise specialist advice and support to deliver plans.
- Communicate effectively (verbal, non-verbal, written, digital) in manner relevant to the target audience.
- Chair meetings and present (formally and informally) using a range of media. Listen actively, challenge, give feedback.
- Analyse data/information to compellingly and succinctly present information to drive management decisions.
Training schedule
- You will attain an Level 4 Process Leader qualification.
- Full support and training will be provided to help you progress quickly.
- Depending on the site, the scheme may offer placements within a factory based role with responsibility for a team, running production lines, quality and output costs.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade Grade A* - C or 9 - 4)
- Maths (grade (Grade A* - C or 9 - 4))
Desirable 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
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
Other requirements
The work environment can be cold and noisy, and will entail being inside for long periods of time, but PPE is provided. However, it is also a very positive place to work and the experience gained will be invaluable for the future and will give you your ‘first steps’ into manufacturing.
About this employer
Following the combination with Bakkavor in January 2026, we’re one of the UK’s leading creators of convenience food, driven by a simple purpose: to make every day taste better.
As a vibrant and fast-moving business, we’re proud to employ over 28,000 talented colleagues across 36 manufacturing sites and 21 distribution depots in the UK and the US. Together, we bring delicious food to life. Our products cover every meal occasion from breakfast through to dinner and dessert, with lunch and snacking in between. In FY25, our shared passion helped us achieve combined revenues of approximately £4bn.
Our extensive direct to store (DTS) network, with 17 depots across the UK, allows us to deliver fresh and frozen food both our own and from trusted partners to thousands of stores every day, ensuring consumers enjoy the very best, whenever and wherever they shop.
After this apprenticeship
- At the end of your programme, if you have successfully completed your apprenticeship and achieved the performance targets the we have set for you, you are guaranteed a permanent role with us.
- Future career aspirations could be Team Leader, Section Manager, Factory Manager or Operations Manager, to name a few.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000015718.
Apply now
Closes in 20 days (Monday 9 March 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.