Apprentice - Automation/Digital
CPI
Darlington (DL1 1GL)
Closes in 7 days (Thursday 7 May 2026)
Posted on 29 April 2026
Contents
Summary
Are you ready to take the first step in building your career? Our apprenticeship opportunities offer a great way to earn while you learn, gaining real hands‑on experience alongside industry‑recognised qualifications.
- Wage
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£25,947.47 a year
- Training course
- Data scientist (integrated degree) (level 6)
- Hours
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Monday- Friday 08:30am- 5:00pm and Friday 08:30am- 4:30pm
37 hours a week
- Start date
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Thursday 17 September 2026
- Duration
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3 years
- Positions available
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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
- To maintain consistent and documented compliance with all relevant Safety, Health and Environmental (SHE), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Data Integrity (DI), quality and best practice requirements
- To plan and prioritise tasks, review and evaluate progress against objectives and investigate alternative scenarios
- To identify and understand the requirements of internal and external customers and use creative thinking and problem solving to challenge assumptions, innovate, make new proposals and build on existing ideas
- To analyse scientific data from various sources to improve understanding of the underlying processes
- To assist other technical staff in the acquisition, visualisation and analysis of scientific data
- To develop and implement procedures for the standardised acquisition and storage of data from the laboratory
- To work autonomously to analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific data and present the results of an analysis clearly and concisely in written and oral form, including dissemination of work at internal/external events
- To assist in the networking and automation of laboratory equipment
- To assist in the integration of processes and equipment into CPI digital infrastructure, with a focus on data acquisition, control and automation. Additionally to ensure interoperability with systems such as those for inventory management and resource planning
- To contribute to the development of specific technical projects and have a working knowledge of project management procedures; set up, planning and the execution of data analysis projects and report results within agreed timescales with the support of colleagues
- To promote and ensure the application of quality standards relevant to the workplace and comply with the internal and external regulatory environment such as procurement, maintaining records, traceability & confidentiality
- To share professional knowledge with colleagues and be responsible for own continuous professional development
- To contribute to a culture of continuous performance improvement within the scientific and technical environment in alignment with company strategy and project deliverables
Where you'll work
1 Union Square
Darlington
DL1 1GL
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
YORK ST JOHN UNIVERSITY
Training course
Data scientist (integrated degree) (level 6)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Identify and clarify problems an organisation faces, and reformulate them into Data Science problems. Devise solutions and make decisions in context by seeking feedback from stakeholders. Apply scientific methods through experiment design, measurement, hypothesis testing and delivery of results. Collaborate with colleagues to gather requirements.
- Perform data engineering: create and handle datasets for analysis. Use tools and techniques to source, access, explore, profile, pipeline, combine, transform and store data, and apply governance (quality control, security, privacy) to data.
- Identify and use an appropriate range of programming languages and tools for data manipulation, analysis, visualisation, and system integration. Select appropriate data structures and algorithms for the problem. Develop reproducible analysis and robust code, working in accordance with software development standards, including security, accessibility, code quality and version control.
- Use analysis and models to inform and improve organisational outcomes, building models and validating results with statistical testing: perform statistical analysis, correlation vs causation, feature selection and engineering, machine learning, optimisation, and simulations, using the appropriate techniques for the problem.
- Implement data solutions, using relevant software engineering architectures and design patterns. Evaluate Cloud vs. on-premise deployment. Determine the implicit and explicit value of data. Assess value for money and Return on Investment. Scale a system up/out. Evaluate emerging trends and new approaches. Compare the pros and cons of software applications and techniques.
- Find, present, communicate and disseminate outputs effectively and with high impact through creative storytelling, tailoring the message for the audience. Use the best medium for each audience, such as technical writing, reporting and dashboards. Visualise data to tell compelling and actionable narratives. Make recommendations to decision makers to contribute towards the achievement of organisation goals.
- Develop and maintain collaborative relationships at strategic and operational levels, using methods of organisational empathy (human, organisation and technical) and build relationships through active listening and trust development.
- Use project delivery techniques and tools appropriate to their Data Science project and organisation. Plan, organise and manage resources to successfully run a small Data Science project, achieve organisational goals and enable effective change.
Training schedule
Requirements
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
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
About this employer
At CPI we work with our partners to translate inventions into products and processes that enhance health and well-being, protect and improve our environment and increase productivity across industries. With a deep understanding of innovation processes and funding, outstanding technical expertise and industry relevant assets, we enable products and processes to be quickly and cost-effectively brought to market.
After this apprenticeship
Automation or Digital Technician / Junior Engineer
Focus:
- Maintaining and optimising automated systems
- Supporting PLCs, sensors, robotics, SCADA, or MES systems
- Basic coding or scripting (e.g. ladder logic, Python, SQL)
- Monitoring data, dashboards, and system performance
- Fault finding and continuous improvement support
Automation Engineer / Digital Engineer
Focus:
- Designing, programming, and commissioning automation solutions
- Developing digital tools, dashboards, or data pipelines
- Integrating hardware and software systems
- Applying cybersecurity and data integrity principles
- Leading small projects or system upgrades
Senior Automation Engineer / Digital Specialist
Focus:
- Owning complex or business‑critical systems
- Leading automation or digital projects
- Setting technical standards and best practices
- Mentoring apprentices and junior engineers
- Driving efficiency, quality, and uptime improvements
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
YORK ST JOHN UNIVERSITY
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000029076.
Apply now
Closes in 7 days (Thursday 7 May 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.