Engineering & Manufacturing Support Apprentice
SMC CORPORATION (U.K.) LIMITED
Buckinghamshire (MK8 0AN)
Closes in 15 days (Friday 10 July 2026)
Posted on 25 June 2026
Contents
Summary
SMC is looking for motivated individuals with a genuine passion for engineering and a focus on customer satisfaction. Based in Milton Keynes, you’ll join our European Technical Centre (ETC), a key hub supporting customers across Europe with product design and technical expertise across a wide range of industries.
- Wage
-
£16,920 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Annual Salary
- Training course
- Engineering and manufacturing support technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday, shifts to be confirmed.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Sunday 30 August 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
You’ll work alongside experienced engineers to deliver high-quality, responsive technical support, while collaborating with SMC teams across Europe, our Engineering Headquarters in Japan, and manufacturing sites in the UK, Italy, and the Czech Republic. This ensures designs follow best practice and are ready for efficient production.
This is a varied, hands-on role offering real challenges, the chance to build valuable skills, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on both your own development and the success of the business.
What will the apprentice be doing?
- Learn how products are designed, including choosing materials, components, and finishes
- Build and modify equipment using drawings and step-by-step instructions
- Understand how pneumatic and electrical systems work and how to design them
- Test products to make sure they perform well and last over time
- Use and look after workshop tools and equipment
- Learn about important safety and industry regulations and how to follow them
- Support customers by answering questions and helping solve problems
- Develop confidence in communicating with both technical and non-technical people
About you:
You are a motivated and reliable individual with a strong interest in engineering and how things work. You have good problem solving skills, attention to detail, and a willingness to learn both practical and theoretical concepts. A basic understanding of maths and science is important, along with the ability to follow instructions and work safely.
You are a team player who can also take initiative when needed, communicate clearly, and stay organised. Most importantly, you show enthusiasm, commitment, and a positive attitude towards developing your skills as part of an engineering apprenticeship. Oh, and good timekeeping is a must! We reserve the right to close applications earlier than the specified closing date if volume has been reached.
Where you'll work
Vincent Avenue
Crownhill
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire
MK8 0AN
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
MILTON KEYNES COLLEGE
Training course
Engineering and manufacturing support technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Follow health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, segregation of resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
- Comply with engineering standards and regulations. For example, British Standards (BS), International Organisation for Standardisation standards (ISO). European Norm (EN).
- Analyse engineering and manufacturing data and information to support technical outputs. For example, read and interpret text, data, engineering drawings, work instructions, method statements, operation manuals.
- Apply scientific, technical or engineering principles.
- Apply problem solving techniques to solutions for identified technical problems.
- Organise, plan and prioritise workflow and scheduling of work with stakeholders.
- Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks, considering cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
- Produce job specific technical outputs. For example, engineering drawings, quality control management, computer control programming, business improvement, adverse incident reports, technical investigations, equipment appraisals and specifications.
- Provide support and guidance for handover of work to stakeholders. For example, checklists, product or process status, access to supporting documents.
- Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, equipment service records, test results, handover documents, checklists.
- Follow standard operating procedures.
- Follow manufacturer's instructions. For example, safe instructions for use of products, processes and machinery.
- Apply quality assurance and control principles and practices. For example, conduct physical checks, take samples, inspections or tests.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques.
- Apply team working principles.
- Communicate in writing with others for example, stakeholders, colleagues, and managers.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Carry out and record learning and development activities.
- Apply equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
- Follow health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, segregation of resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
- Comply with engineering standards and regulations. For example, British Standards (BS), International Organisation for Standardisation standards (ISO). European Norm (EN).
- Analyse engineering and manufacturing data and information to support technical outputs. For example, read and interpret text, data, engineering drawings, work instructions, method statements, operation manuals.
- Apply scientific, technical or engineering principles.
- Apply problem solving techniques to solutions for identified technical problems.
- Organise, plan and prioritise workflow and scheduling of work with stakeholders.
- Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks, considering cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
- Produce job specific technical outputs. For example, engineering drawings, quality control management, computer control programming, business improvement, adverse incident reports, technical investigations, equipment appraisals and specifications.
- Provide support and guidance for handover of work to stakeholders. For example, checklists, product or process status, access to supporting documents.
- Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, equipment service records, test results, handover documents, checklists.
- Follow standard operating procedures.
- Follow manufacturer's instructions. For example, safe instructions for use of products, processes and machinery.
- Apply quality assurance and control principles and practices. For example, conduct physical checks, take samples, inspections or tests.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques.
- Apply team working principles.
- Communicate in writing with others for example, stakeholders, colleagues, and managers.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Carry out and record learning and development activities.
- Apply equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
Training schedule
- Level 3 Engineering & Manufacturing Support Technician
- Training with Milton Keynes College: Milton Keynes
- Ongoing support and training with SMC
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- Maths (grade 9-5)
- English (grade 9-4)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication
- Team Player
- Motivated
About this employer
You’d be amazed at the things we get involved with… We’ve got airplanes into the air, cars on the road, battened down the hatches on board ship, and reduced the CO2 footprint of commercial freight. We’ve put bread on your table, pulled you a pint, put the shirt on your back and a phone in your pocket. Imagine working for us - a global market leader in pneumatic and automation technology, where innovation and customer satisfaction is at the forefront of what we do.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Following completion of your apprenticeship, you will become a Junior Engineer and use the skills, knowledge and behaviours gained to support the team in the design, simulation testing and technical support of special and new SMC products. SMC champion employee development and following successful completion of your level 3, would be happy to support you on to a level 4 qualification and beyond to continue your development with a plan to successfully move forward in the business.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
MILTON KEYNES COLLEGE
Sonia Harris
Apprenticeships@mkcollege.ac.uk
01908 637056
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000039313.
Apply now
Closes in 15 days (Friday 10 July 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.